Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-09-06
New York
Letter
Extremely little seems to be trick

Extremely little seems 10 be trick
ling through the country sides about
New York S current scandals, the re-
suit Of one Of the most thorough ana
honest and devastating investiga-
tiOns In Manhattan history.
Whereas Legs Diamond. a some
what. petty beer baron, Is becoming
known from coast TO coast, his petty
dealings are as small change as COM
pared to the figures regularly drag
ged out by Mons. Seabury, who heads
the New York investigators.
All of which Is Of particular i'm
port at the moment because Sea-
bury'S open hearings" are o ID 70
start. Through the summer months,
his investigators have been question
ing hundreds of witnesses behind
closed doors and going through thou
sands of pages OF city documenta-
ton. Bank books OF officials have
been examined; judges have been
shown to have bought their jobs.
some have resigned, some have dis
appeared. minor officials have end
ed their lives: Tammany has perspir-
ed freely and uncomfoTtably; UNI
believable conditions in the vice
squad have been barred: unfortunate
girls were preyed upon. II was re-
vealed: the sole woman judge lost
her iOb-and thus 1t has gone.
Yet about the city they'll tell you
that You haven't heard nothing
vet. big bowl The real soup will be-
Gin TO break at the next open hear
ing"
Meanwhile. Mayor James Walker
has gone 10 Germany for his health.
and again the chatter has gone
| around that things In Manhattan
will sure be unhealthy"
one OF the major figures al the
time and likely TO be in the immedi-
ate future-iS a former horse-doc-
tor. William F. Doyle by name. And
while this department generally
steers clear Of politics in presenting
the varied phases Of New York lie,
there Is a definite New York flavor
about the matters in which d..
Doyles name is mentioned.
More than 20 years ago. when
horses were horses-and there were
some-Doyle. being a veterinarian,
got a city job looking after the fire
departments chargers. He graduated
10 a high post in the fire depart
ment and became head OF the Fire
Prevention Bureau. a city committee.
Now il so happens that there is
a body known as the Board OF STAN
dards and Appeals. For New York
being what ii is there are innumer-
able things II can and can't do
In the way Of building and repair
ing and coming. SO this board OF
appeals was created. It's a sort OF
court TO hear special cases. For IN
stance. one gentleman may be seek
ing to use a certain type Of material
never before used in a building. Or
another MAJ want to open a type
OF business in a zone where building
and fire laws prohibit.
Doyle, after leaving his old politi-
cal job. began TO appear Tor such
claim-pTesenters. and soOn vas
quoted as making between a hun
dred and two hundred thousand
dollars a year.
Seemingly. there were any number
Of people ready to pay for the privi-
lege Of having their claims properly
presented.
And what's on the minds OF the
Seabury committee just now Is how
MANY officials got neat slices OF
change for granting various conces-
sions. who were they. IL any: how
much they got: Why high sums are
paid for presenting their claims
and manv another question which
presents itself.
And because Doyle was a special
pleader. they've been trying to get
him in a corner TO do a lot of fancy
answering. He has managed pretty
regularly to escape answering any
and all questions.
But there are advance rumblings
that. whatever he does. there will be
plenty 10 talk about when Seabury
opens I'D again.