New-York tribune., 1919-11-22
District Attorney Calls Panel
Biased and Wants New
Special Body to Conduct
corruption" Inquiry
Favors Outside Counsel
Not for Present Probers,
Though; Says Traction
Men Seek Hylan Removal

District Attorney Swami moved yes
tcrday to have the investigation into
charges Of corruption in public Office
taken away from the extraordinary
grand jury and turned over to an
other, especially empanelcd for that
purpose Mr.. Swami, whose Office and
the city departments under Mayor
Hylan are being investigated, took this
step in letter to Governor Smith, sent
last night.
The District Attorney. in his letter
and supplementary statement. de-
ciarcd thnt Raymond +. Almirali, fore
man Of the grand jury, by virtue Of
the prescntment when declared that
Mayor Hylan's lntcrborough strike CON
spiracv charges could not be properly
determined until their "origin and
causatlve procosscs' we're established
had placed himself in a position Of a
complainant against unnamed public
officers'
Swami Charges Hostility
The extraordinary grand Jury, Mr.
Gus hostiliiy' to the Mayor and his Cthe
District Attorneys office. and the bias
OF certain of It's members toward the
traction interests. was not qualified to
SIT TN an inquiry such "a the Jurors an
nounced tney were making.
Mr. Swami, who further wrote that
ne believed the grand july had not
given me Governor Information enc
cIue enough u warrant Mr. Smith
granting the request Of tho jury that
the state Attorney General sup,rsedo
Mr Swann's Office Us coun sci IN the ~
qulry proposed that unotfo or extraor-
dinary term Of the Supreme Court be-
convened for the corruption" probe.
that justice be named 70 hold suca u
term and another grand Jury impar-
eled 'ir order that there may ho an
impartial standing between Nj Alml-
rall and the persons against whom b.
makes complaints or accusations. -
any"
The District Attorneys communica-
uon, dlspatched by special me sengcr
to the Governor at the bedside of Ms
mother IN brooklyn, follows.
SNarn's Letter
My attention has been called
through the public press 20 letter
written % YOU by flr Raymond +.
AlmlrnI, the foreman the eNtsaor-
diuary grand jury. Whlcn one Of
tn" morning papers states has not
yet reached you, but ON account u
the importance of the matter i'm.
volved | think 1t hest 20 write You
without delay.
There are many misstatements i'm
Mr.. Almirall's letter to you, but Nc
is not my purpose ~ writing This
letter to enter into "a controVef.y
With h'n. and therefore pass ihetn
by Tor the present.
Mr.. Amirali concludes his lrt,cr
by slgges,ng tina sou irs .guato the
Attorney Gereral te appear before
the eNiraordrarv grand fuf1 go act
generally AS their logW ADVISOR and
counsel, but without specifying " nat
criminal action or proceeding he de-
sltos the Attorney General TO con-.
duct
Fhe executive law provides that
IN" Governor may require the A..
torncy General to appear before a
grand Jury and conduct such GRIM
mai actions OF proceedings as shall
ho specified in such requirement..
tnat ls to shy. the Governor may
designate the Attorney Gencrnl to
superS"de the District Attorney n
specified cases. rhe public officers
Mr.. Almnll desires To investigate
are not specified, nor are the Charge
against them specified. lle docs
not. I'm NV opinion, give suffclert
information to lusrfy Tho Governor
ma acting under the executive lazy.
Charges Open Hostility to Hylan
Mr.. Almirall, who Is openly nos
tile to the Mayor and thc District
Attorney, has obviously placed him