New-York tribune., 1920-12-13
Albany Graft
Inquiry Hits
Aids of Barnes
City Said to Have Been
Mulcted Of Sl8,35I OH
Coal; Two of Indicted
Men Are Now on Trial
Contract Scandal Heard
Governor Smiths Big Vote
at Capital Laid to Fight
Against the Former Boss
From @ star correspondsn.

ALBANY, Dec. 12.-Those outside the
capital city who read with amazement
the vote of Albany the morning after
election ascribed the carrying OF the
city by Governor Smith over Judge
Miller as a tribute to Smiths popular
ity. Under normal conditions Judge
Miller would have carried the city by
about $4,000
But those who live here looked on
the vote as a reputation Of the Barnes
organization. once the most powerful
Republican organization in the state,
which has been dominated for score
of years by William Barnes, one-time
state boss Of the Republican machine,
and until he received Knockout blow
at the hands of the late Colonel Roose-'
velt one of the commanding figures IN
national politics.
The recent Democratic victory here
the first in more than twenty years
will be repeated next year and Demo-
cratic Mayor and a Democratic city ad-
mnistration elected unless there IS
thorough reorganization Of the Barnes
machine or what is left of 1t, accord
ing to local observers
Five Indictments on Graft Charge
Charges of graft are made against
some members of the Barnes organiza-
ton, and as a result of an investigation
conducted b. District Attorney Timothy
Z. Roland, the Albany grand jury has
returned five ind ctments, and two OF
the indicted have just been put on trial.
The two on trial are city employee
and a salesman for the William +.
Montgomery Coal Company. which is in
the hands of a receiver as the result of
an expose of its alleged relations with
the city administration. which is con-
trolled by the Barnes organization.
They are Joseph f. Ryan. master
mechanic at the Albany Waterworks,
and Stephen G. Noelker, and are
charged with grand larceny and with
submitting false claims for audit to
the City Treasurer's Office.
indicted with them is the head OF
the coal company, William F. Montgom-
err, who is charged with a similar Of
fense; George ". Oliver, superinten-
dent of the Albany County Courthouse,
and Edmund n. Mudowney. city
weigher of coal in the public schools.
Muldowney and Oliver are accused Of
accepting unlawful gratuities while
public officers.
Inquiry Ordered by Council
Independent OF the inquiry con-
Quoted by District Attorney Roland is
an investigation ordered by the Com
mon Council and conducted by 2 special
committee appointed by the Council.
Councilman John c. Watson is chair
man of the committee and John n
Carlisle, former State Highways Com
missioner has been retained as counsel
Among the charges which the Wat
aon committee is investigating are
alleged favoritism in the awarding Of
contracts for municipal undertakings
and the alleged acceptance Of gifts"
by city officials from concerns doing
business with the city.
The ctzenry Of Albany is keenly
alive to the situation and is watching
the two Investigations with more than
passing interest.
The man actually responsible for the
investigation is Wallace Greerlach.
Commissioner of Public Works, who.
sensing something wrong in the pay
ments for coal by the city to the Mont
gomery company. wene over the vouch-
ers for the coal alleged 30 have been
delivered to the city water works for
period Of two years and discovered
an alleged shortage of $500 tons, or
seventy-nne carloads.
Alleges Theft of 1885,
AheI ne Degdn TO inquire INTO the
payments of money by the city to the
Montgomery company and charges he
found that s1S,35l had been paid for tn.
missing" coal.
On September % the William r
Montgomery Coal Company went intt
the hands of a receiver. 1t was ther
discovered that city officials had ae
cepted a memorandum for slS,35t from
the coal company to cover a simila
amount paid out by the city for Goa
charged to the city, but which, it i
alleged, was never delivered
After the disclosure that the cit
held note of sl6,35l from the Mont
gomery Coal Company, Mayor Watt
and Corporation Counsel Andrews de
ciared tnat the city was protected an
would get the money back
But up to the present the $lS,35i ha
not been repaid to the city, although
since the note was executed, the cit
has paid S22,l79 to the Montgomer
Coal Company, or nearly $4,000 nor
than the coal company owes the cit
on the note.
Mayors Request Refused
Mayor Watts On September %, aft.
being censured for not taking drast
action against the Montgomery Co
Company when the irregularities WEI
discovered, asked State Comptroll,
Eugene Nj. Travis to nave the Sta
bureau OF Municipal Accounts invest
gate the city contracts in Albany
But Comptroller Travis. who ";
then under investigation together vii
his Deputy Comptroller. James We
dell, by Assistant District Attorn,
Ferdinand Pecora for alleged irregul
transactions in the purchase OF bon,
1or the states sinking funds. decline
In making known his intention not
permit has Bureau OF Municipal A