The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-24
CRAIG QUITS SCHOOL
HEARING IN A RAGE
Buffalo Investigator Calls
Comptroller "No Gentle
man" After q Tilt.
SHARP ANSWER rs GIVEN
City Official Denounces Et-
finger and McCook of Board
of Education.

A day Of warfare between Comp
troller Charles L. Craig and the mem
bsrs OF the Board OF Regents Commit
tee who are conducting an Investigation
OF the controversy between the Mayor
ana the Comptroller on one side and
the Board of Education and its en-
ployees on the other, ended soon after
o'clock yesterday afternoon with the
Comptroller's precipitate withdrawal
from the committee room after q shArp
controversy with Ethelbert Moot. The
latter had asserted fatty that the wit
ness was mo gentleman" while Mr..
Craig protested vehemently against Mr..
Moot placing on the record an express
sion which the Comptroller denied hav-
ing used.
The hearing at the Bar Association
OF the City Of New York, AZ West
Forty-fourth street, which was conduct
ed BY William Nottingham Of Syracuse,
Ethelbert Moot OF Buffalo and James
Byrne of this city, for the State Board
OF Regents, gave the members Of the
committee a hard days work and did
not enlighten tham 20 any great extent
as to the causes underlying the contro-
unteered information CT general ma
ture on the methods OF handling the
Board of Educations section OF the
city budget In the Board OF Dstin,ate
and Apportionment. and recounted his
own efforts in Albany in sehalf of the
city schools.
The Comptroller had the last word in
the proceedings. for he issued a state.
ment last night In which he expressed
his opinion OF the investigating commit
tee and its methods In no uncertain
terms, charged that the Board of Re.
gents was under the control OF the City
superintendent OF Schools and his
friends. declared that the committee had
no desire but to suppress the facts and
In short. issued a declaration Of war
against the Regents on the part Of the
Hylan administration.
Cause of Withdrawal.
The passage at Arms which finally In
censed Mr.. Craig grew out OF a question
by Mr.. Moot as to whether, in Mr..
Craig's opinion. II was desirable TO have
the Board of Education prepare two dis
tinct estimates for the Board Of Esti-
mate and Apportionment. one showing
the expenditures covered by the proper
ton OF 40 mills on each dollar OF as
2
clusvely for school purposes, and the
other for desirable appropriations In ex-
cess OF that amount In answering the
Comptroller made n lengthy statement Of
his activities on behalf Of the city school
system.
He concluded with a denunciation Of
the employees Of the Board OF Educa-
ton and specifically of William 1. Et-
finger. Superintendent Of Schools. and
Henry X. NJ. Cook. Auditor. Both, ne
said were responsible for the difYicultiee
which have arisen between the boa "a
and the city authorities
These men," Mr.. Craig said with
considerable heat. ARE simply using your
committee TO spread dissension and"
sir said Mr.. Moot, before the Conn.
troller could finish the sentence. 81 re.
sent that. ! ask you TO withdraw that
statement"
Il won't withdraw i'll won't do any.
thing of the kind" retortsd Mr.. Craig.
Then. sir" said Mr.. Moot, you are
no gentleman"
At this point Mr.. Bryne intsrposed
WIN question, which gave the Comp
troller a chance 20 begin anew his a.
nunciation OF Messrs. Cook and Ell
finger.
Asks IL Board IL . Puppet.
When he paused for breath Mr.. Moot
LOOK up the examination again. DO
you then charge" he asked. that the
Board Of Education has been a mere
puppet OF Ettingcr and Cook"
Il did not use that word" Mr.. Craig
answered. and unless I'm allowed TO
place a statement In tho record to that
enect ! Will have nothing more TO do
with your hearing"
Answer my question. sir" Mr.. Moot
said, land then you may make any
statement you WISH
10 which Mr.. Craig replied that he
did not intend to have the record show
that he had used any such term in con-
hection with the ladies and gentlemen
Of the Board of ucation, and without
further ado he adjourned his nart In
the hearing by crushing his papers in A
large black bag and stalking from the
room.
AT the commencement OF the hesrins
the Comptroller began with the an.
nouncement that he was there vol,n-
tariiy and not under CompulsIon and tina;
his appearance was not TO be construed
as an admission that he recognized any
jurisdiction OF the Board OF Regents over
his conduct as Comptroller of the city
OF New York. He frequently inter
4upNeu lle members OF the committee
when they began a question and re-
lterated over and over in his answers
that there was no controversy between
the city administration and the Board
OF Education and that the trouble was
due to the exertions of the employees
OF the board to build up their own power
in utter disregard OF the needs OF the
city's school children.
Mr.. .Byrne and Mr.. Nottingham, who
did most OF the questioning, had occa-
sion several times to remind the Comp
troller that they were conducting the ex-
animation. and sparks flew more than
once before the final coniagration.
After some three hours OF interroga-
ton the committee finally obtained from
the Comptroller an admission that trans
fers Of funds from one appropriation
head to another could be carried out
only with the consent OF the Board Of
Estimate and Apportlonment.
Cook Gives His Defence.
After Mr.. Craig's PERCEPTIONS depar-
ture Mr.. Cook contradicted Mr.. Craig's
statement that 1t was impossible to iden-
tify items in excess of the 80 mills
fund. He pronounced as impossible the
lra 90 no