The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-17
Lockwood Counsel Writes
TO Hylan Attacking Sin
cerity Of City Probers.
GOOD FAITH DOUBIlD
Judge Mulqueen SustaiHs
Committee 5 Power 10 80
Ahead Dming RI ,ess.
MAYOR o. STAND TODAY.
School Contracts FIRST 70 lse
inquired into BY Mrflci
Pc inYcs gators
MAYOR o. STAND TO-DAY

City officials arc pgt acting in goo
faith in dealing with the Lockwood
committee. Samuel Untermyer, cour
sci for the State probers, charged ir
a scorching letter sent last night NJ
Mayor Hylan warning the Board "a
Estimate against trying to put over
"whitewashing" Investigation of mp-s
nicipal affairs The letter was notice
to the Mayor that he would be recallaft
TO the witness stand at the commi.
tees hearing to-day in City Hall. W
Not only did Mr. Untermyer quet-
ton the measure of sincerity" of tlFN
Mayor and his associates in trying N
rush through IN investigation of olg
contracts, but he asserted that the
Board of Estimate and the Corpora
ton Counsel had attacked the Lock
wood committee at the close Of the
! Joint conference In City Hall on Mon
day and as soon as our backs were
turned The breech between the two
bodies. healed temporarily by the con-
ference, was broken wide open again
/ by Mr.. Untermyer's letter.
! Earlier in the day the Lockwood com
mittee had been fully sustained by Judge
\ Mulqueen, in General Sessions. who ruled
| there was no basis for the attacks on the
constitutional rights Of the investigators
/ TO administer oaths, The Judge held
/ that George Backer, wealthy contractor.
must face arraignment to-day on h S per-
\ jury indictment The state committee
! viii insist upon immediate trial
! Backed by this court decision. the coun-
sci for the committee rushed through
their preparations for the public session.
70 be held for the next three days an
piled up stacks Of carefully tested evi-
derce which VIII be uufcldcd through
many witnesses. The lawyers said there
vas material FOR many explo ions IN that
mass Of evidence
Letter Carefully Considered.
/ The Cn:ermyer letter was not given
out until late IN tho evening and after
long consultation. The lawyer informed
! the Mayor that his examination on the
I witness stand was not completed last
week. but Was suspended 70 enable Mr.
/ Hylan 20 produce certain letters and
/ other papers that hc had failed to show.
/ The Mayor had some of the papers with
/ him when ,he hearing was sumed Fri
/ day. bat was not called thrn Continu-
/ inS NJ. Untcrmycr wrote:
81 take this opportunity OF register
/ ac my protest again what has been
/ fcported 20 me as the behavior ~ your
Corporation Counsel yesterday before
/ f4. ftT D..
Of the committee and myself and which
could hardly have happened without
your taclt approval
we had appeared before the board In
response TO its urgent request 20 aid the
I city in solving the difficult problems
growing out Of the many millions worth
! OF fraudulent contracts that have been
saddled upon the city. This Is especially
\ true OF the Board Of Education and
other departments In cases where they
\ have not taken the precautiou 20 require
the names Of subcontractors
Realizing the importance TO the city
u prompt action and Of "a constructive
1 programme in dealing with Tho situation
\ [ had spent hours in furnishing tor IA
consideration OF the Board of Esrima n
a comprehensive plan, which Z outline
T TO the board and which MET with It's aps
provaI o. such an extent tlat il Wa
\ then and there, in my presence resoiv4ts
by the board 20 ask me 20 join with tlie
Corporation Counsel in formulating ID
papers necessary TO put the plan inte
operation.
1T was also made plain 20 the boar
during this conference thlt while IL we
beyond the scope and power OF the con
m!ttee ana would defect it's activities ti
enter upon a special and separate Ia
yesugauou of the many city contractJ
the evidence thus far developed satisi.
me that most OF those covering equir.
nent connected with the hchools wet.
fraudulent in that they were tho resus
Of coIuslye bidding.
Craig Gets credit for List.
Il produced list .. these sub-con-
tracts that was kindly furnished me o..
tho Comptroller and that was printed
for our convenience ON which app, area
the names OF those sub-contractors and
explained that we were eventually
going into AN investigation ot all lines
Of the building trades und taat bon the
course ~ that inquiry evidence would
from time % time be developed that
could be made available t0 tHe .itv and
on which % could act thus rendering
separate Investigation 40 the contracts
AZ this time unnecessary Meanwhile
the city would be amply protected IN
proceeding with all contracts, except
those aiready exposed as fraudulent by
the plan OF guarantees ana withholding
payments. which had been outlined b.
me and was t6 be put in force.
f. faaf lfs .HlH