New-York tribune., 1921-11-01
$50 Million
City Budget
Is Adopted
Tammany Members of the
Board of Estimate Rush
Through Appropriations;
Craig Doubts Legality
Hylan Served With Writ
Mayor and Comptroller Arc
Cited to Explain Failure
10 Provide for Pensions

10 Provide for Pensions
Unless the Board of Aldermen save
the day, the city budget for 1922 OF
$3e0516,524, as adopted yesterday by
the Board OF Estimate, is likely to ex-
ceed the constitutional tax limit and
involve the city in protracted litiga-
ton to straighten out its finances for
next year. The Board Of Aldermen
have twenty days in which TO consider
the budget as adopted by the Board of
Estimate. and can MAKE reductions, but
cannot add any items.
Stewart Browne, president of the
United Real Estate Owners Associ-
alton. at SEQ o'clock last night sue
ceeded in serving upon Comptroller
Craig at St Joseph's Hall. l27th Straet
and Convent Avenue. q writ of man
daaus obtained early in the afternoon
from Justice George Y. Mullan. OF the
Supreme Court. directing the Board Of
Estimate and its members severaily to
include in the 1922 budget $S,196,63l
of pension funds, claimed by Charles
+. Eidt, as q citizen petitioner, to have
been illegally left out. Mr.. Browne
succeeded in serving the order after
having spent several strenuous hours
in an effort to do so.
Mayor Served at Hotel
Mayor Hylan was served last night
with the mandamus papers at the Hotel
Vanderbilt where he had addressed a
meeting. The Mayor when served re-
marked that it was a very cdd time
for such proceedings" and said, "1t is
n M N q
his Office in the morning"
Comptroller Craig was not sure yes
terdav that the budget was legal. He
said 1T would come within the consti-
tutienal tax limit if the figures for the
total real and personal assessme ments for
the city, amounting to s10,500,000, 900.
as presented to the Board Of Estimate
yesterday, were correct Mr.. Craig
finally voted for its adoption, while
F. H. La Guardia, President of the
Board of Aldermen, and Clarence H.
Henry H. Curran, yoted against it. Mr..
La Guardia declared that the document
was illegal. Commissioner Fay charged
that parts of the budget had been made
up in secret by the Tammany members
of the board. and that he, as well as
the public, didn't know what had been
done.
secret caucus Charged
spirited controversy ensued be-
tween the Mayor and the two Republi-
can members Of the board before
vote was taken, and a majority voted
for adoption. The Mayor contended
and above board Commissioner Fay
cited instances during the meetings
of the Finance and Budget Committee
when the Democratic members had
caucused "behind closed doors"
The Board of Estimate barely saved
itself from being mandamused to put
certain additional items in the budget
by rushing the budget through and
adjourning hours earlier than has been
customary. In former years it has
continued III session up to midnight
and later, by resorting to the Con
gressional method of setting the clock
midnight Of October 81, the time limit
under the law.
When Bernard +. Dsutsch, counsel
for the petitioner, and Stewart Browne
appeared at City Hall to serve the
order obtained from Justice Muldoon
they found that all the members Of
the beard, including Mayor Hylan. had
goi1c.
Barred From Craig's Office
Mr.. Dcutsch and Mr.. Browne went to
Comptroller Craig's otilce in the Mu-
nicipal Building, where they rushed
the guards on the doors after being
informed that the Office was closed for
the day and the Comptroller would not
see. them. They succeeded in pushing
their way past the attendants into the
office of Charles f. Kerrigan, secre-
tary to the Finance Department, and
demanded that Kerrigan permit them
to enter the Office of Mr.. Craig and
serve the court order. Kerrgan barred
the closed door of the Comptrcller's
office with his body and refused to let
them pass.
"Do you mean to say that l. as one
of the citizens who help ray your and
the Comptrollers salary. have no right
to enter the Comptroller's office p"
shouted Browne. ~ have a court order
here"
You haven't any right to come in
here this time of day when the office
is closed" Kerrigan replied.
Wait for Comptroller
Browne started to push Kerrigan
away from the door, when Deutsch eau
toned him not to put his hands on the
secretary or ut would be an assault"
Don't you provoke disorderly con-
uNSI W cVhHSUOuy VIII Ecb dTISSLeO,
shouted Kerrigan, and Browne finally
withdrew at the request of counsel.
Browne and Deutsch waited in the
shadows of the Municipal Building, near
where the Craig automobile was parked,
to wait for the Comptroller when he
came out to take his car The car de-
parted, however, without the appear
ance of Mr.. Craig, and the two men
with the mandamus were forced to re-
tire defeated. Comptroller Craig said
afterward that the Corporation Counsel
would Immediately take an appeal from
Justice Mullan's order.
The budget, as adopted. is almost
$5000,000 more than the budget for
this year, and an increase over the last
Mitchell budget, which wa, in effect in
1915, the first year OF the Hylan admin
istration, Of sl12,392,756. The budget
left as a legacy by the previous admin
istration was only $3.50, ,12S,759. 1t be-
gan to climb rapidly after the first year
of the Hylan administration. The 1919
budget was $248,025,434; the 1920
budget was $27S,639, ,485, and the 1921
budget s845,5aO, ,o39.
Craig Forecasts Tax Cut
Before the meeting of the Roard nf