The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-11-18
How Much Was Stolen.

The final report of the Committee of Six
teen bankers and merchants who spent sew
eral weeks in examining the official books
and papers of the city and county of New
York, brings to light state Of facts which
we may truthfnliy say is without Il parallel
III the history OF modern municipal govern
ment throughout the world. There is no
longer any possible excuse for cavil in res
pect to the language which it is fit and
proper to use in speaking of the city's
chief officials. Fraud, forgery and rob-
berry joined hands two or three years ago,
and since then the public treasury has been
absolutely at their mercy. That any thing
whatever is left of cash or credit is ut once
a mercy and mystery, which can be ex-
planned only on the ground that there is Il
limit to the capacity of robbers for steal
ing. The Tammany crowd apparently did
all that men could possibly do in a given
time. They evidently p!undered day and
night with the utmost energy and activity,
ana 1t would not have been through fault
OF theirs if the city were rot bankrupt in
another year. Haply they have run their
caTeer-hencelorth they are but moral and
poI,'lcal olitcasts.
FROM the words OF this Committee of
sixteen tEere Is no appeal. They are gen
flemen OF such character that their report
mas all the weight OF a high Judicial decl-
SION. lhey were selected Tor the work
Shey nave done expressly to show that cur
rent newspaper allegations were false and
partisan, and they testify to things much
more heinous and startling than was aleg-
ed or intimated in any of the daily jour
nails. Tammany is judged by its own care
fully chosen judges-Haman is hanged on
the gallows he had prepared for Mordccai.
When the committee entered upon its
inquiry, the chairman said they would con
duct it impartially, generating where they
could, and condemning where they must
In submitting the final report this same
gentleman said, eve are compelled to con-
DENIM and can scarcely see where we may
exonerate; fraud runs through all the de-
partments we have investigated, and seems
to have permeated the whole city govern
ment." 1t would hardly be possible to use
language of more grave import in this con-
nection.
1t is impracticable for US to give even
the brielcst detailed summary of these long
reports, but we collate the figures so that it
may be seen at a glance exactly how the
case stands. The committee personally
examined all the work and material acces-
sible, in conjunction with experts of I'M
blemished character, who where asked to
furnish fair estimates OF actual cost and
original value. For safes in the new Court
House there was paid 1882, 537. estimated
value S63.45O; for carpets, $641 900, esti-
mated value $ls, &; for furniture and cab
met work 81, 'Go, lsI, estimated value $685.
i2l; painting s5o2,9Oo, estimated value
soo' 'oo, pumping ana gaS-ntClh$ s9!4'-
ooo, estl'liateu Vaiue 80 'os, piasteIlhS
si''o .,of,', estii.iateo value Eiu,ooo. lah-
oef Stoo'oo9. estimated value S4o, WV, ren-
TAI OF armorles ana drill-rooms Ss54, loo,
lail 5 rem, 9lo''ooo' repairs Oh aTmories
anu vi so ,n, GU III l"o years ano e'sh'
a1oo .co' icoo'' ieaoon'oio o'ipehs',
'ion 100 10, P.'si,iaS, s'"' ioiitry anu
~, .no onS has oeeh paul. "ien
Tl'ooo'o wv a' me III, MOST ought 10 nave SET
tea lie o'ilS: Inc gross aggregate Oh n?-
uIes VIZ, ,e'e 90 nno 10 the Sourt mouse Is
80 80 .Ic ~, .p:noeu, %"on 'no
e.iie e"s1 VI ,''e g. ynn nnG oSh' ,loa 400 70
n acc eHeeeueu S.ooc,ooo, Mnie S:,so''-
too n"' o'on i't'I, lo4 uln'sl!'n5 aio in'ei
ior "orh' vHl.eu ny oo'npe.en' persons a'
SoS4' loo. ln1titis every 1hihS tosether'
tie committee cohc,uaes tnat the treasury
mas beeh aiIect!y foDDed OF AT least twenty
miilion COLLARS III 'he last TWO ana Il hall
Yeas. -.
ing 10 sho" el'her IN tne assets or lesltl
nihle expenses o' tle Guy. NOT uoeS the
stchehil'a STORY ehI mere An Immense
huhioer oi persons nave neon employed at
exorbltant salaries and the pay-rolis are
hlled with the names OF men who have new
crdone any work. Furthermore. the books
show deficiency of S23,GO. 6G2 largely
made up OF taxes which have been abated
or never collected, and so-called improve
ments begun and continued entirely with
out legal authority The accounts as to
the wharves, street work, park. grounds,
water-rents, gas-contracts city lamps paw
ing and curvlng, assessments tor improve
ments, &c, the committee were unable to
examine, being apparently appalled, at the
herculean undertaking. So the twenty
millions which they report have been stol-
ell. really represents but a small! proportion
OF the regular accounts of expenditures;
and probably we nver shall have an official