Evening star., 1932-02-24
$500, 900 Deposits in 'Won-
derfuI Tin Box" Lead to
officials Removal.
GOVERNOR DISSATISFIED
WITH HIS EXPLANATION
Removal Seen as Challenge to Ma
chine to Oppose Presidential
Nomination.
By the Associated Press.

by the Associated Press.
ALBANY, N. Y, February "a
Franklin D. Roosevelt, Democratic Gov
ernor of New York, today removed from
office Sheriff Thomas M. Farley. dis
trict leader of Tammany Halls keystone
unit.
The governor said he was not salts
ned with Farley's explanation of his in
come and it was mainly on this ground
he removed him. The income, as
charged by Samuel Seabury, counsel to
the Legislative Committee investigating
New York City's administration, related
primarily to Farley'S wonderful tin
box" in which the big Sheriff deposited
$390,000 over a period of few years.
Challenge to Tammany.
The removal of the Tammany Hall
man was construed by some to mean
Gov. Roosevelt had thrown down
gauntlet to Tammany, challenging it
to oppose his candidacy for the Demo-
cratic presidential nomination at next
.,
however, believed the Governors ac-
tion had no political significance and
his dismissal of Farley was an action
entirely against the sheriff and had
no connection with his feelings toward
Tammany Hall
The Hall had been expected by
some political observers to retaliate for
the removal by throwing it's strength to
some anti-RooSevelt unit
Farley, on his part, said he would give
his support to Roosevelt's candidacy re-
gardless of what action the Governor
might take in his case-if the Tammany
Hall organization itself turned its con-
vention support to Ro )sevelt.
Although he did not base his removal
order on Farley's personal appropriation
of interest on funds of litigants, the
Governor criticized this highly i'm
proper practice" which had been long
continued"
Governor Gives Reasons.
In specifically citing his reason for
removing Farley on the unexplained
income charge, the Governor turned
back to a statement made by the ex-
ecutive in the hearing given Farley.
He said:
"As matter of general sound pub
lie policy, I am very certain there is
a requirement that, where a public
ofncial is under inquiry or investiga-
ton, especially an elected public off,
cial, and it appears that his scale of
living or the total of his bank deposits
far exceeds the public salary which
he is known to receive, he, the elected
public official, owes a positive public
duty to the community to give a rea-
sonable or creditable explanation of
the sources of the deposits, or the
source which enables him to main
tain scale of living beyond the amount
of his salary.
while this rule may seem to be an
enlargement of any previous ruling by
a Governor of this State, it is time,
believe, that the standard of the con-
duct of public officers be put On
plane of personal as well as official hon
esty, and that, therefore, there is
positive duty on the part of the public
official to explain matters which arise
on an inquiry which involves the ex-
penditure or the depoSiting Of large
sums of money"
Had InexhaustibIe Funds.
Gov. Roosevelt's action followed
series of startling revelations, the most
many chieftains possession of a tin box
from which he apparently was able to
draw on an inexhaustible supply of
money.
Farley has long been a power in
Tammany, but national notice first
came to him when he was made one
Of the targets of Samuel Seabury'S
verbal fire in the Hofstadter Legisla-
tive Committees inquiry into alleged
corruption in New York City affairs.
Under examination by Seabury, who
is chief counsel to the committee,
Farley testified in New York last Oc-
tober that he had deposited 1862, 500
in various banks between 1925 and
1880, although his highest salary dur
ing that period was $4,000.
He explained some of the deposits,
saying they were redeposits of the same
ICopfipI1o1 IN Dooo COIY,v,av