STATES & CITIES: Scandals of New York (Cont'd)

Corruption in the government of New York City is widespread. This corruption could not exist on so large a scale if the sinister forces who are profiting by it were not afforded protection. Their identity must be established.

Thus, last month, did Samuel Seabury, counsel for the Republican-controlled legislative committee which has been investigating the Democratic municipal government for the past six months, state the purpose of his inquiry. Last week Inquisitor Seabury had established the identity of several persons who had profited by conditions within Tammany Hall, had also established the extent of their profits.

Digging into the bank accounts of minor city officials Inquisitor Seabury made public the following list of deposits since 1924:

Sheriff Thomas M. Farley $360,660.34

Under Sheriff Peter J. Curran $622,311.00

Assistant Deputy Sheriff Joseph Flaherty $260,803.00

City Clerk Michael J. Cruise $217,246.91

King's County Register James McQuade $510,597.35

City Court Clerk Harry C. Perry $135,061.50

Largest salary earned by any of these men was that of Sheriff Farley—$15,000 per year for the two years he has been sheriff. Realists realized that the officials did not profit much personally, that their mysterious incomes were simply collections for the Tammany campaign chest, party graft, not individual.

Burly Sheriff Farley, openly called "grafter" by Inquisitor Seabury, admitted he had spent $14,000 bailing out 30 prisoners arrested in a raid on his political club, but denied knowing any of them, denied that "Baldy" Froelich or any of the other professional gamblers arrested there were actually gambling. He said they were busy packing 30,000 baseballs & bats, 5,000 skipping ropes and some May poles for the club's outing. His $360,660 bank deposits, he said, were made from "money I had saved." Most of it was kept in a tin box in a big safe in his home. The Sheriff insisted the box never contained more than $90,000, which was deposited and withdrawn over & over. Inquisitor Seabury called that a "revolving process"; Sheriff Farley called it "put it in & take it out."

Register McQuade said he had got his money from friends, spent it taking care of "34 McQuades," all dependent on him. Clerk Perry explained that some of his deposits represented "loans" from a subordinate, Edward P. Sherry. Inquisitor Seabury said he had evidence that the '"loans" were in payment for political favors. Clerk Cruise said $15,000 of his deposits were given him by the treasurer of his club for charity. He could not recall where the rest came from. "BigHearted Joe" Flaherty said his brother owned a "restaurant." The others were vague.