The New York herald., 1921-06-18
ENR|GHT TESTIMONY
DEMANDED MONDAY
Meyer Committee Subppnas
Police Commissioner At
ter All Day Wait.
RECQRDS CRITICISED
RECORDS CRITICISED
Investigators Would Learn
of Drives Special Funds,
Fines and Rewards.
HINTS OF OBSTRUCTION
Scraps of Records Offered by
Department Anglers Men,
bcrs of Legislative Board.

Police Commissioner Enright was
served late yesterday with a subpoena
requiring him to appear on Monday at
IS Park row, in the offices of the joint
legislative committee, to be examined
by a subcommittee, of which Senator
Schuyler S. Meyer chairman Of the
whole committee. VIII be a member.
One other Republican and Democratic
legislator will constitute the rest of the
subcommittee. Former Senator Elon r.
Brown, chief counsel to the committee,
will be on hand to question Commis-
sioner Enright, who will be asked
many things about the records of his
department and it's administration gen.
orally.
Corporation Counsel O'Brien said
last night that he had no doubt Com
missioner Enright would obey any
regular subpoena served upon him,
though the matter of the service yes-
terday had not come to the attention
Of Mr.. O'Brien.
After an All Day Wait.
Service was made at Police Head
quarters after an all day wait by
process server from the Meyer COM
mittee From what could be learned 1t
appeared ,athat at first merely notice
requesting Commissioner Enright to
appear at 3s Park Row was sent out,
but in the afternoon this was supple
mented by a subpoena, and when the
Police Commissioner went back TO
Headquarters from City Hall after D
o'clock the process server found no
difficulty in effecting service. The SUBJ
poena is returna BILE at o'clock Mon
day afternoon.
Hint was given at the committee
offices that the records so far oo-
tained from Headquarters were not COM
plete and satisfactory. Senator Meyer
was asked whether he suspected the
police records were being "doctored'
or destroyed and he said he could not
answer until the complete files had
been examined.
Members of the committee made no
secret of their fear that they might
have a hard time getting the informa- :
ton they seek through the medium or
these records. Most Of the official
documents are kept III IL iiy iCoA ~
tenn which permits of easy extraction
or alteration. The scraps Of records so
far obtained are curiously void OF In
formation.
No charge IS made by the committee
that the records have been altered or
depleted. but II Is stated that some ex-
pIanation will have to be made by some
one in authority Of omissions which
the committees examiners cannot un-
derstand.
MeaEre Records offered.
Several subpnnas have been sent 20
the police officials in the last two weeks
calling for production OF certain records.
At first the clerks and officials In
charge of the documents declined TO
produce anything. When two clerks
appeared yesterday before subcom-
rnittec in answer to summons they pro-
duced a thin handful Of accounts re-
garding the financial transactions Of
one bureau. 1t had been expected that
two big file cases would be surrendered.
The meagre records offered were of lit
tie or no value.
Senator Meyer and his associates were
angry over this slap in the face and
promptly issued the subpoena for Com
missioner Enright. They were informed
he would be at his office. Eon r.
Brown was ON ndnQ 10 ehdInlue the
Commissioner. Word was sent out that
the Commissioner would arrive at ?
O'Clock, and there was unusual activity
around the committees offices. The
States representatives were amazed
when notified at o'clock that the Conf
missioner could not pc found.
The Senator said Commissioner En-
right knew on Thursday evening of the
committees intention of subpenaing
him yesterday.
Most of the records so far obtai ined
from the police are said to show a lax
and careless system of accounting. to
state the case mildly. method of
back and cross checking has been
adopted by the examining accountants
in an effort to determine how complete
the records are.
Data on Drives" wanted
Among the papers which the commit
tee wishes to examine are those relat-
ing to the several drives" made by the
department for funds and explaining
the circumstances surrounding rewards
paid to members of the force and fine,
collected. Part of these moneys are
turned into the pension fund. The com.
mttee has subpoenaed all books and
accounts relating to special funds COW
ering millions In transactions: promo
tions and demotlons. reinstatements and
civil service reports.
Tho attitude OF the Police Department
toward 'he committee has not changed
although the legislative committee has
given waning repeatedly against lob.
structive tactics" practised by the ad.
ministration.
Mr Brown has completed the litlga.
tlon for the State which has delayed
his taking hold of the city inquiry. He
will begin next week giving all his time
TO the investigation. and II Is expected
the committee will be ready to proceed
With public hearings late in the week
or the Following Monday or Tuesday
June q or 2s.