The New York herald., 1921-11-24
Finger Print Expert Says
Item of $1,000 Represents
Loan to His Wife.
DECLARES HIS INNGlENCE
Will Get Hearing Before Civil
Service Board Nov. 29-Two
Testify at Probe.

Patrick Ryan, the man who takes
the finger prints of candidates for
classified city jobs, was suspended from
duty yesterday after he had testified
in the Hirshfield investigation of the
story that eighteen patrolmen con-
tributed s26,5oo with the idea that it
would buy them places on the list Of
those eligible to promotion. He will
members of the Municipal Civil Ser
vice Commission, on November 20.
Ryan was named on Tuesday by
Patrolman Patrick j.. Twomey, who
said he collected the money from his
eighteen comrades. as one of three
persons in the Office Of the Civil Ser
vice Commission with whom Michael
+. Burke. saloonkeeper and handler Of
the fund, was especially friendly. On
the stand yesterday Ryan disclaimed
any knowledge of graft and handed
Commissioner OF Accounts Hirshfield
his bankbooks.
These indicated recent balance of
only $500. In July there was a deposit
Of $500, and In August one of $500
Ryan said the $500 was money with
drawn from savings banks and de-
posted in the washington branch of the
Corn Exchange Bank so that he could
pay by check for the house he was
buying.
VIII Explain Loan TO Wife.
or the $500 deposited in the same
bank in July he said 5000 represented
the repayment by his wife of money he
had lent to her, He said he didn't know
why his wife had wanted to borrow
$4,000 from him. The fact that she
wanted it was good enough for him ana
he let her have it. He promised to find
out from Mrs. Ryan just what the $4,000
was for and tell the Commissioner about
st. when he testifies next Tuesday. to
which day the hearing was adjourned.
Ryan estimated himself to be worth
Between $4,000 and 100000, but most of
this was the value he plaosd on a
finger print machine he has patented
and expects to sell.
Ryan lives at 157 East Eighty nth
gust 90. 1916. and gets salary of s2.OsS
a year.
According to one of yesterdays wit
nesses, the alleged collector, Burke. who
is now supposed TO be in Ireland not
only pictured himself as using money to
help policemen through the civil service
examina dons., but in one case had to
mosten tie ways with a case Of whislSey.
This witness was George Henry White.
formerly q saloonkeeper OF 1l3 Third
street Long Island City. He admitted
that he Introduced Twomey to Burke
and that he, White. often had accom-
panied Burke to the offices OF the Civil
Service Commission in the Municipal
Building. lie said Burke seemed to have
''the run VI the office" and that he was
known there as Mike. He understood
that Burke had powerful influence with
some of the subordinates in the office,
particularly In the medical and physical
bureau. lie had heard tha. Burke
"could get anything he wanted
's1,5oO the Proper Tax
+ One day Patrolman Twomey. who was
assigned to the williamsburg Bridge,
told white. the latter said. he wanted
help in getting on the eligible list for
sergeant Twomey the witness said,
was willing 10 collect money from other
patrolrnen. too. The witness said he
suggested 1.50olas about the proper tax
for each policeman and Burke assented.
saying that win be plenty" In one of
his talks. according 10 White. Burke
said that s1.20o of each $500 had to be
split with 'othcr parties but mentioned
DO individuals
How muck did you get for your
share?" Commissioner Hirshfield asked.
"Why a pleasant loolI," White
answered. fIt didn't cost me anything
and ! was only doing a favor for mutual
friends" lie added that he thought
Burke made him n gift when it was all
over, and that when he saw Burke OFF
TO Europe Burke instructed the man
aRer of his saloon 70 give him any money
he asked for and said: "If you don't
get the money just ea's,, me and I'll see
it's fixed up"
Sometimes Dfd the Weighing.
Later when Ryan. the finger print ex-
pert, was on the stand Hirshfield pro-
duced the examination card of Arm
strong. IL indicated that the man had
been rejected by Drs. Costello and Cook
on January 1g last because he weighed
only 14i pounds and the requirement
was 147h. Six weeks later. on March
I. he was reexam!ned by DR.. Joseph A.
Kcene and found TO weigh 1873 pounds.
Hc squeezed in hy half a pound. The
witness. Ryan, teStlIleu tnat ne some
times did the weighing. He was asked
n the figures on the card. particularly
"s1 per cent" the passing mark, were
written by him. Ryan looked at the fig
ures and said. 'T don't know; they might
have been"
.i"Did you ever receive case of whis-
key from Burke?"
"No, sir"
no case ever came 70 .car office or
bcuse?"
=. ''No. sir.~
J,Avortlng to the testimony of White
who was questioned by President Abra-
ham Kaplan and Assistant District At
<orney John r. O'NeaL as well as by
Hirshfleld. White said that he accom-
panied Burke to the civil service Offices
about six times and saw him talk to
Ryan, to Charles Stengle. secretary to
che commission, and to Fred II. Menke
On attendant. But. he said. only in
tho physical division was Burke hailed
Familiarity as Mike
1irshf1eld asked him where he got the
$500 that he deposited with the $4,000
81 the bank. Ryan said he would loos
et his accounts and tell the Commits.
sioner later Ryan summed up the stu.
alton this way The question II. have
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