New-York tribune., 1918-03-13
llaebriety Board
Resigns; Clasf1ed
With FIirshheld
Members Resent Method of
Sunamoning Them for
Examination

The Board of Inebriety, one of the
hobbies of the late Mayor Gaynor, and
created by him in 1911, was dissolved
yesterday of its own volition, when five
of the seven members resigned. The
action of the members was predicated
on the persistent requests recently by
Bird S. Coler, Commi ssioncr of Chari-
ties, for the resignation Of it's cxecu-
tive secretary, Charles Samson, who
held the only paid position on the
board.
The members, none of whom is a
politician, were also incensed at the
summary action of Commissioner of
with subpenas to appear before him
last Saturday to submit to examination
regarding the conduct of Warwick
Farms, the city's institution for IN
ebriates, which is under the supervision
of the board. They felt that request
would have been sufficient to bring
them to the commissioners office.
Mayor Had Not Acted
The board, however, was one of the
bodies under the Mayors jurisdiction
which Mayor Hylan included in his
pre-campaign promises as a "useless
organiZation," but had taken no steps
to abolish since he was elected. The
efforts Of the new administration to
get control Of the $4,000 secrctarysh;p
has accomplished the same purpose,
unless Mayor Hylan sees fit to appoint
an entirely new board and give the
only paid position to some deserving
Democrat"
t,rn :
DR. John Dorning, head of ST. Francis
Hospitals; Dr.. William Browning, pro-
fesssor OF neurology at Long Island
College and Kings County hospitals; !;
the Rev. John j. Hughes, OF the Paul
ist Fathers; Thomas J. Cotton, brother
of the late Bishop Cotton, of Buffalo,
and Eaily B. Burritt, the chairman and
general agent of the Association for
the Improving Of the Condition of the
Poor. Mr.. Burritt was Mitchell ap-
polntec. The commissioners of char-
ties and of correction are ex-officio
members of the board.
Following the designations OF the
members Of the board it was an
nounced at the Mayors Office that Mr..
Burritt had been relieved Of his duties
on the ground that he is resident of
Yonkers, and not OF the greater city,
as the law requires.
Secretary Explains Trouble
Secretary Samson, who rendered his
resignation Immediately after the other
members resigned. gave the following
version of the controversy:
THE first meeting of the board with
/ Commissioner Colcr and Commissioner
Hamilton, of the Department of Cor
rectlon, took place on February 8
Commissioner Colcr, before anything
else was done, asked for my resigna-
ton. The chairman of the board ask ed
for the reason, and Commissioner
Colcr replied that it was "the admin
istration's wish" The board refused
to comply with the request and no fur
ther business was transacted that day
"Commi issioncr Colcr renewed his
request at the next meeting, on Febru.
airy Is, but the members told him that
nothing would be done, at all events
until Mayor Hylan returned from Palm
Beach. Commissioner Colcr was pqucc
at my refusal to resign, but hearc
nothing more of it until Commissioner
of Accounts Hirshficld served five
members of the board with subptpnas
to appear before him Saturday. These
men are of the highest standing in the
community, and felt that it was an at
tempt to intirnidatc them, whcreupon
| they resigned. None of them are poli-
ticians and they object strcnuously to
political methods"