New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-22
THE STATE FINANCES.
CHARGES OF MIsMANAGEMENT.

FUNDS FOR EAfENSEo'
lPRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENTS P THE 1kBUNb'
ALBANY. Now 2l-Additional facts, learned to-
day, relating to the report of Mr. Warren, EXHIBIT
more fully the wretched method. or lack Of method
! by which the State finances administered. IL
| appears that while the law requires that no pay
mcnts shall be made without the warrant oil tho
Controller, except for purposes under the c0gnzance
| Of the Canal Auditor and Superintendent OF Pubic
Instruction. than seven-eghths Of all the pay
ments arc actually made before such warrants arc
| signed All claims sent in to the Treas
urer for payment from the Controllers ONCE
are presented to the junior clerk, with whom tho
Treasurer leaves checks signed in blank, several
hundred at one time, which filled mp by this
clerk and then returned TO the Controllers office
for the signature OF the Second Deputy Controller.
These checks are paid out to the claimants before
the Controller signs the warrants which alone
authorize such payments t. be made. The State
Treasurer in this way allows what no paying teller
of bank would under any circumstances suffer
Every bank requires that the checks upon 1t be
signed by the persons upon whose account they arc
paid.
1t is also said that Mr.. Warren expressed himself
very freely when hero in regard e. the practice OF
the Canal Auditor and Controller in receiving
money while the law expressly provides that thc
Treasurer alone shall receive all moneys paid TO the
State and that he must give receipts for the same,
to be countersigned by the Controller, the Canal
Auditor, or the Superintendent of Public Instruc-
ton, according to the fund on account Of
which the money is received. ns. Warren.
it is said, insists that one but tho
Treasurer and his subordnates should handle
any money whatever belonging 10 the State.
The law makes the Controller merely the general
bookkeeper of tho State. II is in his Office that all
the State accounts kept except that pertain
i A.. IL. ~ IL
tances and payments by county treasurers and
Others, Mr.. Warren contends, should be made d.
rectly to tho State Treasurer, whose receipts
quired to be counterSgned already stated by tho
Controller.
1t is asserted here that tho only means the Con-
troer has had for many months past Of paying or
binary expenses Of the Government has been the
uninyested balances belonging 10 the various trust
and sinking funds of the State, and it is minated
that not less than S50OO0OO TO $l0OOoCO0 Of those
moneys has been spent in this manner The C0nsti-
tuition, in the most emphatic words, declares that
these funds shall be held sacred aud never DO used,
except for the redemption Of debts, to provide for
which the funds were created This requirement jt
seems, has been wholly disregarded.
In respect to these things there appears TO be q
concurrence in Mr.. Warrens views to a great extent
but strict adherence to the law ii is said, would
The principal remaining topic, in relation to which
Mr.. Warren il understood to express Iispleasure ia
the system of account-keeping in tho Controllers
and Treasurers Offices which, it is said, he did not
hesitate to characterize antiquated and nnsuited
to the present time
Mr.. Warren, it appears, does not by any means,
however throw the whole blame of the present sye-
tenn upon the present ncumbents. but thinks them
so imbued with the notion that old and established
| . 81.
TO escape their notice. He does not. however il is
presumed consider THAT the fact that any number Of
predecessors, however numerous, disTcgarded law
any excuse for the present incumbents doing tho
same.
MR. wARIEN's REPORT or TIE PHELPS DEFALCi-
TION-TREAsUEER RAiNEs DENIES IT'S ACCU-
RACY or TIE ALLEGED STRUCTURES.
To me Editor OF Ths TrtOaAe.
SIR Your Albany dispatch is sensational, false,
and libelous. II ole-half of it were true the Cow
ernor would, weeks since, have suspended me.
Your correspondent is little better than assassin.
Tho statement in regard to the loans to clerks OF
forty thousand dollars shows his ignorance Of tho
report. Telegraph the Governor if yOu hayo doubts.
Yours. THOMAS RAIAIS
Utica n. T., Nor. o. 1873.
ANOTHER DENIAL.
GENERAL PRESs DIsPArCul
ALBANY. Nov. 21.-A dispatch Published IN
Examiner, Mr.. Warren is unauthorized and unfounded
The Governor has declined to permit any 10
the document, and authentic statement OF lis
tents can therefore 30 made The statement in the
dispatch referred to with regard the loan OF moneys
50 clerks amounting to $4,000 or $4,000 during oDe
month, is entirely If it true, the Gov
ernor would, OF course, have at once suspended tho
Treasurer. The Dispatch also gives erroneous repre-
seutalOn Of the method OF doing business In the Offices
of the Controller and Treasurer, No such loose system
OF financial cement exists Is there represented.
WHAT CONTROLLER HOPKINS SAYS.
Controller Hopkins was called upon last
evening by TRIBUNE reporter, and his opinion sought
upon the report OF Mr.. Warren Mr. Hopkins said that
Dix called his attention TO the report Just before be
left Albany. but that be did have time to read II,
and knew little IN regard to It, He dt not TO say
anything concerning the abuses which the report said
charge He said however that much money sent to
the Controllers Office, and passed the Treasury
which ought TO be directly to the latter. Certain
taxes must, he thinks, pass through the Controllers
office under the present law, but money frcm tie coun
ties should be 70 the Treasury Means have been
taken have tis done in all cases, such requesting
it through a circular; but yet almost daily checks
forwarded 10 the Controllers Office aud 10 the Controller
personally, payable to his order Mr.. Hopkins thinks
that Warrons report will receive very careful at
teution. He returns to Albany today.
Mr.. WARREN RErCEST.
reporter called upon William Z. Warren
late last evening obtain. II possible, additional ip.
formation respecting his report tho Governor but no
said that It would be best him to enlarge upon
subject until the report had been submitted to TIM
Legislature by the Governor