New-York tribune., 1871-07-27
TIE OFTP EXPENDITURES PLUMBING
AVID n dS- M T'JJHG

TIE OfTH E1PENDifURES-F FLOHbfNU
AND GAE-FTTTING.
We COPY from The Times Of yesterday another
chapter Of City and County Expenditures, sur
reptitiously copied from tho Controllers books,
showing total payment of $i|3l,Sl7 ~ for
Plumbing and Gas-Fitting done in the New
Courthouse and the City and County Build
ings, Amories, Drill Rooms, &c. between Jan.
90, 1866, and March %, 1870 most of it within
the two years 1868 and 1862
This aggregate is large, but there is no such
monstrOus disproportion between it and the
probable cost of the work required as in the
case OF the payments TO Ingersoll g. Co. for
Furniture, &c, and to A. j. Garvey for Car
pcntor- work. And, having known Mr.. John
II. Keyser plumber and gas-itter, for the last
twenty years, having found him jealous and
active in every work of charity or philan-
thropy having employed him in his vocation,
and found his work good and his prices rea-
sOnabe, we shall not believe that he has con-
spired with others to defraud the City, unless
and until compelled to do so by evidence that
cannot be gansayed. If he shall be proved a
llnave, we must conclude that honest men are
far scarcer than we have hitherto believed
them.
And this impels us to renew with empha-
, sis our demand for an immediate submission to
public scrutiny of all the City's accounts, to be
| followed by searching criticism of the pur-
I chascs and services in which they originated.
/ IF Mr. Keyscr is the honest man we have al
/ ways found and still believe him, he is most
/ cruelty exposed TO public ignominy as a pecu-
lator and thief. If he be really knave, we
and many others ought TO know it and govern
ourselves accordingly. The naked fact that
! his firm has been paid very large aggregate
/ for work ordered by the proper authorities
and done OH the City's various editces may
raise presumption to his prejudice, but will
not destroy the faith of those who know him
as we do. Let him be called at once before
! some competent tribunal, and required to show
| the work done for each bill paid him from the
| City treasury, and. if he does not triumphanty
! pass the ordeal, our condemnation shall be as
prompt and hearty as any ones. But first hear
! him.
-QHe Times, after quoting judicial decision
| that the Mayor and Controller ought not to
Countersign warrants on the treasury, when
they have reason to believe that their
payment will defraud the tax-payng public
an opinion so manifestly correct that we can
hardly suppose the citation necessary-thus
comments:
ave say that tho Mayor and Controller cannot escape
from their share of responsibility fraudulent
warrants. ANY DECENT BODY OF CITIZENS CAN BRING
THEN TO ACCOUNT IN A CoBRr OF LAW and no0 Is The
time 10 do a."
That is talking to the purpose. 1t sounds
like business. We have here Council of
Political Reform so freshly organized that
we do not believe that it has yet been sold
hot do oil hat
proper action is commenced against Messrs.
Hall and Connolly with 10 unnecessary delay
But that is not enough The presumption
that IngersOll g. Co., Andrew j. Garvey and
others, have robbed the City of vast amounts,
is so strong that they also should be proceeded
against forthwith, and the right means en-
ployed to prevent transfer of their property.
! If we do not utterly mistake John II. Keyser,
he will insist on being dealt with in like man
! ner, if any of his intelligent fellOw-citizens
regard him as a thief Let all who are thus
/ suspected be required to show what they have
! given the City for her money, and with whom
! (f any they have shared it. Let the public
! know who is the &C.," of Ingers0ll-and of
! Keyser too, if there be any concealment or
doubt In suits properly brought, all the
facts can be iudically developed, as they can
hardly be in a mere inquiry, however fearless
and thorough. The parties inculpated are all
pecuniarily responsible and the City is entitled
to indemnity for the past as well as to security
for the future.
If there be those who fancy that the popular
| excitement OH this subject is destined to abate
they are grossly in error. Justice TO the tax
! payers, to the good name of our City, and TO
those who have served her honestly, whether
in or out of Office imperatiyely demands that
there shall be an investigation so complete, an
! exposure so thorough, that nothing shall re-
main concealed or equivOcal If the Council
/ of Reform be Gas we trust it is) more than
name. it's work is plainly indicated and will
not he neglected.
THE ZORRILLA CABINET