The New York herald., 1871-10-07
The COMMITTEE OF SEVENTY.
John Il. Keyser on the Mourn
er's Bench.
He Assigns $3.50, 900 Worth Of Property to ths
Committee-The Seventy Guarantee Him
Against Criminal Prosecution-The Com.
mittee to Wait Upon tho Governor to
Ask Him to Instruct the Attorney
General to Bring Suits Against
Certain I0dividuals.

The most important meeting which the Committee
OF Seventy has yet had was held last evening In its
rooms, sas Broadway. corner Of Twenty second
street. Colonel Stebbins presided. and there was q
larger attendance than usual or members) present.
The meeting being secret the representatives OF tho
press were vigorously excluded. IL was evidents
however, tnat something Important was about To
transpre, and as the meeting progressed the clap
ping OF hands aud the applause which from time Ia
time could be heard betoxened that the committed
were well pleased with the several reports which
were presented. 1t was known beforehand by many
members that
THE sUB-coM4ITTEE ON FRAUDS
had highly important announcement to make,
and when the committee assembled Mr.. Jackson s.
Schultz arose and announced that Mr.. John III.
Keyser had assigned to him In trust all the rea and
personal property acquired by him since ls64-the
period when he first began to work extensively
Tor the cty-in payment OF the sums which 1t IL
alleged he has fraudulentlv received from the
city and county OF New York. Mr.. Keyser was In
frequent, even almost constant communica-
tion with this subcommittee yesterday and
the day before aud has made, they say, "a clean
breast OF It," lie has seen many OF the vouchers In
the Comptrolers ONCE upon which he recelved4
those large payments and pronounces his signature
on most OF them forgery. In several instances ne,
was Obliged to assign his claims to enable him to
get his money at all and In those cases
THE AMOUNTS WE'RE DOUBLED
or quadrupled. Nevertheless, he acknowledges to
have received during the seven years OF his labor!
for the city and county nearly three-quarters OF a
million dollars, for which he has rendered little or
no equivalent. This property roughly estimated az
over 5000, 900, he has assigned. with promise
that If upon investigation 1t shall be found thst his
Indebtedness exceeds this sum. he Will forfeit tha
balance of his property so far as 1t Will 60 for tho
same end. The committee have guaranteed him
against criminal prosecution accordingly.
MR.. KEYsER's INFORMATION e}
has given the committee important data upon which
to prosecute certain other suspected gentlemen and
t Ia said that at least two others are In strait be-
twlxt two," having desire to follow MIR. Keyser'a
example, but afraid to incur the displeasure OF
others higher IN the city councils than themselves.
1t deemed probable however, that before the next
meeting Of the Seventy similar announcements to
this OF Keyser's will be made regarding some OF our
city officials. A :
These remarks and announcements were cOnsid
cred OF such public importance that Messrs Schultz,
Pierrepont and Barlow were appointed committee
TO draft a resolution setting forth
THIS IMPORTANT FACT.
After consultation an ante-room they reported the
following
Resolved, THAT the fact that John H. Keyser has
made an assignment to Jackson 8. Schultz, as a
member OF the Citizens Committee, OF property es-
timated at some SIX hundred thousand dollars M
trust to repay out OF the proceeds OF the same ale
sums Of money which he may nave improperly re-.
ceived from the city or county Of New York, aud
has given full Information touching his pecunlarY
transactions, which may be published.
the legality OF this transfer was completed yester-
| day. committee was appointed, OF which Judge
| Pierrepolnt IS chairman to walt on the Governor
| and request him In the name Of the
CITIZENS AND TAXPAYERS
of this city 70 authorize the Attorney General Of the
! state 20 bring actions In the name Of the State
| against the men whom the committee are ready To
prove have improperly acquired the funds which
belongs OF right to the city. This subcommittee Ia
entire expense OF such prosecutions will be cheer
fully borne by the Committee OF seventy, and tne
State shall not be asked to advance one cent ina
10 SEE THE GOVERNOR "
early next week on tns matter Iae con1e1ence
committee from the Union League CluD ana another
from the Council OF Political Reform, has been exJ
lures in the several city and county oirices male
brief report. Their Investigations are not yet fn-
shed, but they have found by the estimates OF such
experts as f. w. Baxter, J. Il. Leeman, d. Tyrrell
and Others that sums varying rrom SO TO 15O per cent
OVER AND ABOVE THE VALUE
OF the articles purchased have been paid for the
same. Yesterday and the day before the commit
tee looked into the County Clerks onice, where
Mr.. Loew has rendered them every facility and
given them carte blanche TO examine books ana
papers aud persons. Judge Barrett has formulated
the estimates OF The above named experts into all
dav1ts and transmitted them TO District Attorney
e @I; VINO nave 80 charced e cts
or furnishing and ittng the city and county OlceS
There are vouchers In Deputy Controller @ , Green's
never been sworn to, though the money has been
paid out on lhein.
take place on Tuesday evening, and meantime the
subcommittee VIII carry on their Investigations
and something more startling than the news last
night Is expected next week.
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