New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-05-07
HOW WE ARE PLUNDERED.
Condition Of City Accounts.
THE WAY DOUBLE PAYMENTS ARE MADE.
UTTER DISREGARD OF LAW.

Tie fret report of the Joint Committee on Accounts
was made to the Aldermen last evening. 1t is an i'm
portant exposure, ard fitting continuation Of the en-
bio, atoms of Mr.. Copover in the Street Department
Here il is:
To The Hon. the Common Council Of the City Of Nep York;
GESTLLMYS: IRE Joint Committee on AccOu1ts
having been instructed by the resolutions of February
IL, 1853, to charge and perform certain duties
therein specified respectfully report that they have
entered upon the performance of the work assigned
them. ,
We commenced by taking balance sheet from the
Treasury Ledger Of Dec 81, 1857, copy of which 10
attached marked " Exhibit No. H. An examination
of the books showed that snce the report OF the In
yestigstiDg Committee of last year. the bookkeeper
has charged to tie proper accounts the differences
which then stood in the various stock accounts, as
shown by that report and that the issues OF stock as
shown by the ledger AMI as shown by the STOCK CieIk
were made to agree up to Jan. |, 1857. Exhibit
No. 2" contains statement Of the sto,ks Issued by
the City, and outstanding on Dec. 81 1871, as shown
by the ledger in the Controllers Office. Tee total
amount as shown by the Exhibit, il S,26l ,252 ~.
On comparing this amount with the sucunt OF stock
outstanding that date, as shown by the Stock
Clerk, ard also with the amount stated by h, Homer
the Mayor in his inaugural message to the GO nm;n
Council the amount appears to be sl9 1873 l6S max
ing a difference between the general ledger OF tbs
Fina1c e Department and TIE books of the Stock
Clerk in the cum Of 1891 1886 3O-lOO This difference
az been since adjusted and stated here for tae pur
rose Of showing that the loose and careless insurer Of
keeping the books sId accounts in the Finance De
go loudly complained Of last year still con-
tnue In this come cton the evidence OF the book
keeper given in his exam ioa'on before this Commit
tee is laid before the public for the purpose OF nrtsh
ing deeper insight into the affairs OF this Depart
nent
says-That be is general boOkkeeper in the Control
ers Office; that he bsarced his ledger up to the ist
Of January 1885, shortly after ttat date that he pre-
sented the amount of credit to the several STOCK &C
10 1t cf lam rPDfpaerts
amount of stock actually issued by the City OF New
York, but cannot cay from Knowledge the stocks
were entered in his ledger from the return OF mobeys
deposited with the L ty Chamberlain; does net re-
member whether he compared kis It ok accounts with
tie accounts Of the Stock Clerk Oh the LIST ci January!
1857 but tbir ks he old mott supposed al along tha
the stock accounts on hs ledger disagreed "hu 'he
accounts Of the Stock Clerk, in conse qnetce OF
premiums received stocks: t1at the stock accounts
On his ledger made TO balance with the account
of the stock clerk by charges 10 the sev5ra accUuaF
and credit to interest account for the amount OF pre-
miums received on the stocks Ga the Isl OF January
1853 the amount of bonds outstanding, as shown b.
the treasury ledger agreed with the OF tne
stock clerk. Bonds were issued IN June, July ahd
formal until Dec ember 81, 1857. Cannot tell Tor
what specific purpose the bonds we're lssued; thinks
ih.t the bonds for which he cannot accoun. amounted
to about go 0a-that is, this lie the amount OF boodS
Issued not accounted for to him by the auds of tie
trust account. The AUDITOR keeper OF truet accounts
and stock clerk, did not, prior to December last,
make sufficiently full statements 10 the gen
eral bookkeeptr where stocks and bonds were
issued or accounts audited, witness had no power
10 compel euch statements to be furnished him. the
accounts Of wells and pumps street paving, street.
opening, fencing vacant lots, Centrsi faik, ana
arrears of assessments should show the amounts
due the city by the property owners; has eeen pay
uents charged to their accounts which did not Deiohs
there is OF the opinion that the aggregate Of the &C.
c. unts mentioned does not show the amounts actually
due from the property the account OF arrears
Of ssse should show tie amount chargea6le to
the Clerk cf Arrears; has no kooW Wedge OF any books
beii kept in the FINANCE Department $40 Tlng the
.mouDt returned to the Clerk of Arrears.
This evidence Of the general bookkeeper is given 10
full as it reveals state Of affairs in the Controllers
,ffce which should not continue another day.
critical examination Of this evidence may be important
Tor the purpose of setting forth 10 clear aud we'll
understood manner the practical working oil the
Finance Department under the present system He
,tates that he presumes that the several stock &C.
counts show the actual amount Of stocks iesled by
the city, but does not know-an admission compli-
mensiy indeed to the business character Of the city
If tie bookkeeper csnnot tell from his books the
amount of stocks issued by the city, who can What
would be thought of a merchant who could not tell
from his books the amount Of his indebtedness He
states that the stocks were entered IN his ledger from
the return of moneys deposited with the City Cham
terlan. In other words when tie city issues stock,
entry is made by him OF such lssue; but, on the
contrary, such amount Of money as may be acknowl
EDGED by the City Chamberlain Is taken for granted
10 De the amount Of the stock, whether it be right
wong. The fact that buness has been done III this
way will account for the very large discrepancies
found to exist in the stocks and bonds OF this city,
He states that all along the stock >ouuts on hls
ledger disagreed with the accounts Of the Stock Clerk
II lie knew this 10 be the case why then cid he net
core them He also m 1kes the astounding state
ut that Dol de- have been ued by the ciyfor wha
purpose he cannot tell. This statement il truly
startling, AID TO Whist extent stocks bonds Of this
city have been Illegally Issued your examiners as yet
csip,. tell.
The evidence Of the book. keeper is followed BY
Tia Of tie Auditor 10 the Finance De irtuent, who
ON ing swoIp testified "a follows:
Questior--Ctud designing person abstract pspers
from the CoItr, srs offce Answer-ies, Sir, vhole
bpI DIES OF then.
An examination into TIE expenditure Of the vyiou:
DEF artments ed the fact TO your Committee that
payments from TIE treasury have been loosely mace
sud hat IN many Instances vouchers are lost or &C.
sroy,d IL 10 reference 10 the fact thst extreme
dis ider prevails in the Office of the Controller tia
lsptrs rot preserved nor properly csred fr tbs
tins question putt Al the apswer admission
by the officer having charge Of the vouchers and
them. Con ment is unnecessary. l. Is proper here to
state that oil nations in the FInaace Depart
mert have forced upon the CJmni.tes toe CONVICTION
4 at a speedy ard radical cha &c should be made
ere The Drrartm III should be at once reorg ioiZei;
ile diyisitn If labor ana the perform OF the
rent duties Of Tie e should be app i,toned By tee
c, mp,ie,t authority hsvioy snowledce OF the VISITS
srd r,cessit,s of tie Place. Considerable charge
opobt 10 be- H., lie in the erplCy ets in the t,f Nine
bu, co MP, tent persons sboDli &c e.uPi1ysd.
10 s,Iye tb, int ests Of tie tsHpiyer'. - 'educe
exc essye fbAatOn and ligateu the barcen ct TITS
couuuniv the Fifssce ID pertinent 'tor.c D kes:
.,e. ft,r, i,litical i.fctncss, I'D poictrs snoud
10. Le t.ecttd to stand gu.!d cvertNe If'a'urs OF
The peop'e A. instructed 10y tSD -etoieii n, 81 ths