The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-03-14
Purcell Shifted Work To His Subordinates
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of the controllers office, and that after being examined by Lewis he had consulted a lawyer.
 "Did you tell MT. Lewis Of your private memorandum relative to conduct in the controllers office? asked Murray.
 q don't know" was the reply. "If lhe asked me about 1t said yes"
 Neither did Purcell know, he told Attorney Murray, that Controller Leary had insisted upon the return of the money, and that he had held it in escrow until the bookkeeper for the contractor had confirmed 1t as duplicate payment. The money was then returned to the city treas uty.
 Purcell had complained to Mayor Hayes that Leary had recovered the money, but failed to return 1t to the treasury. When he told Mayor Hayes about the incident, Purcell said, h chad been told that he should not question the controllers integrity.
 Leary Had Complained
 Purcell recalled that in 1885 Con- troller Leary had complained about records being missing from his of- flee. Several checks were stolen, and some were found on Union street by a man named McNab and returned. Purcell could not recall any mention of records being stolen from MT. Leary's private vault, however. He believed the cheeks had been taken from the basement.
 He said that he had master key for the locks on the office doors on the first and third floors and the basement. He said that he did not have key for the paddock which was later placed on the basement door, however.
 Purcell said that although he re- alized Daniel Harrington had inter- ceded with Mayor Hayes to obtain the accountants job for Purcell, he did not feel obligated in any way to the mayor.
 17th Day
 Attorney McDonough, counsel for Thomas P. Kelly asked Purcell few brief questions this morning in continuation of his cross examina- tion, which was considered con- plete before court adjourned last Friday.
 Today was Purcell's 17th day on tho stand, his fifth day under cross examination. The session of the trial was the 47th since November 29. This is the start of the 18th week of the trial.
 Purcell told McDonough that he had been unable to find his check books and deposit books showing records prior to 1882. Last Friday MoDonough asked Purcell to bring records showing his methods of bookkeeping when he was in pri- vate accountancy.
 Purcell said that prior to 1882 he had banked at the Merchants Trust Company, now defunct. He added that his records might be available at the bank.
 Judge Inglis refused to allow Pur- cell to turn over to McDonough rec ords which he said were work sheets kept in connection with accounting work done for private clients in 1923 and 1929. "They're too remote in cross-examination," he said. Mc- Donough took an exception to the ruling.
 Attorney James D. c. Murray, counsel for Mayor Hayes then start ed what he said would be a brief cross examination. He was to be fol- lowed by Attorney Benjamin Slade, of New Haven, counsel for the three Kingsley auditors on trial. States Attorney Hugh M. Alcorn will then follow in what is expected to be very brief redirect examination.
 What did they call the warrants payable sheets in the days before the Leary administration" asked Murray of Purcell.
 Journal Sheets
 T don't know, MT. Murray" was the reply. He admitted, however that he had often consulted in the rec ords of the city for 1928 and 1929.
 Were they not called journal Sheets?" asked Murray.
 q believe they were," was the re- ply.
 The many changes in the book keeping system of the Leary admin istration as compared to its prede- cessor were taken up in a very con- versational mode of cross-examina- ton. Purcell said that the warrants payable sheets replaced the journal sheets. He commented that the new sheets show the condition of the ap- propriation, whereas the old ones did not.
 The new sheets he said. contain space for signatures on the back, whereas, the old sheets were signed on the front. Purcells testimony was to the effect that the new SyS- tenn was inaugurated on recom- mendations of the Griffenhagen company, who worked in coopera- tion with the charter revision com nlittee. appointed by the general assembly in 1929. The warrants payable registers form was sug- gested, he said, by Griffenhagen, associates.
 Special symbols
 At various times while referring | to the warrants payable sheets and | their presentation to the board of finance, MT. Murray referred to the board as board of estimate" Purcell continued that under the old system of bookkeeping with the journal sheets, items were charged to the name of the appropriation. A symbol was provided for each ap- propriation, with the warrants pay able sheets, he said.
 He said that he, himself, could identify the symbol and appropria- tion without reference to a keybook. Murray referred him to meeting Of the board of finance-the last in 1887, and placed before him the warrants payable sheets, which were not signed.