Bothers of a Boss

Bothers of a Boss

Into the office of the District Attorney of New York County last week marched Sheriff Thomas M. Farley, a Tammany boss from his No. 12 shoes to his No. 8 derby hat, to surrender for two grand larceny indictments. Fingerprinted, he wiped off the smudge and genially remarked: "This is one of the things that happens. You have to take it as it comes." Also indicted and arrested on the same day was Sheriff Farley's predecessor, Charles W. Culkins. For both the charge was the same: embezzlement of interest on litigants' funds of which they were the court's trustees.

Onetime Sheriff Culkins was accused of scalping $25.000 in this manner during his term of office. Sheriff Farley admitted that he had taken $6,000 in interest pay ments, was vexed to discover that he had overlooked more. He claimed he was legally entitled to it. Large, black-browed, fat-jowled, Sheriff Farley had more to bother about last week than embezzlement, for he was liable to be summarily removed from office by Governor Roosevelt. Two months ago Samuel Seabury, inquisitor of the legislative committee probing Tammany corruption, sent the Governor a list of charges against Sheriff Farley, demanded his ousting. Included was the $360,660 deposited by the sheriff in six years, which he feebly explained as coming out of a fabulous "tin box." His motley assortment of incompetent subordinates were also enumerated, including "BigHearted" Joe Flaherty, who gave a saloon to his brother because he was "sick and hard up," and his secretary, one McNulty, who denned his duties as "nothing in particular."

Governor Roosevelt ordered Sheriff Farley to reply to these charges. With the Farley answer still secret, Inquisitor Seabury last week made a flying trip to Albany to press home his charges in person.

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