The New York herald., 1921-06-04
Legislative Body Reviewing
Financial Transactions OF
Officials in Relation to
Their Salaries.
RECORDS IMPOUNDED
Vouchers and Pay Checks
Belonging to Department
of Finance Are Taken
by Probers.
PROTEST Is SWEPT ASIDE
Seek Connection, if Any, Be-
tween Wall Street Deals and
Amount Of Money Earned
While in City's Employ.

The bank accounts of Mayor Hylan.
Police Commissioner Enright, Com
missioner Grover Whalen and many
other city officials. showing all their
personal financial transactions since
taking control Of the municipal gov
ernment, are to be checked up by tho
Joint Legislative Committee now be-
ginning its investigation of the city
administration.
The first step along that path Of
inquiry was taken yesterday when
the committee obtained under sub
pena from the Finance Department
the pay checks and vouchers of all
city commissioners. These documents
cover official transactions with the
city. The pay warrants and other
records were impounded by the COM
mittee over the protest Of the city ad-'
ministration. An hour after the REQ
ords were obtained accountants were
going through them.
From the information obtained in
this manner, 1t will be possible for the
committee to follow the finances of the
officials through their several banks
SubpGnas will be issued for the rec
| ords OF dozen banks. ]. was under
stood that the committee had called
Cd the Broadway branch of the Co.
iumba Bank to produce the Mayors
personal accounts.
O'MalIey Aids Investigatorss
Edward ]. o'MalIey, Commissioner Of
| the Department of Public Markets.
stated that the investigators had sub
p1naed his personal account in the Co
lumbia Bank. He said he had received
notice from the bank that his private
financial records were demanded by the
State. The Commissioner said he d.
rected his bank to give the committee
anything il wanted.
Through these individual records. the
Investigators will be able 10 ascertain
readily how prosperous some city ON
cials have become in the last three years.
II frugal Commissioner has been abio
20 save amounts equal TO his total salary
that will be shown. One official, at least.
who is not known to have any other
source OF income is reported to have
teen so economical that his savings ex-
coed his salary. II will be shown. also
what Wall Street operations the city
officials have carried on and whether or
not any Of them mas made or lost money
in the rise or fall OF city railway stocks
during the long hard drive on the
municipal transit system.
IL is in connection with Department
/ II
has been anxious 10 have an interview
w.th Thomas j. (The) McManus. the
! rammany leader whom subpoena servers
| have been Bile 10 find In ten day
hunt Other Tammany officials are re-
rorted 10 have had extensive dealings
with the marke. bureau
To Probe Personal Accounts.
] David Hirshfield, Commissioner Of 40
counts, said that the finance depart
ment had made a request for all OF
Mayor Hylan's cancelled pay warrants.
with the understanding that thoy were
to be turned over TO the legislative COM
mittee. This move. Mr.. Hirshfield said.
presages the subpoenains Of tho Mayors
personal accounts.
There Is only one reason why the
legislative committee can want posses
sion OF the Mayors cancelled pay war.
rants, and that Is 70 fine out where he
banks his money Hirshfield said.
The committee Ia not only after the
Mayors private accounts. but aso those
OF several Of the Commissioner"
| Corporation Counsel oBrien called at
the committees headquarters IN Park
Row yesterday and protested against
the lmpounding OF the finance depart
ment's records. Senator Meyer told tie
city official that the committee intended
20 keep the vouchers unless the court
/ ordered otherwise. and further was
prepared 20 contend any legal action
ltar;ed BY the city.
II is a matter OF indifference TO the
probers what the city does on tns score
The accountants lost no time getting
nto the records and probably before
anything can be done to restrain Il the
committee will have all the Information
desired several valuable leads were
found IN the first few hours OF the
search. n was stated. and the account
ants we're we'll on their way toward gst-
| ting the desired Information.
plocL Makes Protest.
As.emblyman Maurice Block. Tam
many spokesman In the legislative COM
! ml.tee. hutries Down 20 headquarters
with a protest against sucpVeretvx the
| Mayors personal accounts almost De-
| fore 4, was known what tho investiss-
/ tors were after.
Comptroller Craig, who was strong for
tho authorization Of the Investigation
before the Legislature had created its
| committee. Ia said to have lost some OF
his enthusiasm. lie Is not giving the
committee the cncouragement expected
Il was said.
THE committee is not only after the
Mayors bank account. but the private