New-York tribune., 1920-11-23
Tanllnany Will
Fight Inquiry
IntoHylanRule
Leaders, Planning to Block
Investigation of Mayors
Administration and Aids
BY Republican Legislature
Fear Sweep of Offices
Project to Smother Travis
Hearing Is Called Peace
Offering That Has Failed

Tammany leaders are planning to
.;-tumvent the program of the Rcpub-
s,an legislative leaders to investigate
he HyIan administration and spme Of
Il. county Offices. fearing that if the
;rvestigation is thorough it will mean
repetition of the scandals of 1913.
i n that year, before Tommany sue
/ ,ssded in impeaching him, Governor
h suIser sent several Tammany leaders
d to jail.
& rammany has succeeded, twice in the
;sst two years, in stopping investiga-
n ions in Albany. One was the proposed
4 ;ues.igation of the Police Department.
\ another was the all-sweeping investi-
/ es.ion which Assemblyman Louis A.
Cuyillier, Tammany man, suggested.
Model for Investigation
cuvilier's proposed investigation is
The model for the inquiry planned by
the Republicans. Cuvillier was threat
med BY his Tammany colleagues in the
legislature at the time with political
death for introducing the resolution
,slng for an investigation. He was
i deteated for reelection on November 2
h ii 8 Tammany stronghold.
h But threats of this sort won't have
4 any weight with Republicans. So Tam
many is planning. according to the re-
4 pOrts in political circles, to point out
Il Inst there are such things in existence
i IS reprisals.
+ In fact, there has been this sort of
+ .slk for moro than week. Republican
legislators have informed The Tribune
.hat Efforts are now being made to
sauelch the investigation which is be-
lne State Comptroller, Eugene NJ.
Trsvis. a Republican with Republican
eficeholders under him, by way of a
But ore Of these Republicans. for
aer Progressive, who knows Assistant
/ District Attorney Ferdinand Pecora. in
H Charge Of the investigation into the
B criminal chargos preferred against the
h Administration Of the State Comptrol-
lex declares that Pecora cannot be
pulled away from the case.
N ePccora also was Progrc ssive who
4 allowed Roosevelt in 1872" said this
Il Republican. land cannot be reached"
+ Travis Inquiry Pushed
Efforts to prevent the charges against
liz STATE Comptrollers Office from get
ing before ary tribunal OF justice were
made as far back AS last July. but Pc
ara went ahead with the investiga
sad announced that he would also pre-
sent the facts in the case of others
the Comptroler's Office to the grand
ary
The criticisms against the Hylan
administration which have crept into
ac records of the local and state
legislative bodies are many. The most
recent are the criticisms made against
the Mayor and some Of his subordi
sstes before the Lockwood committee
,oucerniMg contracts for public build
ngs.
Besides the Mayors own immediate
oFce, his Commissioner Of Accounts,
/ David Hirshfeld, also is being assailed
At the last session of the Legislature,
d Assemblyman Cuvillier, in his resolu
a ton demanding that the city Offices and
Il District Attorney Swann's department
\ oe Investigated. said;
B General conditions OF government in
n the city Of New York are in state of
A turmoil and unrest and the efficiency of
II The District Attorneys Office, the
4 police, and other departments, has ap-
| psrently broken down, and an investi-
cation Of the Police Department and
wee conditions HOW in progress in the
Vlty Of New York has reached stage
Where charges and counter charges and
examinations have so befogged the
atmosphere tAat the attainment of q
remedy to existing conditions is III
serious jeopardy
Indictment of Officials
- The investigation which Cuvillier re
4 erred to at the time was that being
/ conducted by the AlmIrall grand jury
\ nio the charges against the police and
4 against certain members Of District At
II 'ogney Swauns staff. Since then two
1 Assistant District Attorneys have
4 'een indicted. Deputy Police Commits
soner, an Inspector of Police and some
i policemen.
The Inspector of Police, Dominica
AeAry, was sentenced TO not less than
Fo years and not more than five years
IN Sing Sing prison on a charge OF
aerJury. Henry is now out on bal
lending appeal.
mis- investigation is not yet over, ane
.osoneI William Rand, Special Deputy
attorney General, appointed by At
Vrney General Newthn to aid the
Amlrail grand jury, has been hard at
7orK on other leads
At The time that Inspector Henry
vas sentenced, Colonel Rand, address
A 'ag the court, said:
1t should, IN my judgment, be re
n @emoeted that, as matter OF fact, il
N not o. Law, the Commissioner Of Ac
cunts tHirshheld), the Commissioner
VI Fohce Enrigh) and the Mayor OF
\ Mew York (Hylan) are in no small
Il ~essure responsible for the occasion
4 sa'ch now calls for the Judgment OF
4 ne court"
This was June Il. Since then Colo
sl Rand and the Almirall grand jury
ave been at work But their effort.
s. ss handicapped by the fact that they
y yysse no jurisdiction outside of New
.ViA County, whereas legislative