The New York herald., 1921-04-30
MNNEALLY AVOIDS
REPLY TO CHARGES
Alderman Says He Has No
Redress for Statements of
Water Meter Agent.
NAY BE SUBPGNAED
Said to Have Acted as Co.
Between for G. f. Murphy
in Labor Matters.
INQUIRY GOES DEEPER
Demand Will Be Made for In
vestigation Of Water Meter
Companies Here.
MAY BE sUBPENAED
INQUIRY GOES DEEPER

Alderman William K. keRneally vice
chairman of the Board of Aldermen.
who was charged before the Lockwood
Housing Committee ON Thursday by
William s. Cetti. Eastern sales man
ager Of the Badger Water Meter Com
pany Of Milwaukee, with having used
hss Official position to thwart the lat
ter's efforts to put his meter on sale
In New York. declined yesterday to
make specific denial.
When asked regarding Mr. Cetti's
story of his futile efforts to get ap-
proval for his meter and OF the part
he said Kenneally played in blocking
him. the Alderman said:
What is the use Of denying any
thing? There is no redress with man
like that. ! can't force him to make
retraction. / was not interested in the
meter matter, and the records will show
that did not vote one way or the other.
don't know any meter company Off
cials and don't know whether they OBJ
Jected to an outside company doing busi-
ness here or not
Mr.. Kenneally would not indicate
whether he intended to avail himself OF
the opportunity Mr.. Untermyer counsel
70 the committee, will give on Tuesday
Tor him or Mayor Hylan. whose name
also has been brought into the situa-
ton. to explain to the committee. 1t
was regarded likely however, that
Alderman Kennealiy. If ne shows no ue-
sire to take the stand on his own ac-
count will be subpGnaed. although Mr..
Untermyer yesterday declined to discuss
this possibility.
Considered Tammany Go-Between.
Alderman Kenneally's connection with
the building trades covers an extended
period. He Is a steamfitter by trade,
put Is not known to have worked at II
since he entered the Board of Aldermen,
where he represents Charles T. MUIR
phys home district
In addition to the $4,000 year he
receives as vice-chairman Of the board
Kenneally gets 500 a week for a life
Job he holds as business agent of the
Steam Filters Helpers Union, which
he represents on the Building Trades
Council In the old organization, built
up by Robert p Brindell. now serving
sentence in Sing Sing for extortion,
Kenneally was vice-president and gen.
orally regarded as the go-between in
negotiations between Tammany Leader
Murphy and organized labor as repre-
oented by Brindcll. He retains his place
as the representative Of the steam fit-
ters' helpers in the reformed organiza-
tion. now. nominally at least, under the
direction of Pat Crowley, who succeeded
Brindell following the latter's convIc-
ton.
Alderman Kenneally has been re-
garded for a number of years as the
- 1ooA fx tt,c ax,;,
district. although the titular leadership
has been divided among other Tammany
stalwarts like Michael Cruise and Ed
Ward F. Boyle. In party councils ne
was understood to be representing and
refiecting Leader Murphy's views. He
has been, since the restoration OF Tam
many to control OF the Board of Alder
mon, regarded as the contract man"
ef the board. II anybody wanted any
thing In the nature OF a building ordi-
nance passed., 1t was Alderman Ken
neatly who had to be consulted.
It was Alderman Kenneally who
played a principal part in the. con-
troversy that resulted In changing the
specifications of the court house con-
tracts--since cancelled-from granite to
iiInestone Kenneally's avowed reasons
for advocating the change were that
the limestone would be fabricated or
cut IN view IOTk city. Wulle ETdHlIe
would be cut at the quarry.
VIII Demand Investigation.
During the administration OF Mayor
Gaynor Alderman Kenneally took an
important part In the compilation Of a
new tbuilding code which would have
putin force many new regulations gov
ernine the building industry in the
greater city. Mayor Gaynor. however.
vetoed the new code after a fight In
which Tammany. through Kenneally.
had used all it's strength to have the
new code adopted.
Although II Is foredoomed to failure.
announcement was made yesterday by
Alderman b. C.svladeck. Socialist, that
on Tuesday he would introduce a reso-
luton calling for an Aidermanic in
vestigation Of Mr.. Kenneally's handling
or the Cetti meter case particularly
with a view of determining whether
other meter manufacturers were in
ferested in keeping the Wisconsin con-
Germ out OF the field.
Republicans In the Board OF Alder
men came to the defence OF Alderman
). .,,f,eaify yesterday. Republican leader
August Ferrand ascribing the defeat
Of the meter, resolution to the state
ments made during the debate by
Alderman Allyn about the Democrats
and 'sunscrupulous Tammany politi-
cians."
''If It was not for the vindictive re-
marks addressed to the Democratic
majority the resolution undoubtedly
would have passed he said.
NNt M