The Portland daily press., 1871-07-22
The SECOND Chapter.

The New York Times of Thursday contains
another startling exposure of the corruption
and fraud of the Tammany rule in New York
City. The Times has already thrown the
enormous debt of that city and that its ex-
penditures of the city government the past
two years have reached over fifty millions an
nually, or half as much as the ordinary ex-
penses of the general government. 1t now
goes to the books of the comptroller, and from
his official figures convicts it of the most as
founding frauds that were ever perpetrated
upon people. Various stables and other
lofts for armories for the military orgniza-
tions are rented from the city ring. The rent
for ten of these that have never been used
for any purpose amounts to $S5, 500, and
for the enthusiastically occupied, the ring
receive 100000, all of which at fair valra-
ton, would be worth less than $4,000. Nor
is this great swindle confined to the item
of rent; but it is in the items of furniture and
repairs that most glaring frauds are apparent
Itappears by the vouches that the amount
paid for keeping ten armories in repair ten
months is $941, 453.s6; of which $197, 1870. "a
is for plastering, $l42, 329,71 for plumbing,
$40, 72960 tor chairs $4S4, O64S1 for carpen.
ter work. $50 G 1s' 60 Yad Ia
With reference to these items the Times
makes the FOLLOWING remarks: : 30 ..{.-
All the warrants for the sums specified be-
low, or to be hereafter quoted by us, are sign.
ed by Connolly and Mayor Hall, who must
therefore be privp to the rougery which is GO
ing on. The warrants are then handed over
to Ingersoll, who draws the money, and di-
vides it between Tweed, Sweeney, Hall and
Connolly. The two last, as signers of the
warrants, are the chief thieves-No one o.
course is so ''green" as to believe that the
amounts were actually paid to the person!
described. A fractional part only fell to theil
share-the bulk of it being returned THAT is
stolen) by Hall and Connolly and their col
leagues. Thirty-fve or forty chars and three
or four tables cost the city $170,759 60
Does anybody believe that Sweeney, Hall
and Connolly paid that sum for them? TIT
| chairs for each armory cost $04S4 81. Does
nybody believe thrt Hall and Connolly real
! ly paid that amount to any chalrmakerb No
| they charged The amount to the city and di
L vided the money among themselves. Ant
| this, we say, was robbery, and for committing
| it Hall and his colleagues are thieves. Il
| hat clear enough for them to understand
They cannht say 1t is loose talk, because tn,
proofs of their dishonesty are plain enougl
for everybody to understand. s.,s h
The Times having got an inside view of tn
true state of affairs, purposes to make full
exposition. 1t says further: -s'sA p.
But the figures given abQye do not repre-
sent the whole of the frauds committed b,
the ring. In the nine months referred to fou
millions raised by the sale of revenue bond
were drawn out of the city treasury and pait
TO the agent OF the ring For the quarter end
ing March 81, 1871, $500, POT O5 more wa
paid out in the same manner to the sam,
parties. In other words, Hall and his con
tederates are robbing the public in more au
dacious manner than ever, while they are re-
doubling their efforts to keep the proofs O
their robheries in their own possession. TIL,
warrants used to be sent over from the con
troller's office to Mayor ball for the signature
of the latter. Now, Hall goes t. to ConnoIly's
Office to sign the warrants. The ring have q
bank of their own, so that the state of thei
accounts shall never be known to outsiders
and every precaution has been taken to cove
up their frauds. We have, however, heater
them once, and we expect to do it again
the accuracy of the figures given in our article
today if they can.
The Times is now on Independent and
even defiant ground, the proprietors having
defeated the plans of the Ring to control it b,
the purchase Of stock that came into the
market but few days since. 1t proposes to
carry this exposure forward. Zoe ;avo
1t hardly need be repeated again that Tam
many is the organization which dictates th,
policy of the national party and imposes upol
itsuch candidates as it desires. Mr.. Hoffman
may MOI be nominated for the Presidency, blu
the aid of Tammany by offering it the contro
of the national treasury. Let the Tammany
6nanciers be judged by their New York rec
ord-the most corrupt and infamous evel
known on this continent. sst ......, ...