New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1916-06-15
mitchell GIVES HIS
EVIDENCE TO SWAMI
New York Mayor Writes Another
Chapter in Charities Case

ney Swami yesterday the evidence on
W hich he had previously charged that
| Mgr. J. J. Dunn, chancellor Of the
! Diocese Of New York, Father William
| B. Farrell, DR.. D. G. Potter, Dean
| Potter and others had entered into
| conspiracy against his administra-
| ton and had violated sections of the
penal code.
Mayor Mitchell said that the inves-
| tjgation of the alleged crime had just
been completed. He transmitted to
District Attorney Swami letter from
Police Commissioner Woods saying
that the evidence established that the
crimes had been perjury, conspiracy
to publish a criminal libel, criminal
libel, and conspiracy to obstruct JUS
tice and due administration Of the
laws. After receiving the letters and
the evidence District Attorney Swami
said:
II will take time to go carefully
ever what the mayor has submitted
before I decide what to do. Nothing
will be done hastily and everything
will be done in the OPEN"
Mr.. Swami would not explain his
last statement, but it was taken to
mean that he favored an inquiry by
Chief Magistrate McAdoo similar to
the action taken after charges had
been made against William J. Burns.
Accused Welcome Inquiry.
Alfred J. Talley, lawyer for Father
Farrell, and others accused by the
mayor visited the district attorney
later in the afternoon.
II welcome the existing situation. |
II affords an opportunity Of getting
all the facts out. If the district at
tcrney proceeds with the matter, |
expect that one indictment will re-
sult-that of Mayor Mitchell
Mayor Complains of Crimes.
Mayor MitchePs letter to District |
Attorney Swami was as follows:
June IA, 1916 |
Dear Sir: In the course of the in
vestigation of the State Board of |
Charities, conducted by Charles H. |
Strong, commissioner by appointment |
of the governor under the Moreland |
act there were brought to my atten-
ton and the attention Of the police |
commissioner certain breeches of the
criminal law.
In the discharge of the duty i'm
posed upon him by law, the police
commissioner, through the agency Of
his detective force, undertook to
secure the evidence of the commission
of these crimes. That work has just
been completed by the police depart
ment. Since these matters, together
with the detective methods employed
by the police department for securing
evidence, received a large amount Of
public attention, I directed the COM
missioner of police to transmit to me |
the entire record. This record I now
transmit to you, the prosecuting |
officer of this county, for official
action.
Permit me to draw your attention
to the fact that two of the persons
referred to in the evidence are priests
of the Catholic church. I have been
made well aware during the past two
years and a half of a we'll organized
and persistent effort to discredit the
work Of the commissioner Of charities
of this city in his efforts to secure
Lroper and humane care of the
$4,000 dependent children committed
to private charitable institutions,
with the design Of distracting atten-
ton from the defects Of physical plant
and administration in some Of these
institutions, which were reflected in |
the deplorable condition of the city's
dependent wards housed therein
Humane Care of City's Wards.
The City government must insist
upon value received in terms of care,
nourlshment, and proper living con- ,
ditions in return for the public funds
to private charitable in
stitutions. 1t is the moral as well as
the legal duty Of the officers of the
City government to insist upon hu-
name care of the city's wards When
men who are supposed to stand in
the community for the principles of
right Justice, religion, and obedience
to the laws, out of a mistaken institu-
tiona1 zeal band themselves together
to Illustrate the due administration
of those laws, going even to the
lengths disclosed by the evidence
herewith presented to you a very SER
ious situation is created. 1t transcends
in the Importance of it's effect and
the significance of its scope the mere
breach by individuals of provisions of
the penal law. It touches a basic
principle of American life-the reci-
procal non-interference of church
and state.
Because the government of this
city has found itself confronted by
such a situation, and in the course
of the discharge of it's duties has de-
veloped the evidence of specific
breaches of the penal law, this re-
cord is transmitted to you for action.
Very truly yours,
JOHN PURROY MITCHELL
Woods Submits Evidence.
Police Commissioner Woods letter
to the mayor, which was Endorsed to
Mr. Swami. was as follows:
June 8, 1916.
Hon. John Purroy Mitchell, Mayor Of