The New York herald., 1871-09-15
DICKS DOCUMENTS.
Comptroller's Accounts-The Sub
Committee at Work
WHO IS WARREy, THE ExpERT9

The public interest at the present moment Il
centred IN the work OF the joint committee OF Cii
zens and Aldermen who are to examine the records
OF the Finance Department Of the CITY and give q
righteous verdict In the premises. The citizens
having accepted the responsibility, the public
naturally expect them to devote their time IN the
present crisis OF our financial affairs to work at
the City Hall.
representative OF the HERALD was yesterday
about the places where the citizens "should be,n
and with the exception OF Mr.. Booth e1-omcto
member OF all the ub-commttees, and one or two
Others
THE REPREs ENrATIvEs OF 'THE PEoPLE'
were rarely seen. For an nOur or 80 stray members
were seen fltrng about the halls Of the New CouI
House, and then disappearing, like the fireworks
that rulers In the habit Of regaling us with
on each returning anniversary OF American inde.
pendence.
or the Aldermanic members OF the Joint commit.
tee Messrs. Dimond, Jerome ana Woltman were aG
work, but owing to the Injunction suit ana the meet
Ing Of the Board OF Apportionment, 1t was alleged
that the
COMPTROLLER AND DEPUTY COMPTROLLER
respectively were unable TO place IN the possession
OF the subcommittee tile books and papers upon
which to work.
That the public may Know OF what material these
subcommittee are composed they are reproduced
here's
Citv ana county Debts Funded and Unntnded,
SINKING Funds and ACCOMPLISHMENTS. Phelps
(Chairmanl osborne, Kennedy and Jerome.
AJ,lOrtes and DriU Ro0ntS-Messrs solomon
(chairmanl, Pearsall and Woltman.
=, court H0MsaIMessrs. Donaldson (Charmanl,
I'yinttn0. AdUertistng, Stationery ana Mans
B9oGs,Messrs; Cutting tChairmanh jeremiah, Pear
Pay Rols-Messrs. sporord lChalrman,, Roosa.
welt and DimOnd.
Ld,odnd Corporation OrdindnceS-Messrs. Porter
(Chairman), Parsons and Welsh.
Yesterday the several commitrees were supposed
to meet but with the exception Of the first named
In the above list
NOTHING WAS DONE By ANY OF THEN,
and, owing to the absence Of Mr.. Connolly and Mr..
Storrs "breaking ground" In the courts, they put
their responsibility In their pockets and lett for parts
unknown.
From Alderman Dimond, however, 1t was asccr-
tained that or the Committee on City and County
Debts &c, Messrs Phelps, Osborne and Dlmond
were present and held two hours session. They
were more successful than other committees in
finding the "Comptroller" and his aides-decanp
from whom thsy obtained
TRANSCRIPTS OF ACCOUNTS.
but were forced to examine them In his Onicc
Notwithstanding that a safe had been secured for
the custody OF all papers called for which will be
referred to hereafter.
The Committee on Armories was represented by
Messrs WOltman and Pearsa. but as their requisi-
tons upon the Comptroller's Office werc-ke requi-
stions of other committees-returned dlshonored,
they adjourned 'for chance.n
Citizens Donaldson and Clann and Alderman
Plunktt met with no better success in their grad
ual approaches upon
THE CoMPTRoLLER's ENVIRONMENTS.
They are OF the Court House Committee, an d
PunKitt appeared, but, falling to be supported by
his colleagues he retreaed in good order, and the
committee did not meet. Moody huIt, and all
quiet along the line.
The Committee on Printing, &C.. met with no
better success.
Citizens Sp0ford, Roosevelt and Alderman Di.
mond did nothing did not even make recon.
noissance, except that Dlmond was
ALL DAY on PICKET,
and late in the evening retired In good order.
SO much for the work OF the subcommittee. who
deputies. But OF
THE JOINT COMMITTEE
the men to whom everybody looks for an exposition
oil the actual condition Of the finances. Several
members were about, but william A. Booth, the
noblest Roman OF them ALL resplendent In venerable
gray hairs, side whiskers and swallOw-taIed coat,
was remarkably active, aud showed the 5agacity OF
q Sherman or a Sherldan. His was the directing
mind; but he was frank to confess that little could
be done until the Comptroller atded them. The
Joint Committee have accomplished one thing They
have, through ex-Alderman Hardy, Clerk of the
Board OF Aldermen, who has been selected as their
clerk secured one OF the sales in the ONCE Of the
supervisors IN winch to deposit the books ana
papers secured from the Comptroller. AS
THE COMBINATION OF THE LOCKS
Will be known only TO one member Of the commit
tee tee and trqsty clerk Boo,h A. ana mis- associates do
THIEVES BREAK THROUGH AND STEAL"
and some four hundred reports and papers win be
sale in the custody OF the committee.
Up 10 lour O'Clock last evening only about forty Of
the documents called Tor had been placed In the
WHO'S wARRENf
Yesterday morning the declaration was made
and trumpetedmaat u nS nigh JIM committee aI
accountant, who was familiar with the interior
workings OF the Comptroler's orlce. and
IL ANYBODY COULD ''P1LL THE BRRECH''
1t was claimed he could do SO. A reporter OF the
HERALD, IN searching for warren's antecedents,
learned that he had been Deputy Comptroller under
Haws and Brennan and when the Office, during
Haws term, was In "a snarl' he had come In ana
established order out OF chaos In few days. This
did not satisfy the reporter, VINO vainly, for two
hours endeavored to run the gauntlet OF the pom
pous ofcaIs OF the Sherin's oce to get audience
with
MATTHEW +. BRENNAN,
under whom Warren served. AT late hour Mr..
aware OF the dlficulty gentlemen experience In
seeing him, met the reporter In the hall and spoke
Of MT M Warren IN very very complimentary terms: ,o
known Mr.. Warren, the expert accountant, was
found, and In answer to the inquiry,
''wHO'S WARREN ~
said, IL can tell you all about MIN. Towards the
close OF Comptroller Fagg's term, In 1883, when the
AFFAIRS OF the office were badly mixed, Warren-who
was noted as an expert accountant and auditor OF
tho New York and Erie Railroad, and previously
secretary and treasurer OF the Delaware, Lacka.
wanna and western Railroad, in which capacities
he had displayed great mathematical abllity-was
called in and 30 successful was he In systematizing
accounts In the Office that for four years he was
Deputy Comptroller under laws, after systema tizng
the once. When Brennan became Comptroller
warren remained with him about two years, II my
memory serves me, and resigned In 1864 This Is all
know about Warren. lf William A. Booths COM
mittee has selected him as all expert, from what
know or Warren,
HE WILL DETECT FRAUDS
IN the C0mptro,ler's office, if they exist"
This was tile best endorsement the reporter cOud
get OF Warren, and few minutes later he sent MS
card 70 Mr. warren or Mr.. Booth IN the star cham