The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-09
REFUSES TO REVEAL
|. SOURCE OF STORY
"MOrning Telegraph" Report
CT Balks Administrations
Fishing Excursion.

Mayor Hylan yesterday made dis
NAL failure Of his first attempt to get
newspaper man to divulge the source OF
his information on story On previ-
Gus occasions he has made his wrath
at certain things written about him
known in various ways. Yesterday.
however. was the first time he resorted
to the right Of subpoena and inquisitorial
powers of his Commissioner OF Accounts
in his search for the source of news.
On January 25 there appeared in the
Morning Telegraph. as in other newspa-
pers, a story about the demand of Mayor
Hylan for the resignation OF II. Warren
Hubbard. First Deputy Commissioner OF
the Street Cleaning Department. on
Thursday Edward Stats Luther, in
whose column OF the. Telegraph the story
appeared, was served with summons
to appear before Commissioner OF Ac-
counts Hrshfeld at $50 o'clock yester-
day prepared TO testify in IAN investiga-
ton OF the Street Cleaning Department,
When Mr.. Luther appeared at the ex-
animation room reporters followed him
in. They were informed by Commits
sioner Hirshfield that It was private
hearing. that whatever was to be made
public would be said by him later. Asked
II it was to be a star chamber proceed
ing, the Commissioner turned 10 Mr..
Luther with the remark:
II don't suppose you want public
hearing. do you?"
II don't know what your examination
is about replied Mr.. Luther. but GER
tainly have no objection to public
hearing"
The Commissioner then allowed the
reporters to stay. He explained that the
hearing was to obtain Information In
regard to the alleged profteering in the
hiring OF motor cars BY the Street
Cleaning Department. Asked what in
formation he had on the subject. the
witness replied that he knew nothing
about it, except that he had referred IL
II in a brief article he had written IN
connection with the resignation OF Dep
uty Commissioner Hubbard.
81 now ask you TO give the source ot
your information on which the article
| was written" said Commissioner Hirsh'
| field.
Il refuse to state from what source
the information came" was the reply
OF the witness. at was a confidential
communication to me as newspaper
| man. and as such is privileged"
II know OF no statute which makes
| information to newspaper man priv
| LEGGED" retorted the Commissioner.
The Commissioner conferred with Wood
, u. Loudoun, his Second Deputy. in wills
pers and then said
II demand that YOU give the source
| OF this Information"
The witness refused and the Commits
sioner took a new tack.
You do NOT believe that having made
charges against the Mayor OF the city
of New York YOU owe it to the people
to EXPLAIN he asked
II made no charges"
Commissioner Hirshhed began to
read the article. then paused TO renew
his futile questions, and finally said:
1T don't believe you had any infor-
nation. ] think your article was writ
| ten just like all Of your other articles
about the Mayor and me-
And the commissioner suddenly left
the room repeating: Il don't believe it
1t appeared that the hearing was
closed and the witness left the stand.
In the article in question Mr.. Luther
| after relating how the Mayor had de.
manded the resignation OF Deputy Com
missioner Hubbard. with the statement
! that he did not want anybody playing
| politics in the department" wrote:
| To inquiries a 5 to what our crotchety
Mayor had in mind regarding 'rlayins
| politics by Mr.. Hubbard Commissioned
| MacStay said he had no idea and thai
the Mayer had not volunteered any in
| formation.
I Reports have Il. however that tn,
| Mayor had sent friend to Commits
; soner Hubbard with the suggestion thai
| the Department Of Street Cleaning Should
| hire motor trucks Of the Mayors fren,
in place OF getting trucks from the Pack
| ard Motor Transportation Company. II
which Paul Naccarelli ia Interested"
Later in the day Commissioner Hirsh
| field said that early in January he haC
| been asked by Mayor IIylan TO max,
an investigation OF charges that certain
men were renting trucks for $25 da,
and subletting them to the Street Clean
! ing Department for s3s 81 day. He Ma.
! told that the Packard Transportation
! Company owned only four trucks. bu
was renting as many "a twenty-one
| day to the city. Patrick f. Walsh O
1854 Lexington avenue also was sale t.
be making profit OF $40 day %,
renting trucks and suhlctting them.
| The Commissioner said that privat
owners OF trucks had told him the,
would rent TO the city direct for so5
| day, among them Frank Edestein O
| 1898 Lowell street, The Bronx, who 1
! now working for the department