The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-04-25
By DIOGENES, JR.

It is January again today in the office of Controller Sherwood L. Rowland, in the sense that the Republican practitioner of the merit system" for appointments is now without his chief mainstay, William J. Armstrong, expert ac- countant and employe in active standing of Griffenhagen & Associates. MT. Armstrong left Friday for New York for a spe- cial job and will depart for Louisville, Ky, next week to see the running of the Kentucky Derby.
 Man of Mystery
 A man of mystery, when Con- troller Rowland took office the first of the year, MT. Armstrong was appointed to office" as act ing controller by the Republican organization press and was to have been paid by MT. Rowland. Later, it developed that MT. Arm strong was being retained by "six prominent Republicans" who had planned an attack on the admin istration, using the Griffenhagen & Associates charter commission survey eight years ago as basis for some of the material.
 Today finds Controller Rowland in the midst of new staff, in the main, a new staff of merit sys- tenn" appointees such as Republi- can Alderman Thomas F. Bane, Miss Grace V. Hanlon, sister of Independent Democratic Leader Catherine Hanlon, the attorney; such as Miss Elizabeth c. Robin son, sister in-law of John J. Ber- gin, business associate of MT. Row land and the latter's campaign manager in the fight of Fusion last fall; William Ferrari, nom inee taken from three endorsed" by the Young Italian Democratic club of Domenic Barbieri, running mate of MT. Rowland on the Fusion ticket, with MT. Barbieri seeking the post of city sheriff.
 "FoOlproof"
 By the Republican press, MT. Armstrong has left a new system of bookkeeping and accounting which, to quote, "is foolproof." He has, during his stay in Waterbury of more than three months, in stituted many changes while act ing as spokesman and advisor of the controller He has devised all of Controller Rowland's "sug- gestions," the recommendations" the attack material which cur- rently is responsible for lobbying investigation by the Alcorn-Wa- terbury grand jury, as well as probe into financial transactions which are expected to result in a plethora of indictments of individ- uals here and elsewhere in the state.
 It was the thoroughness of MT. Armstrong. working with his erst- while associates from the Griffen- hagen firm earlier this year. which is responsible for the elab- oration of the Waterbury investi- gation. MT Rowland and J. War ren Upson. Publisher William J. Pape, too, all wanted Hugh M. Alcorn, Sr., Hartford county prose- cutor, as instrument to effect their purpose of attack on the Demo- cratic longtime administration in Waterbury.
 MT. Armstrong provided more than the publisher. the Republi- can town chairman, and the merit system" job-giver hanker- ed for, however, in the matter of material. Currently the Republi- can party of the state is shot with suspicion of double dealing in the lobbying investigation by Prescott tor Alcorn. Grudges of which Pub fisher Pape and Town Chairman Upson were not aware have had their days lin court" while MT. Alcorn has interrogated such wit nesses as Major John Buckley. prime Republican leader of Union: