The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-02-01
Censored 'Look-m
 On Public Records
(Continued from Page D

The Democrat to see certain checks Controller Rowland refusing this admission to the public records, MT. Pape and his reporter spent Sunday hours in the controllers pri- vate office.
 The Democrat has definite infor- nation concerning many of these so-called payments" to various per sons, as publicized in the Republican newspapers. This information shows that numerous of the publicizec payments" were multiplied severa times to make the amounts impress Sive. Several of the persons named are considering the legal aspect o1 this matter.
 Lawyers Bide Their Time
 Inasmuch as the lawyers so pub licized are unable to make state- ments which would relate to theil confidential affairs with clients barred by the ethics of the matter it is the consideration of some ot these to await conclusion of the smear campaign before presenting their replies in what form they may take, it was learned.
 Finance Board Bitter
 Members of the board of finance are bitter over the controllers at- tempt to place the blame of non- payment of city accounts to per- sons now in sorry circumstance They commented today that Con- troller Rowland "did not present these bills for payment at the Jan- uary II meeting of the board of fi- nance."-
 The controller, The Democrat has learned, has installed private telephone" in his private office. This, without referring the matter to the board of public works, in charge of the city building and to whom 1t is customary, by the ethics which the controller has insisted shall be the case, to make deposi- tion in matters of such change of procedure.
 His Private Telephone
 Observers asked: "Is this a private line to the office of the Republican, American?" Why should the con- troller need such wire when there are several telephones in the of fice?"
 The controller has insisted" that all charter stipulations be adhered to in the slightest particulars. Yet this small matter of referring his need" for a private telephone line to the proper authorities, by char ter the board of public works, has been overlooked.
 "Is this because the public rec ords about which we've heard so much, are not in the controllers of fice?" The Democrat reporter was asked. "Is it possible that a private file has been kept from the records alleged to be missing?"
 Who Pays For It?
 In other words, because there was no item" on the budget, which MT. Rowland has found less than to his liking in many of his publicized comments, that would provide for this private telephone, is it to be assumed that the controller is pay ing for it out of his own pocket" as he is alleged to have remarked he was prepared to do in the instance of hiring William J. Armstrong. his personal aide and accountant"
 Relating to MT. Armstrong, now returned as the auditors from Grif- fenhagen and Associates start their work on Controller Rowland's af- fairs today, this individual spoke" for the controller yesterday morn ing when The Democrat reporter took a look at the public records" "
 MT. Purcell Speaking
 MT. Rowland is out" said Mir Purcell. T don't know whether have the authority to act in his place."
 This was MT. Purcell speaking, the same MT. Purcell who was present at the controllers office Sunday afternoon while MT. Pape, ct als, had access to the vaults of the city and the public records"
 HIS was MT. FuTCell WHO dSSuTeQ The Democrat reporter yesterday morning:
 "Oh, yes! We have numbers of checks drawn to MT. Levy"
 And later admitted that there was only one check so drawn. That it was his guess" from consideration of the amounts under lighting ap- propriations which caused him to "surmise" concerning these highly publicized payments.
 Purcell Wrote Levy
 This was MT. Purcell who, ad- mitting that the printed notations on the city's ledger for 1892. "L-E-V-Y", were his own, borrowed the reporters pencil to cross out one such notation, a payment of $4,- 200 after the reporter had requested a look at this check and had found 1t was paid to what MT. Purcell de- scribed as "an engineering firm" and actually was charged to the general fund.
 CaEght Unprepared
 Was 1t that MT. Purcell, after spending many minutes conferring with MT. Armstrong in the private