New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-29
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
pprcIn.ARITIEs IN THE NEW WARDS.

IRREGULARITIES IN THE NEW WARDS.
Az ALLEGED ATTEMPT TO DEFRAUD THE TOWN
TREASURY OF MoRRIsANIA-A TRUSTEE AND
CONTRACTOR IMPLICATED.
The town of Morrisania has eight trustees,
xclusve of the town Supervisor, ex-senator William
caldwell who is trustee ofhoio. Tho Board of
rrustees take the place and perform the duties of
board Of Aldermen and other officials In cities and
moug their functions that OF awarding contracts for
,,cal improvements auditing bills against the town, &c
,,orrsauia also has Contractor, Patrick Handbook.
Tho agreed to grade One-hundrodandforty-hft lie
aA nresented his bills from time 10 time for DONG this
ok and been paid in certificates OF Indebtedness issued
nv the town and bearing interest In the early part OF
his month presented his bill to the Board OF Trustees
,or the ual completion Of the work. and the legal
ttee Of the Board after examining 1t and dcductng
rrey,ous payments, reported balance due to Handi-
hode of between eleven and twelve hundred dollars At
This point Michael DOnohue, who is SAID 70 DE
= driver for Handbode, appears the
As an assignee of the claim OF Handbook though the
precise why the claim assigned to him does
not appear. After the claim had passed through the
hands Of the legal committee and been fixed at the
nsmed It appeared before the Finance Committee
Of the Board of Trustees hut instead of claim OF eleven
hundred and odd dollars IL had sweled to the d.
nensons of SS.AO 20. The Finance Committee, either
through negligence from motive land
motive is charged by the Board passed the claim
without question at the increased amount. On the
same day certificates were made out for its payment and
signed by the President aud Clerk of the Board OF Trus
tees and by them transmitted TO John r. Hunt the
Treasured for his signature. While they, with other
-frtfcaes in Mr.. Hunts possession awaiting his
Signature, the contractor, Handbook. and mr.. William
leslie member Of the Board OF Trustees, appeared at
dGerent times and very anxious TO get possession
Of the certificate for $40 29-Handbode finally telling
e Treasurer 10 give II 10 Leslie he had signed
:, Al this time Mr. Hunt had suspicion that there
WAS any fraud connected with IT. but, after he had
signed it, Leslie and demanded H. and on beng
used took it from the table, with other papers
uected with the transaction, and slipped off with them
while MI Hunts attention was otherwise directed. On
discovering this fact Mr.. Hunt satisfied that there
mist be something wrong about the certificate,
SD took immediate steps TO detect the fraud
Ve obtained the assessment rolls for the
Grading Of One-hundred andforty tfthst, and
having ascertained how much had been
previously paid the contractor struck balance and
discovered the fraud He also got the report OF the
legal Committee and found that the claim as II passed
that Committee was the same he had figured it, or
rpore than 5000 less than the claim as 1t passed the
FINANCE Committee or the certificate that was made ont
thereon As soon as Leslie found ont that Mr.. Hunt
nsd detected the fraud he to him and admitted
MI Hunt says that he had put up this job That
be made out the bill which presented to the Finance
Committee himself and that there was about 1909 IN IT.
that ne aud Clark he clerk OF the Board Of TrI stees
we're the only ones ig the race sns they w9sI4 gIae
9Th Mt Hunt The latter made 10 other reply than to
insist upon Leslie's returning him the certificate
ard accompanying papers, but leslie said he had given
:hem 10 the contractor, Handibode.
Mr. Hunt took the earliest opportunity TO communi
cate all the facts Of the TO the Board of Trustees
81 which he is also q member, and the Board imme-
dately app0 lted Special Committee OF Investigation
consisting q Supervisor Cauldwe and Trustees Thomas
:. Morris Col. J. j. Mooney, Adam Kaiser, and Capt
Bowen The Committee have held three secret sessions
and it is said Will present their report on Tuesday
evening. The facts reported TO he all in, and the
evidence is said indicate the guilt OF Leslie the
trustee. and HandbOde, the contractor. IL Is also
stated that Handlbode has made offers Of money 10
eral members Of the Board OF Trustees to make favor
able report II 10 not known whether the report OF the
Special Committee will duplicate any one beside Leslie
and Handbook but it is thought that the Finance Com
tee ought be oensued for their carelessness. This
Committee is composed OF the following trustees JO-
seph Kuntz. Adam Kaiser, j. J. Mooney, and Capt.
Bowen three Of whom II will be Observed are on the
Committee Of investigation