New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-04
Hirshfield Asks
Swami to Start
ketInquiry
Demand by Meyer Commit
tee for Probe, Based on
Findings, Duplicated by
Commissioners of Accounts
Facts in Case Sought
City Official Regrets ''Irreg-
ularities Will Sometimes
Creep Into a Department.

commissioner OF ACCOUNTS III s'"SA~'
adding his voice TO a similar demand
N ade by the Meyer legislative commit
tee investigating the city administra-
ton. requested District Attorney Swami
yesterday to make an immediate in
vestigation Of the graft charges re-
vealed by the committee involving the
Markets Department.
While the testimony on the matter IS
being gone over by the District At
torney's Office AS basis for possible
criminal action, the Commissioner OF
Accounts, in a letter to MI. swami,
asked the latter to proceed with an I'M,
mediate inquiry to help Mr.. Hirshfield
get at the facts in the case. in accord
ance with direction OF the Mayor.
Hirshfield Sends Regrets
In the course of his letter the Com
missioner of Accounts says that 1T is
to be regretted that irregularities Will
sometimes creep into department dur
ing the administration of an honest
and public spirited Mayor, adding tnae
it was fortunate that the "indiscretion
charged against city employee did not
affect all the people in the state"
A large portion of Mr.. Hirshheld's
letter is taken up with q repetition of
his attack against Senator Schuyler M.
Never, chairman of the Legislative COM
nittee investigating the city's affairs,
for his alleged sponsoring of bill In
1918 which the Commissioners of Ac-
counts says allowed the grain elevator
men in this state to charge 81 per cent
more than they were allowed there
tofore, resulting in q proportionate IN
sn ho Af other
cereals.
The letter reads in part as follows:
al understand that the Schuyler NJ.
Meyer Joint legislative investigation
committee, sent here TO get Mayor
Hylan and, if possible, help to elect
a Mayor friendly to the traction and
other public service interests, and who
will not, through his health, markets
and law departments, enforce the laws
has transmitted to you for considera-
ton the evidencetaken before it in
its recent investigation of the Depart
ment Of Public Markets.
Swann's Action Awaited
"While I do know that you will ex-
pedite this matter as speedily as pos
sible. deem it my duty to inform you
that the Mayor, about ten days ago,
instructed me to make a thorough in
vestigation Of the. Department of Pub
lie Markets, particularly in respect to
matters brought out at the recent pub
lie hearings, and in view of the fact
that the matter was submitted to you
by the committee, my investigation
will have to be deferred until you shall
have concluded your investigation, and
taken such action as you may deem
advisable in the matter.
cit is to be regretted that irregulari
ties will sometimes creep into de-
partment even during the adminlstra
tion of an honest and public spirited
Mayor. That cannot he helped in large
organization as in the City of New
York. Nevertheless it is fortunate
that in this instance the indiscretion
charged against q city employee did
not affect all the people in the state,
as did the action of Chairman Meyer
in 1913"
The commissioner continued his ex-
animation of the 2,400 policemen and
100 firemen who were admitted to
their departments since the beginning
Of the Hylan regime, with view to
finding out if any of the men paid any
graft to obtain their jobs; The. com
missioner says he will make similar
canvass of the Street Cleaning Depart
ment employees as soon as he is
through with the policemen and fire.
men.
The hearings of the Meyer commit
tee will be resumed next Thursday
morning in CITY Hall