The New York herald., 1921-10-31
Nominee Charges District
Attorneys Office Is
Dishonest.
HE LISTS DERELICTIONS
Records and Reports DiscOn-
tinued Because Of High
Cost Of Paper.

| District Attorney, asSailed the Tam
many management of the District At
torney's Office for the last six years
as incompetent, inefficient and dis
honest" when he met his Tammany
opponent. Joab II. Eanton, Acting Dis
trict Attorney, in a debate last night
at the Institutional Synagogue, 81
West 18th street.
II call on Mr.. Banton to state
whether he is willing to defend the
conduct Of his Office during Swann's
term or only for the last ten months
while he has been Acting District At
| torney," Mr.. Clark challenged. firing
his question at Banton.
In answer Mr.. Banton disavowed all
| responsibility for Swami and declared
his responsibility was only for ten
months. Banton charged that the de-
bate was unfair in that a series Of
questions were shot at him which he
could not possibly answer In the ten
minutes allowed him by the rules Of
the debate for his rebuttal. Banton
charged that when Clark was an As
sistant District Attorney for FIVE years
he tried only fifty-nine cases and got
only nine convictions.
When he went back to reply to Ban
ton, Clark said:
what right has this gentleman to
talk of fairness when he knows that
the figures he recites for my record
cover only six weeks? Did you notice
his sidestep on Swann-that would make
a hit on the dancing stage"
Banton Adopts HyIan's Plans.
The debate was marked by much Bit
terness. Banton followed Mayor Hylan's
campaign plan by telling of his boyhood
hardships and his fight for an educa-
ton. The big auditorium was crowded
was the first debate between two promi-
mt candidates in the campaign, and Mr..
Clark took advantage of the occasion to
concentrate his attack on the adminis-
ration of the office under Swami by
asking Banton long series of dues-
tions. Under the rules agreed upon there
was no applause, and 1t was enforced.
although the audience several times al
most broke loose
II charge that the conduct OF the Of
flee of the District Attorney for the last
six years, including the present year.
has been incompetent, inefficient and
fundamentally dishonest to degree un-
known since the days when Asa Bird
Gardiner was removed Mr.. Clark said.
Then he asked his questions, beginning
A..
are most OF the things Clark asked his
opponent to answer:
"Ts it not fact that since Swami be-
came District Attorney the number OF
indictments has increased until it Is now
$3.50 for fclonies untried and that there
are 1900 persons charged with felonles
out on bail. many of whom are being
rearrested for new crimes?
THAT your office has no copy Of rec
ords and reports; that the convictions
for fcionics In 1920 were tho smallest in
number for years; that this failure to
keep up with the business of the Office is
,isie 20 tho iacompetency and inefiiciency
OF the once?
THAT ninc-tenths Of the office staff
was chosen for political reasons: that
Assistant District Attorneys have been
sant from the Grand Jury room and tho
General Sessions court rooms for incom-
potency in handling their cases that
every Sessions Judge and lawyer in New
York says that the Office never has sunk
so low in efficiency?
HIS Plans If Elected.
"If you are elected do you intend to
continue the same staff3 Isn't IL a fact
every assistant goes to his district boss
when he wants a favor done or a salary
raise and not to the District Attorney
to ask II; ; that big cases have slept and
slumbcred in the office?
els IL not a fact that the so-called
Mitchell sush fund cases have not yet
been brought to trial that twelve per-
sons indicted for violation of the laws
against election frauds last year have
not yet been brought on for trial; that
indictments found against prominent
State officials a year ogo. after being
allowed to sleep for n year by your
office, have been dismissed on the ground
that the indictments never should have
been found?
"Is II not fact that when an accused
criminal knows if he can get out on
bail he cannot be tried for a year to n
year and half, one OF the most power
full influences TO compel him TO plead
guilty when first arraigned rs removed
and that when year or more elapses
between the time Of an indictment and
the time of a trial for felony witnesses
frequently disappear or are bought off
and guilty defendants escape without
punishment?
Cooperation with Police.
"Is II not fact that there has been
failure on the part of the District
Attorneys office TO cooperate closely and
effectively with the Police Department
in the solution OF murders and Of other
crimes that this month Deputy Police
Commissioner has publicly announced
that the District Attorneys Office has
failed In it's duty in preventing the re-
lease on ball of men accused time and
again Of felony and who are under sue
cessive indictments?
THAT the Governors OF the State have
taken matters of criminal prosecution
out OF the hands of the District Attor-
ney and placed them in the hands OF
the Attorney General that you abol-
ished the Bureau of Commercial
Frauds: that larger numbers of auto
mobiles are being stolen daily than
ever before, and that no efficient cid
either to stop such thefts or to punish
them has been rendered TO the police
by your office: that in the last five
years thousands OF children have been
killed by automobiles and that In many
cases drivers have been criminaily recls-
less. but that virtually none OF Their,
-