The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-02-10

constantly liable 10 be committed and taxpayers subjected
TO great injustice and NIGH. say extorton on account Of
the incomplete condition Of the books as In settlement Oh
claims Of the corporation against them these books are the
authorities which govern the settlement
In my opinion, III the present state of the books i'm
merse frauds might be committed without any being
responsible, from the fact that these frauds CON-
minsd and discovered would be impossible TO ascertain
by any MEANS who WAS the perpetrator. Very truly
yours, HIRAM DIXON, Accountant.
The written charges made by TO the Board of Su-
pervisors, relative 10 the Comptroller made in
compliance with the positive directions Of Alderman
Tucker.
demonstrated for the that thought they could
arrive ut the facts without those evidences That the
public may know precisely the sum Of Mr. Faggs dreic
ton so far as has yet been stated by me- condense the
following
CHARGES.
l. That have repeatedly called the attention Of the
Comptroller To the faulty condition of the books but that
he has disregarded the appeal
That large amount OF money will be lost TO the city
through positive neglect by allowing old assessments to
remain unattended 10 for more than twenty years, the
statute OF limitations debarrng the collection OF the same
after the laIse OF that period
g. That the Comptroller has advertised property for
sae and has sold the same for assessments, when had
any proper examination been made IL would have been
found that the Corporation had been paid in tull.
A. That the CoDftrole has betrayed palpable mat
tenion to the safety Of public documents, by allowing
them to 10 decay aud when directions for their pre-
servston have been given by the subordinate depart
menis so that their complete destruction might be pre-
vented he has refused pay the bills without giving
any reason for such refusal.
S. That when errors are found, and pointed out, they
are, in many instances, corrected with lead pencil
merely and still remain the fact that
have constantly protested against this loose and unsafe
method Of doing business.
That the commissioners for street openings perform
the clerical portion OF their duties very mpenecty For
example: After certain time, they deposit the document
with the Street Department for objections Parties nte
rested feel aggreved, and apply for amendments The
Court grants these applications, and the commissioners
proceed to amend. They then return the assessments
back to The Street Department for other objections but s
the document returned now corrected assessment
drawn across, and perhaps the revised amounts put
down in red ink. In some cases this is done in
manner so obscure that one cannot tell the true sum
from the erasure!
Z. That three years since q law was passed by
State Legislature creating 'Board OF Arrears but
that by Of the careless in which its affairs
have been managed 1t is now usually termed the Board
of Errofs."
s. That the law creating the Board of Arrears pre-
vousy referred to has carried out only in part and
that portion which has been respected and o5eyed has
been ianlty administered. soemny aver that the rst
year the law went into operation personally examined
perhaps one thousand tax bills and at least twothrds OF
them were wrong
did this as matter Of courtesy to those wishing in
formation. 1t was not my duty, since ! removed
from Office two years previously
OF course received no compensation.
9. That there is a law Of the State requiring the
Comptroller to the sale Of all arrearages for unpaid
taxes cnts &c and there Is scarcely ythnf
done to accomplish these sales and that by such remiss
ness the city treasury suffers detrimont
10. That the assessments sales books have never TO
my knowledge been examined or, If examined at all the
dnty nas Deen pef1Ormeu IN very supcfbtmi
IL. That the Collectors returns for assessments have
only been examined in few instances, and then
very slightly and imperfcctly.
IL. That 1 was called before the Grand Jury some
time and there related and offered to show the sad
condition o the city accounts and at that time n
formed by the foreman of the jury that they had sent for
the Comptroller Mr. Flagg and that he then ana there
acknowledged what had stated true.
49, That the Comptroller, the strict guardian Of
the public moneys according 10 the plain direction of the
charter OF 1ss9 has not examined the public accounts in
person. neither has he directed any capable individual 70
do the same since he has held tle Office Of Comptroller
NEw YORK, Sept IL 1856. 0LCOTr RHINES