New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-04-30
w alter Meter
Grab Denied
By Aldermen
"What's the Use?" Exclaims
Kenneally When Asked
About Disclosures at
the Lockwood Hearing
''Slur'' Blamed by Collins
Says Insult to Tammany
Defeated Resolution to
Admit Cheaper Machine

William p. Kenncally, vice-president
of the Board of Aldermen, and William
T. Collins, Tammany floor leader for
all connection with the alleged water
meter monopoly in this city.
They were charged by witnesses be-
fore the Lockwood housing committee
on Thursday with aiding the con-
tinuance of rock ribbed combination
Of eight water meter manufacturers
who constituted one of the so-called
"open price" organizations run by AL
bert A. Ainsworth.
Kenneally and Collins were said to
have blocked every attempe Of an in
dependent firm, the Badger Meter
Company, of Milwaukee, to have its
chief engineer of the Water Supply
Department, admitted to use in the
city.
whats the Use?"
whats the use of denying any,
thing" said Kcnneally when seen in
City Hall. There is no redress
against man like William S. Cetti,
the agent of the Badger company, who
talked the way he did; you can't force
him to make a retraction."
Cetti had testified that Kenneally
asserted the Badger meter would be
barred because Cetti was one of those
fellows who don't listen to reason"
Kenneally had first told him, Cetti
said, that the local water meter makers
had objected to the Badger meter as
the product of an outside concern, &C
cording to the testimony.
II don't know any of the water meter
companies" Kenneally said to re-
porters, "and don't know if they OBJ
1ected or not. AS matter of fact,
| was not interested in the matter, and
the records Of the Board of Aldermen
will show 1 abstained from voting on
the resolution which would allow the
Badger people to get into New York"
"Did you tell Cetti you would kill
the resolution because he would not
listen to reason?" he was asked, re-
ferring to the resolution referred first
to the Public Buildings Committee, Of
which he is chairman.
In reply to this question Kenneally
merely repeated several times, whats
the use of denying anything?"
Aide rman Collins, chairman of the
General Welfare Committee, before
which the resolution came the second
time. attributed its defeat to remarks
made about "unscrupulous Tammany
politicians" by Alderman Robert S.
Allyn, who introduced the measure, and
not to any Encouragement on the part
Of the Democratic majority. He didn't
explain, however, how it came about
that the resolution had been approved
by the committee and was reported
AtYf 70 %ha rI LoI
been approved.
"The resolution was reported out of
committee" he said, "and would prob
ably have been adopted by the Board
of Aldermen if Alderman Allyn had
not made his slurring remarks. There
was no concerted opposition until then,
and that was why the resolution was
defeated"
Alderman B. G. vladeck, Socialist,
Abraham Beckerman will offer a reso-
luton at the meeting of the board
Tuesday. to have a committee investi-
gate possible connections of Alderman
Kenneally with the meter combine, as
suggested by the testimony before the
Lockwood committee.
"This investigation ought to be vel
coined by the Democrats" said Alder
man Vladeck. at will give them F.,
clean STATE III notnlng Is 1ouno 1ndlcat
ing collision with the combine. Every
self-respecting Alderman would vel.
come an airing Of such charges as wa.
indicated by the testimony before the
Lockwood committee"
Mayor May Testify
1t is possible that both Kenneally
and Collins will take the witness stand
on Tuesday to explain to the Lock
wood committee all they know about
the matter. There is likelihood that
Mayor Hylan may also be given the
privilege of being heard.