The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-01-12

William B. Pape, son of the
 owner of the Republican organ.
 5. Evidence that Controller
 Rowland has a publicity staff
 and HasOn between Republican
 Headquarters for advice" as
 tp his moves in the attack.
 (Note: The Democrat since the
 day Controller Rowland took
 office has made repeated at
 tcmpts to get statements con-
 corning "the public affairs
 from which the controller IS
 making his attack. The Demo
 cart printed the one statement
 issued by the controller, in fulh
 but was refused further state
 uneut published simultaneously
 as part of the "attack.)
 G. CorpOr atiOn Counsel
 Charles S. O'COnnOr gave TOUT
 rulings on matters pertaining 'o
 the controllers office, one Ot
 these allowing the finance board
 tO make rules regarding pay
 ment of city salaries on ceruil-
 cation of their accuracy Dy
 heads of departments, subject 'o
 later approval by the board.
 2. The board, informed by
 the corporation counsel that the
 charter calls for one meeting a
 month, rescinded an earlier vote
 which would put into effect two
 meetings a month. o,
 With all members except com missioner Goss present, Mayor Frank Hayes called the meeting ol the board and, soon after routine hnsiness was attended, Executive Secretary Thomas P. Kelly told the hoard that former Controller Leary has made request to be hearo.' IL was 50 voted.
 MT. Leary Appears
 MT. Ieary, taking place to the right of Controller Rowland, ln- formed the board of his attempt to have a meeting on December 3O 10 pass upon the items" which Con troller Rowland has charged were paid without approval of the com miSSioners. -,-,.
 ''Mr Kelly was in an automobile accident and failed to call tnls meeting" MT. Leary continued. The custom of my predecessors ln o1Ilce was to pay certain due accounts to merchants and builders subject to approval of the board later. There have heen times when merchants clamoring for the money due them have made this procedure entirely logical and there has never been any question raised by the board.
 Left to His Staff
 "So far as items added to account sheets already approved by the board. that was matter left III the hands of members of the staff" he said. Miss Laguna, at present on her honeymoon, when was able to gel in touch with her, told me that sh0 worked late, until Il o'clock, III fact, and that she must have placed these items on sheets which were approved formerly" :,
 The former controller explained that he had called the present Mrs. Patrick McFadden on the telephone to try to learn how this could have occurred. Regarding the allegedly missing warrant books, MT. Leary said:
 Not Act of Friend
 %It certainly was not the act ot a friend of mine if those books were taken from the office. want to as- sure you gentlemen that everything in the office was in satisfactory condition when I left it. There were no records missing"
 Regarding the gorgeous drapes which he was accused of removing MT. Leary remarked that the cur tains were property of the city and that he had no knowledge of what may lave happened to them, except that he couldn't find the descrlp- ton apt. "They were ordinary and worn out" he remarked. someone probably threw them away"
 MT. Leary referred to the charges that the affairs of the office were not in proper shape as " a most ser ious matter" saying that he had re- piled to Controller Rowland's in- uuiry regarding the allegedly miss ing books immediately and had m- formed the controller that he knew nothing about them, that they were in the office when he left 1t.
 Corp. Counsel Opinion
 Four opinions of the corporation counsel were read and the board acted upon them. One of these calls for the transference of the pay master to the office of the city clerk who. the charter indicates, is re- sponsible for the payroll. Another opinion concerned payroll payment and the board was seen responsible for setting it's own rule on accepting payroll items for passage after the employees had been paid.
 Controller Rowland asked to see the opinions during the time tht mayor had asked the board what action it would take and the mayor remarked that the controller migh1 see them.
 Motion On PayrOlls
 On motion of ComSr. Charles B Jackson, seconded by Comsr. Johr A. Hayden it was voted to allow payroll payments after certificatior by heads of departments subject tc later approval by the board.
 Mayor: If we're going to holc