New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-02-08
COURTHOUSE FRAUDS.
INGERsoLLs ACCOUNTS BROUGHT TO
LIGHT.

THE CITY DEFRAUDED OUT OF OVER SOVV'VVV-
Two-THIRDs OF THE AMOUNT PAID ON
FR.UDULENT wARRANTs-sTHE MYSTERIES
OF RING PAY-ROLLS-THE MONEY TRACED
TO THE BANKS.
The efforts of the Tenth National Bank to recover
$4,000 which it had advancedto the COMMISSIONERS
Of the new Courthouse. have led TO a thorough in
vestigation Of the accounts in the Controllers once.
and the result is the revelation that the city
treasury has been rifed Of 100000 in the con-
structon Of that unfinished pile. The Com
mission was appointed Dec. l. 1870, the
members being James II. Ingersoll, Michael Norton,
Thomas Conan, and John j. Walsh. The total
amount expended by the Commissioners was 81 0o6-
1872 o. The highest estimate Of genuine expense
with which the Commissioners are to be credited ~
Sls5,OOO, which, with the pay-rolls, makes their
total credits S6l5,959 o., about 50 per cent OF
the whole amount of disbursements. Each payroll
bears evidence of fragrant violation Of law The In
dorsements on warrants amounting TO S2594H -
are clearly fraudulent and the examiners claim that
there is conclusive proof that Ingersol received the
whole Of the amount paid on the fraudulent bill
An examination of IngersOlls bank deposits has
been made, and Of the amount paid on warrants be-
tween Nov g. 1870. and March 3, 1871, SS05,79S -
traced TO his private account in the Bowery Bank,
and Sl271lS indirectly to the same account, making
S4S2 Ol6 within 80 days of the first payments under
the appropriation of 100000. These and many other
significant facts are embodied in the Controllers re-
port to the Mayor.
THE CONTROLLERS LETTER.
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, CONTROLLERS OFFICE, J
NEW YORK, Feb. 6. 1873
To ne Hon. VIM F. HAyEMEYER, Mayor Of tie cay Q
Netc York.
SIR: The proceedings OF the Courthouse Commission
ers since Dec l. 1870 shown by the accompanying
port have been developed the OF general in
yestgation regarding the late frauds against the city
and county. You already aware that tue Ienth Ma
onal Bank has for several months endeavorngto
force the Controller to pay about $4,000 balance OF 81
legged advances TO Commissioners by that bank.
Aside from the illegal action of the bank in making
the advances the evidences of fraud in connection with
the disbursement of this money by the Commissioner
suggest the liability OF the Commissioners rather than
the county 70 the bank submit the report for your
consideration. and for such action 10 may seem
proper and desirable for the best interests OF The COM
''D'''' ANDREW H. GREEN, Controller.
RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION.
NEW YORK. Feb. @, 1873.
| The Hon ANDREW Il. GREEN, Controller Of tie Cttyg
Nelc- York.
SIR; On or about the Ist Of December 1870, Mayor
| Hall appointed James II. Ingerson, Michael Norton,
Thomas Conan and John ]. Walsh Courthouse Commits
oners as provided in Section II, Chapter $50 OF the
Laws OF 1870 from which the following Is an extract TO
wit:
in YesYork the Mayor city hereby authorized and mPosrd
toaPont G9r "a ana gga I e CoSp,s New
York Of said Courthouse shall cease The % Com
shall tie 70 eIpend and shall complete san
Courthouse eTceeng 100000 which amount ne Cor
ia:e on the stock Of the County o. New York
The money shall be paid bV The Controller vouchers
: ESsod '' the Commissioners herein authorized and ''
These Commissioners commenced the disbursement OK
money on the 10th OF December, 1870.
The following detailed list Of their expenditures,
| as shown by the county records, to w.t.
TABLE EXPENDITURES
Dec 90 so-w,ran, No. 5000 to A. GaTVey for .
Dec 10 i57oWaITsn. No. 6G5i 70 Keyssr Co Tor plumb
DJS s on New Courthouse Nay to Nov o $50
Di &C. Il New couhoa.s, April q to Nov : 1881 IS
master F payroll on Courthouse Sept 10 TO Dec ,,
Dec so; ~ en- y couroSs: as9 TO Nov 49, es
pSS , to- for payro on New CoaSou.e Dee 1904 80
Dec sn s YORK New cd S0 o o Il i5Ss . Deoebs 5o
De-; sco 81 S s coei .[ias e se - So, d.
s5oo55! y
Nov . 10 $50 daniel 6ia Pi9
May ~ 1863 sept 10, o' 81
To. sno';9 10
jan a. IS7-W 4iat. So iai I22 and rs Assh
lows S,'"' warrant No. H. from June Is. 1898 Aprl ,
warrant No. H. from 1oa 5s to june T. $50 3
w,aH, 10 l from W June 1i y 2 so' s.; c
's to, .ci New eoaa SS SoS Is bee
s or l9eI ls7 furnished Ne" coai.ou 'A - 7cs
sep, warrant No. u.s. 10 j. D. Wel.s IT, for
+; is'4s 10 with o.:sa'' ,o" oo..., sss &c
% ga7 S.9 ii IS nissis sn Is
Y 1ny gs nAfo' sss %
jan IN ls1iWafrant No i29 to Hall b. Tor painting,
&C. Nsx c%SrtaoS APT 20 g Nov oyS yoo 70, "'"
'I sus ,ons for New GourtSou.e Nav IS 4os
'9 70, ~. FOR New couhouss June . Nov 10 o 2O %
jan r., 81 Sss Court to jan 81 S7 I2.sa
Ff Ss5t sarTose. oice Sow Io7Is 81
FEB H. is7i-wsTaai No. $40, TO Christopher Des, for
cleaning ink New coGythSs APr TO- 20 T., ~ co
fe Supplies III See Court house June Is 20 sept
s,ni.bd New Courhouse October 70 Dcem5er In Iss 20
Feb H. ls7l-warrant 40 $50 90 John BlacEh0rst Gorng
New May
March IT, is7i-Warrsat No. s5 TO D. wbaea Paymaste.
payroll OF New Courthouse FEB TO 20 lS'..'' Ioo %
ssn@5 @
Making os +3ssNS ID
This was charged 10 the new County Courthouse on
the Controllers books for which warrants issued
from Nov g. 1870 to March 4. ISL There other
charges on the Controllers books this account in 1870
or 1871, except $4,000 paid the Tenth National Bank,
July T. 1871 on requsuon OF the Commissioners Of April
g. 1871 The payment OF Nov g. 1870 OF S9SJ 81 FOR pay
roll from May 1869. to Sept 10, 1870 was evidently
made by the Controller in anticipation OF the appoint
ment of these Commissioner IL Is embraced In the
IS expended out Of the $4,000 authorized This
payroll is certified by c. H. Tucker, Superintendent
The list OF payments presented shows that between
the Goth of December and the January following
the Commissioners expended $49I 1872 49, OF the war
rants issued for ssO5,7ss are traced di-
rectly 10 the account OF JAS H. Ingerso Bowery
National Bank, and IN addition Spills are traced 10
the same account after passing through the accounts Of