New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-09-12
THE BROOKLYN CONTEST
A REVIEW OF THE SITUATION


,,,pv TIP cry TREAsURER's BoNDsMEN-
ANOTHER CHANCE FOR ALDERMAN ROPES TO
MAKE A SUPERFICIAL EXAMINATION.
pnbhc attention in Brooklyn is now directed
IN rho Grand Jury which, 1t promised, woud at
once take action in the OF Rodman and some sur
prse Is manifested that all proceedings in that direction
have come TO n halt No witnesses went before them,
Yesterday to furnish proofs OF Rodmans thefts upon
which an indictment could be framed and speculation
is rife as to the of the delay. Many e1plana-
tons are given. Several persons who arc sup
posed TO share the secrets Of the Ring state
that the evidences of Rodmans guilt, which
will have to be furnished to Indictment VIII
also duplicate others, and that the present Grand Jury
not disposed 10 cover up anything or shield any per
son. Others would be indicted. Other persons
state that the evidence already in the possession OF inc
District Attorney Is insufficient to brand Rodnan ss tno
defaulter but most directly eliminates sprague. HOW
ever this may be- the fact is apparent that the Sr"nu
Jury yet been called upon to consider the case
OF Rodmsn or the defalcaton in the City Treasury
The new City Treasurer, Andrew Cunningham, look
the oath Of office, yesterday, before Clty CefK bsnop
His bondsmen, william Cooper Nicholas "ycKon' fo'oi
Totans Thos. Cummings, George kitching, VIM Con'
selyea Geo. L. Fox Henry b. Hewitt W. l.. d. stearS'
Samuel B. st. John, Alexander Simpson, William Mar
shall Geo. H. Roberts, Chas. I. Goodwin, ana Jas hou
we'll will Jointly and severally sign today bond Tor
$40 600 each OF $4,000 In ALL justfyng for double inc
amount. Under the new system OF examination 'no
Controller Auditor and Chairman OF tho fluanoe Oo
,nittee of the Common Council, 1t is believed thath
will be impossible for any one to take out Oh inc
Treasury more than tho bondsmen nave Jusuheu'
bi Committee or Board OF Audit organized yesterday,
Alderman Ropes being appointed Chairman LIS
accepance of the position, which virtually intrusts
IN him the entire examination OF the accounts OF tue
departments, was generally commented upon Wheh "
became known the general sentiment being one of sur
prise that under the opprobrum under winch the IruSs
Compauy rests lie should not have declined In favor OF
either OF his associates. After the organization OIL '0
Roard IL was resolved to begin at once the examina
,, ., tho accounts OF the Tax Collectors and
,,e Water Registers Office The Controller and Alder
man Ropes we're appointed Committee to employ ac-
countants 10 make the examination, winch the IOrer
stated would be thorough, covering all the accounts
since the books were opened The members then Vsteu
the Tax Office and glanced at the books OF The Depart
ment which were found to have been wretchedy Kept
A uniform system Of bookkeeping has not prevailed
Under the successye Collectors, and there has been
annie opporunity for Irregularities and frauds II was
decided TO begin an Investigation at once Inc
same loose system OF keeping the DOCKS anu
accounts was discovered in the Water Registers
Office. This IL also decided 10 investigate
At once The Controller stated that he had been author
lied by the Mayor TO exDend only 5000 IN examining
the accounts OF the Treasures oce that this amount
ould he exhausted weeks, when the further In
yestigaon of its affairs would have to be undertaken py
the Committee of Audit In this way the examination
Of the accounts OF the City Treasury will virtually fa
upon Alderman Ropes, who, as Chairman OF the COM
mittee will control the investigation AS these exam
nations are TO be conducted by the man who,
upon discovering the frauds in the City Treasury,
withheld the information from the public and the stock
holders OF the Trust Company many apprehend an effort
To conceal the real facts The result Is simply this;
committee of the Common Council, OF which Alderman
Ropes is chairman and the Board OF Audit. OF which
Alderman Ropes is President, have been appointed 10
investigate the affairs OF department In which
when Alderman Ropes previously discovered
deficiencies he covered up the truth. This
state of affairs has naturally excited considerable
comment and although there is confidence felt in Con
troller Schroeder. who is @ member OF the Examining
Board Of Audit it is urged that he will virtually leave
the examination of the accounts to Alderman Ropes
People remember. too, that both Alderman Ropes and
Controller Schroeder members OF an investigating
committee that appointed to investigate the affairs
of the Brooklyn Bridge Company and that both persons
handed in reports commencing its management aud
denying that any irregularities had taken place
Another discovery made yesterday regarding the pro-
visions OF the new Charter shows that. while the first
part Of section TO- title 2, provides that the Mayors ap
prevail Of a resolution apprOpnating money is unneees
sary the Of the section invests him with the
power OF absolute The enlarged powers which, by
the provisions Of the Charter, are given to the
Mayor have enhanced tho value Of the Office. The
Mayor who will be elected for two years, will have the
appointment Of the Commissioners of City
Works the Commissioners of Parks, and the
heads OF other departments. The desire IA
therefore great among the members OF both polIt-
zeal parties TO nominate the successful candidate
There is an unmistakeabe effort making 20 nominate an
independent candidate The frauds in the city treasury
have awakened sentiment IN favor OF such move
ment At a meeting OF prominent persons held on Wed
mate a candidate but IL deemed advisable that the
nominee shoud be Democrat, although that vasnot
insisted upon. Several names were mentioned, among
them those OF John ii. Hunter, VIM. Marshall George H.
Farrington Henry NJ. Hedham, and Mr.. Backhouse,
President Of the Committee OF Fifty.
A SEWER JOB
The propertyowners of the Eighteenth and Twenty
first Wards are very much excited In regard the
cessive cost Of the main brick which drains that
REGION and which was finished only a short time ago.
The first of the cost and the Legislative appro
priation for building made at 10000. Several
subsequent appropriations were made, which increased
the cost nearly $4,000 All efforts made by the prop
erty-owners TO obtain from the Board of City Works
list Of the items Of expenditure involved in the
struction of the have proved unavang and the
Board OF City Works has also failed to reply the
luton offered by Alderman Wylie. at meeting held
Aug. IS and adopted by Common Council, follows:
Resolped That the Board Of City Works he and they
hereby requested 10 report 10 this Common Council
the items OF expenditure the construction OF the
main in district o. giving each item detail.
The resolution Will again be offered by Alderman
Wylie the next meeting OF the Board and the Clerk
OF the Board be requested TO ascertain why the details
of expenditure have not been furnished requested.
The assessments have not been levied, but they will BE-
resisted by the property owners, who purpose test
the matter in the courts