The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-04-15
THE RESULT OF THE SCHNEIDER IN
VESTIGATION.
The Admit stra tor of Finance &. insured
by the COuncf'-He Makes Speech
a.d A. KS for Another InvestigatiOn.

appointed by the Mayor to investigate the
charges preferred against Mr.. Schneider, the
Administrator of Finance, and to examine
into the alleged Irregularities in the Finance
Department of the City Government, was
submitted to the Council at the regular SEES
sion Yesterday, and will be found in full in
another column.
A careful perusal Of the report will show
that the charges of the Bulletin have been
fully sustained We charged, first, that Mr..
Schneider violated an ordinance Of the city
in receiving city scrip into the treasury,
and in ordering his chief clerk to receive it
unindOrsed. Second, that Mr.. Schneider
speculated in city securities, which, if not
contrary to law, was contrary to the public
expectations entertai aimed Of the Administra-
tor; third, that Mr.. Schneider issued himself
and ordered his chief clerk to issue warrants
that had once been paid in for city taxes.
| These charges have been proven, are ad-
United by the Administrator, and the Coun-
| Gil has seen fit to pass very mild resOlu-
ton censuring Mr.. Schneider for his conduct,
but expressing its profound conviction that
he has not made any money by the lrreSu-
larities 1t is true they hold the Admins
traitor responsible for the amount Of the
dishonored check (Sl4oO), but they might
have saved themselves that trouble, for he
was bound for it any way, and could not
have balanced his books without making it
good.
The committee accepts Mr.. Schneidcr's
statement to the effect that his purpose III
specializing in city securities was to make
good the amount of that check, but they
could not refrain from remaIking that
"the course of the Administrator was
irregular, and that he violated city
ordinance"
The exchange of about $4,000 of green
warrants for red, by Mr.. Schneider, is
touched upon very lightly by the com
to have been at fault for the irregularty,
he is acquitted from sharing in the profits
of the transaction, Mr.. Fazende, the broker
with whom the exchange was made, testify
ing that such was the fact.
The mass of testimony taken is disposed
of with waive CT the hand by the COM
mittee as of g a circumstantial or hearsay
character" but just here we wish to remark
that almost all testimony is necessarily OF
that sort, and that men have been hung ere
now upon evidence purely circumstantial.
Was it matter of small Importance, not to
he taken into account, that brokers,
rants on the streets, and at the thousand
and-one rumors that were whispered from
one to another. rapidly sold out at a loss
such warrants and city securities as they
held Was it trivial matter that, be
cause of Mr.. Schneider's "little irregulari-
ties" one firm alone lost in the neighbor-
hood of 100000 Is it a matter of much
Importance to the parties who were losers
that Mr.. Schneider did not mean to do any
thing wrong-that it was a mere oversight
If his
Mr.. Schneider's motives may have been
he very best in the world, and the Bulletin
las never impngned them, but his actions
nave proven concusively that he is weak
nan, and disqualified for the responsible
position which he holds. But we leave the
eport to take up Mr.. Schreider's very re-
stump speech to the Council. 1t
) a marvel Of bad taste, bad temper, and
Utterly illogical. He starts out by styling
he accusations against him as ''vile and
currillous,' and proceeds forthwith t. ack-
lowledge each and every allegation made
gainst him. He plumes himself upon the
act that the committee finds nothing that
hows Irregularities in his department other
han what he voluntarily and readily com
nunicated to them before witnesses were {
This is true, but the information given by
ar. Schneider was impaired only after the
hargcs had appeared in print, and after his
oint blank and persistent denial Of the
barge in regard to the reissue of metropoi- {
an warrants. This point Mr. Schneider
oes not touch upon in bis speech, consider
lg it, no doubt, too "vile and scurrillous', |
He acknowledges the warrant transaction
nd pie ads want of serious consideration, a
lea which we must regard as totally mad
lissble in so grave matter. :
In regard to the speculation in city scrip
G gives to the committee, the Council and c
he public his positive assurance that the y
was simply and wholly for the )
enefit of the city and to recover a loss of y
l4OO." This excuse is also totally inadmis- i
bile, but we are perfectly willing to accept Q
he Administrator solemn assurance.
The|credit which Mr.. Schneider arrogates |
, himself in regard to the taking up of !
warrants at 80 cents instead II
f par Is due to the Council, inasmuch as he
cted ia that matter under their instruc- d
ons. The rest of the speech might, with b
luch propriety, have been left unsaid. The ;
mount of it is that he has done nothing by d
-hich the city has lost any money, that he t
id net want the place which was thrust i