New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-20
''Insinuation of Fraud" in
Rockaway Land Sale for
political Purposes
PURCHASE PASSED
BY SUPREME COURT
Challenges "Slanderers to
Put Statements Over
Their Signatures

Mayor Mitchell denied yesterday the
charges of William Bullock, director OF
the Bureau Of City Inquiry, in connee-
ton with the purchase Of Rockaway
Park by the city and the more recent
negotiations for land at Rockaway
Point for proposed Notifications. Ire
Mayor declared that all OF Bullock 5
"insinuations" were false and made
purely for political purposes. The
Bureau of City Inquiry is a Tammany
Hall organization.
The Mayor admitted that Dock Com
missioner r. A. c. Smith had offered
his resignation as a result of his part
in the introduction of the legislation
at Albany relative to the Rockaway
Point project. The Mayor refused TO
accept it, He said that the Dock Com
missioner had made mistake in send
ing the old Walker bill TO the Legs
lature, which enabled the city to eede
all of its waterfront land under water
in Brooklyn and Queens, instead OF
the particular land required for the
government Notifications at Rockaway
Point. He declared, however, that the
mistake was made merely in confusing
two meritorious measures"
Mayor Hits at Hearst
The Mayor referred to Bullock as
"whippersnapper" and said ne would
take care of ANY one Of the regularly
organized band of libellers and SLAM
derers Of character, such as William
Randolph Hearst" if they would put
their statements over their signatures.
"All of Buliock's insinuations are
false and he knows them to be false"
said the Mayor, and he IS only max
ing them for his political purposes.
He knows these lands were bought at
condemnation proceeding ;. and, if he
is making a charge of fraud, he is
charging fraud upon the Supreme
Court, which passed on these proceed
ings."
Referring TO the inInuations that
ex-senator William II Reynolds, Of
Brooklyn, the Mayors friend, protited
by the land transact ms, the Mayor
said:
"As to Reynolds, both then and short.
~ afterward, and now, | know he had
no interest whatever in that transac-
ton. That is what ! am informed
by people who know about his business,
Of which ! personally know nothing.
Unfortunately, he is not here to answer
for himself, which he undoubtedly
would do"
Bullock Issues New Statement
MIR. Bullock issued another state
ment last night in which he stood by
his declaration that 2,4OO per cent
profit had been made in the sale OF
Rockaway Park 70 the city, and that
mis- report appears TO bear on its face
proof of conspiracy to defraud both
the State and the City of New York
Bullock pointed out that he had
made the report over his own sigma
ture. and declared that all parties con-
cerned who did not approve Of 1t have
full opportunity for recourse at law.
ITO establish the truth or falslty
Of the statement" said Bullock, seems
to me TO be the first duty incumbent
upon the Mayor and the Controller. l
ask them. therefore, if they will not
ioin in my request to the Governor for
an investigation?
Both the Mayor and the Controller
seek shelter behind the ermine of the
Supreme Court. But they will find cold
comfort there. For Justice Benedict,
in confirming the award, placed the
responsibility directly upon the Board
Of Estimate"