Sewer Sequel

Uneasy lies the head that wears a senatorial top-hat or even a mayor's derby. The politicians that really have fun are the big frogs in small side-puddles. But often the splashing of such frogs becomes notorious and higher authorities investigate. So it was with Maurice E. Connolly, who splashed as President of the Borough of Queens (appendage of New York City) from 1911 until last week. President Connolly's notoriety, like that of many another discredited municipal official, arose from his city's sewers.

Just before Christmas, Governor Smith of New York State launched an investigation of President Connolly's sewer system (TIME, Jan. 2). The system consisted, allegedly, in President Connolly's appointment of a special city engineer who specified a certain type of lock-joint pipe for Queens sewers. The sole local agent for the required pipe was President Connolly's good friend, one John M. Phillips. Monopolist Phillips sat back in his office swigging milk and whiskey, dictating pipe prices to contractors, growing rich. Borough President Connolly did not grow any poorer.

To defend himself, Borough President Connolly hired unfinicky Lawyer Max D. Steuer, "the Belasco of the Bar." After a succession of confused events, including mysterious burning and theft of records which might have injured the defense case, Connolly asked the city for $100,000 to pay for his trial as a public official. When this astonishing request was refused, Borough President Connolly resigned. The Governor's investigation changed from one to determine Connolly's fitness for office, to one to determine his fitness for a penal cell.

Besides his trouble with the Governor, Connolly was in trouble with the U. S. His friend Phillips was last week arrested in Florida, charged with Federal income tax evasions of some three millions. Connolly's income tax returns were being looked up too. Awaiting his fate, Connolly borrowed fortitude from tradition. Of the three Queens presidents preceding this, one (Cassidy) went to Sing Sing; one (Bermel) fled to Europe; one (Gresser) was removed for incompetence on the matter that Connolly was elected to reform, Sewers.