New-York tribune., 1914-10-22
SOHMER PROTECES'
RECORDS TRACED
Ex-PoIiceman Made Bank
Examiner After Facing
Many Charges.
ONCE LOCKED UP IN
OWN STATION house
Controllers $500 Clerk Con-
victed Four Years Ago OF
Grand Larceny.

The influence Of State Controller
William Sohmer, Tammany candidate
for reelection, In placing upon the
payrolls OF the state departments with
out regard to fitness friends OF politi-
cal friends, was revealed yesterday In
the discovery of the cases OF John D.
Mccarthy, examiner of private banks
in the State Banking Department, and
Thomas Torpey, employed as conh--
Dental clerk in the audit bureau OF
the State Controllers office. Torpey re-
ceives a salary of $4,000 a year, but
his duties are by no means arduous.
He is the righthand man in West
chester County of Deputy State Con-
troller Michael j. Walsh, Democratic
leader of that county.
Mccarthy is Walsh's brother-in-law
and was formerly lieutenant in the
Police Department of this city. He was
retired April 3. 1918. Torpey is resi-
dent of Peekskill, and was convicted
four years ago of grand larceny be-
fore Supreme Court Justice Arthur 5.
Tompkins, upon complaint of the Bar
tholomay Brewing Company, Of Roch,,
ester, for which corporation he acted
as agent. Sentence was suspended.
McCarthy's record in the Police De-
partment caused him to figure fire.
quently in the public prints. He was
appointed a patrolman February 23,
1898.
September 16, 1893, according to pub
lished reports of police trials, Nc
Carthy was absent from post and was
found guilty October 10, 1898. and
fined a half days pay. For conversa-
tion on post October 7, 1898, he was
fined November 10 a half days pay.
The same penalty was imposed the fol-
lowing March, when he was found
guilty on the charge of being absent
from return rollcall February 20, 1894.
On July IL, 1895, he was accused of
using indecent language to citizens,
but on trial in September the com
plant was dismissed. In December,
1901, Mccarthy was raised to the grade
of detective sergeant and in August
of the following year was reduced TO
patrolmsn. On April. 1908, he was
again restored to the rank of detective
sergeant, and in April, 1907, his grade
was changed to that of lieutenant.
On November l, 1909, he had the fol
lowing charges preferred against him
/.
to make entry in station house blotter.
3. Failed TO make entry in blotter. 4.
Made false entry in blotter. On the
same date he was accused Of having
threatened to assault a citizen, while
absent from reserve duty and while
under the influence of liquor. and he
was accused Of having unlawfully en-
tered the home of O citizen and COM
mitting an assault.
On all these charges he was fouid
guilty and discharged from the force
on November Is, 1909. He succeeded
through court action in being rein
stated in the department on March IL,
1911. December II of that year he was
again brought up on charges OF failure
TO take proper police action. On this
occasion he was fined thirty days pay
or January ], 1912. On April 3, 1913,
Mccarthy was retired.
While stationed in The Bronx during
his early career in the department,
McCarthy's name was mentioned in an
escapade which resulted in the death
of a woman who drank liquor in which
a drug had been placed. While at
tached to the Elizabeth st. precinct IN
1909 he was accused of having broken
into a house where an Italian wedding
was in progress and of creating so
much trouble that he was locked up IN
his own station house.
Torpey, according to District Attor-
nev Francis Winslow, of Westchester
County, while employed by the Bar
tholomay Brewing Company, was in
trusted with the task OF securing a
chattel mortgage from saloonkeeper.
He appropriated the money sent to MN
for the purpose Of making the loan,
and subsequently forwarded to the
! brewing company forged mortgage to
account for his disposition OF the
funds.
AT the State Banking Department, 81
Broadway, yesterday afternoon it was
said that Mccarthy had been appointed
as a private bank examiner by Eu.
gene Lamb Richards, State Superin'
tendent of Banking, on October ], 1914
II was further said that his appoint
ment was temporary one and wa:
specified not to exceed six months.
Under a recent act Of the Legislat
urc, il was explained, the supervision
Of private banks has been transferred
from the Office of the State Controller
to that of the State Banking Depart
ment. The examiners of state banks
are appointed from a state civil ser
vice list, said Secretary Anchor, but a.
no list existed for examiners of pri
vate institutions temporary appoint
ments had to be made.
In Westchester County, however, in
dependent Democrats point to both o
these appointments as illustrative o
the Sohmer influence at Albany. The!
insist that while Deputy Controlle
Walsh is responsible for the appoint
ment of both Mccarthy and Torpey, i
was Walsh's influence with his chic
that secured these two men their pres
ent positions.