New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-08
Alleged Graft Disclosures and
Failure to Aid Investigators
Costs State Superintendent
Of Highways His Job.
my DUTY SAYS GOVERNOR
Information Of "a Very Grave
Character" Impels Him to Dis
miss "Scapegoat," Hunt
ed by Experts and De-
serted by Tammany.
GBy TELEGRAPH to The Tribune


Albany, March 7-Governor SuIzer
removed c. Gordon Reel as Superinten.
dent Of Highways to-day. The Cover
nor declared that Reel had declined
TO aid his department investigators.
and that since his return from Wash
ington Information of very grave
character" had come to his attention.
Reel, appointed by Governor Dix fol-
lowing the Democratic organization Of
the Highway Department of two years
ago, has been on the gridiron of public
censure for months because Of disclos-
ures concerning his department When
the Governors committee of inquiry
began work II let loose its principal
experts on the Highway Department,
and 1t was then reported on good au-
ihority that the Superintendent would
either be removed or be forced to re-
sign.
At the time Reel was on the wit
ness stand before the committee II was
claimed that a practice of supplement-
sry agreements on highway contracts
by which the state had lost almost ST.
100000 had been discovered by the in
vesigators. Alleged wholesale graft
also was unearthed in the bureau Of
maintenance and repair Of the depart
ment, from the head Of which ex-As-
semblyman Charles r. Foley, of Mag
ara, resigned last fall.
Associates Depended on Reel.
During all these attacks Reel per-
sistently declared that not a dishonest
dollar could be traced to his hands
and that he was being made a scape-
goat. He laid part of the blame for
conditions in the department to Foley
and said that he alone should not be
held responsible, as the State Engineer,
John A. Bensel, and the Superintend-
ent of Public Works, Duncan w. Peck.
we'll as himself. 1t was. however,
shown that these two officials had de-
pended on Reel almost entirely to con-
duct the active management Of the de-
partment.
Reel. on the stand. declared that $25.-
100000 of new highway work had been
placed under contract during his ad-
ministra ton without a breath OF
scandal and that the attitude of John
n. Carlisle, chairman Of the commit
tee, toward the Superintendent during
the investigation had not been fair.
Reel has many friends Of powerful
political influence, and IN spite OF his
troubles in the Highway Department
he has been sending them letters be-
seeching them to see that he not only
held his job but that he be made Su-
perintendent of Highways under an
other Democratic measure, reOrganiz-
ing the Highway Department. now
pending In the Legislature. This bill
provides for q single headed commits
sion.
One Of Reels friends was Charles r.
Murphy, of Tammany Hall. Reel ad-
mittedly followed Murphy's bidding in
the giving out Of highway jobs. 1t
had been thought that Murphy would
save him for this reason. but In the
last few weeks the Highway Depart
ment had been found TO be in such a
deplora3le condition from the incom-
potency of It's officials and alleged
grating contractors that friends Of the
organization said that not even Muir
Continued on fourth page. third column.