New-York tribune., 1920-11-18

money for definite object" continued
Mr.. Mooney. He is mot n professional
hriber or bribe taker. He was one of
the first to expose the true conditions
as to the building situation"
Judge Mulqueen argued that the
identity of the person to whom Backer
paid $4,000 to have strike called was
material. He refused to allow the de-
murrer on this point. whereupon
Mooney entered plea of not guilty.
Argument on the date of the trial was
fixed for this morning.
The Mayor in his letter to Inter
myer yesterday pointed out that the
Board of Estimate investigation was
authorized after the Lockwood COM
mittee had announced its inability to
go ahead with the inquiry into all city
contracts. He asserted that the new
inquiry would be most rigid and
searching" and that "if collusion or
fraud should be shown in the award
ing of any contract, no matter where
the trail might lead, the fullest justice
would be meted to the guilty man or
men"
Newest Hylan Letter
The Mayors letter reads:
Your letter TO me unoer date of
November 16, 1920. is the meancst col
lection of insincere EXPIRE ssions that
have thus far been presented by you
to me.
You know it, know it and sooner
or later the whole public will thor
oughly understand what is moving you
to such despicahlc attacks on me-
"You cannot have forgotten that at
the joint conference of the Board of Es-
innate and Apportionment and the Lock
wood committee on Monday last. No
har yh cfo4x 7
wood committee has neither the power
nor the wish to undertake the duties
that devolve upon the officials of the
City Of New York, resolution was
adopted by the Board of Estimate and
Appcrtionment. without objection from
you or the committee, that the Board ,f
Estimate would proceed to make ITS
own Investigations into the letting #
any city contacts that might be under
any possible suspicion of fraud.
"You cannot pretend to have for.
gotten that the Board Of Estimate and
Apportionment inv ted you to conduct
tAis tication in person. You can
not pretend to have forgotten that you
declined this invitation.
Committee Volunteered Aid
"You must remember that you also
gave US a reason that the Lockwood
committees investigation into the
questions of labor and material COM
bnat ons was Of more immediate inn
portance.. and that you volunteered to
aid the Board of Estimate and Appor-
tonment in its invest CATION by sub
mitting to it all data in your posses
sion relating to city contracts or such
yoN from time to time.
"NoW cuddanlv witbout tho loo
justification in the world, you turn
around and attack the good faith Of
the entire Board Of Estimate and Ap.
portionment and the Law Department
of the city. Of course, vecy shrewdly
al Of your attacks are by Inference
only, but you try to create the false
impression that the Law Department
of this city will not conduct an open
and fearless examination as to whether
shcre was fraud or" collusion in the
granting Of contracts by tie city.
e people o. ~ C4.y q ->e'N York
yightcully have the fullest confidence
N the law department of the city by
reason particularly of its successful
conduct against the traction interests
f the scent fare litigation, through
every court up to and including the
Court OF Appea's the legal battles tc
rotcct the 80-cent gas rate status; the
telephone rate inquiry now in prog
ress; the litigation involving the New
York Central Railroads occupation OF
city property on the West Side of Man
haitian; tie investigation before the
Board of Estimate and Apportionmen'
| Of street railways and sapid transit
! conditions and the successful conduct
ef many other complex lawsuits anl
proceedings.
"No one has so far made any attacl
on the honcstv and loyalty of the Law
department of this city under thi!
administration. Even you do not dare
do :, exceut by the mean but carefully
guarded differences carried in youl
| letter.
retrospective of anything you hav'
said, solcmny declare that the Cor
pcration Counsel will conduct mos
rigid and searching investigation. ane
if collusion or fraud .shoul- be showr
! in the awarding Of any contract l.c
matter where the trail may lead. tn.
fullest justice will be meted to III.
| guilt man or men.
"1hc next time YOU start to write q
vicious letter to me try to keep in mine
some idea of fair play and decency
You know very we'll that | am and al
ways have been ready to appear before
Your committee and testify without
reservation Your intmation that yo,
are waiting on me- is as false as Tho
rest of your inferences concerning me-