New-York tribune., 1921-06-10
Graft Counsel
W arms Hylan to
Change Tactics
Brown Serves Notice That
Meyer Committee Won't
Tolerate Any More OBJ
strnction ON Mayors Part
Detective Head Examined
PULP in Police Department
Taken Up; O'Malley Passes
Buck i'm Pushcart Expose

Elon r. Brown, counsel to the Joint
legislative investigating committee and
former leader of the State Senate,
served notice on the Hearst Hvlan-
lammany administration yesterday to
stop withholding information from tho
committee and obstructing inquiries
into the conduct of the city depart.
ments.
Former Senator Brown added that
the administration must also stop
treating the state as the enemy of the
Guy, adding that the citizens look to
IL Tor the correction of charter pro-
visions that work badly and the eIimi
nation of corrupt or inefficient ad-
mlnistration.."
before the arrival of the counsel to
the committee his assistants, Samuel
berger and James E. Smith, and the
chairman of the committee, examined
Inspector John D. Coughlin, head Of
the detective bureau and one of the
favorites of Police Commissioner En-
right. When the subpoena which
brought the detective commander be-
fore the legislative graft hunters was
served on him another subpoena was
also served, calling for the production
Of certain books and papers, including
all records relating to appointments
and transfers and demotions in the de-
tective bureau.
To Investigate "Pulr'
The production of these books and
the examination of Inspector Coughlin
are preliminary, it is understood, to
an investigation into the reports that
political pull and other considerations
have counted more than merit in the
appointment and promotion of certain
members of the detective division.
Earlier in the week the committee
subpenaed all the papers, books and
documents relating to the recent pro-
motions from patrolman to sergeant.
After the production of these books
and papers upward Of fifty witnesses
were examined in the private law Of
fees of Samuel Berger, one of Browns
assistants. These examinations were
conducted by Berger and Smith.
These examinations, which are going
on daily. as we'll as the probing into
books Of record Of the city admins
tration by expert accountants, are all
preliminary to the public hearings
which, according to ex-senator Brown
counsel to the committee, will begin
during the week of June 20.
Things To Be Avoided
81 shall not be able to disengagx
myself from other professional work
and devote my time to the investiga-
tion before the latter part of this
month";" said Brown. ~ have been
able, however, to attend several con-
sultations and read the current news
From this observation I have come to
the conclusion that there are several
things to be avoided.
"First-Jumping at conclusions be.
fore the committee possesses the in
formation on which its own conclusions
must rest.
"Second-Inferring that the commit
tee would rather find inefficiency, dis
honesty and waste in any department
or public official than the reverse.
"Third-Treating the committed s
work as hunt for salacious or sensa-
tional bits of information.
"Fourth-Treating matters of an in
cidental nature and of secondary inn
portance which accidently become pub
lie as representative of the work or
purpose of the committee.
"Fifth-Treating the committee
work as the first gun in the Mayoralty
campaign.
"The object of the committee is not
the impeachment or discrediting of
this or any other admins stration, but
constructive work in fundamentals
that will improve the finances and gov
ernment of the city. If anybody is
hurt it will be because he is athwart
the committees pathway or serves to