New-York tribune., 1921-02-19
Connolly Links
Estimate Board
Man Inn Scandal
Queens Borough President
From "a Sick Bed Gives
Whitman New Leads i'm
Investigation of Contracts
Told 3-FIour Conference
Ex-Coveruor's Assistant Also
Attends Meeting That None
of Th em Will Discuss

-
Maurice f. Connolly, Borough rresi-
dent of Queens, who is seriously i'll,
held a three-hour conference yesterday
at his home in Corona with former
Governor Charles s. Whitman, who is
directing the grand jury inquiry into
the Hylan administration.
AS result Of the conference, which
was attended by Arthur NJ King, Mr..
Whitman's assistant, who has been in
vcstigating alleged graft by city Off
cials in the granting o. contracts, one
or more members Of the Board of Esti-
mate are involved, it was said unoifi-
cially last night.
When the proposition that Mr.. Whit
mar and Mir. King visit Mr.. Connolly
yesterday was put 20 the two officials
it Was MADE plain by .he man who car
ried the message chat Mr.. Connolly was
toe i'll to leave his bad TO talk with
Whitman.
Find Connolly Ill
Accompanied by stenographer and
the unnamed man who arranged the
conference. Mr Whitman and Mr.. King
vent to the Connolly home in Culver
Place, Corona There they found the
Borough President in bed, very i'll.
They ea!ked for time, twas said. and
rhen the sjenographer and Mr.. Con-
nollys friend are reported TO have left
Mr. Whitman, Mr.. King and MIR Con-
molly alone, ~ Mr. Whi.man's 5dvges-
ZION.
The conference lasted three hours.
The Tribune has been informed from
an irdisputahle source mat the Ror-
ough Pre- e-ide1t gave the two investi-
ga .ors not cniy veriico ton OF many
Of -he reports OF Irregularities IN the
handling Of city contracts. but gave
thcm a large number of new leads
which he emphasized by turning over
a large number OF papers.
From tthe 50 mo source The Tribune
learned that President Connolly's
statement involves at least one member
OF the Beard Of Est..lJ e ia the scan
dsl. Some weeks a-1 The Tribune
erated exclusively shat member Of
Mayor Hylsn's official family was in
volvod in u scandal connected with
Queens County contracts.
Except t. admit t1at had a three
hour conference to-day with Borough
President Connolly of Q0eens l must
refuse to make any comment" was a.l
Mr.. Whitman would say. You will
have to get the developments Of that
conference from Mir. Connolly"
Mr.. King also admitted that the con-
nniS v,lo Ha isfa
flliy to the report o. the meeting as
the reporter had gathered it and then
said:
Governor Whitman and Mr.. Con
molly are the two men who must dis
c;ss the matter. You will have to
excuse me-"
AT Mr.. Conrolly's home, it was said
that any comment on the conference
y odId have to come from Mr.. Whit
man.
RumOrs of Irregularities
For many weeks there have been
persistent rumors of irregularities in
the letting OF city contracts. The first
ru lie statement on the matter was
made during the Lockwood committee s
housing investigation, when Samuel
Untermyer, the committees counsel,
produced evidence showing that the city
Contracts.
As a result of the Lockwood COM
Inittee exposure, Mayor Hylan and his
associates on the Board of Estimate
decided to Investigate themselves in
their conduct in letting city contracts.
They engaged as counsel Meier Stein
brink.
A.f. Stenbrink three weeks ago
turned over to Ex-Governor Whitman
evidence which, he told reporters, at
that time, warranted an investigation
50 determine ii crime had been ctm-
mltted. Before turning over the ev-
dence, Mr.. Steinbrink refused, at an
open meeting of the Board of Estimate
10 reveal it's nature, maintaining that
iii his opinion, it was matter Cor
grand jury consideration.
Mr.. King was assigned by Governo1
Whitman to the case and he has de
voted 5 entire time 60 the investiga.
tion. For ten days process servers were
unable to find important witnesses
Then Mr.. King threatened to bring the
witnesses in on bench warrants.
Ten days ago Comptroller Craig
issued public statement to the effect
that he wss holding up a large mum
could investigate the circum stances
under which the contracts were let.
Judge Humphrey, Of the Queens
County Court, ordered the grand jury
To hold itself ready Cor an investiga-
tion Of the Craig charges as soon as
District Attorney Dana Wallace, OF
Queens, was prepared to proceed. Mr.
Wallace, however, announced that in
asmuch as the evidence held by Craig
had not been forwarded to him he
would take no action.