The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-18

Ane Law ~ 10 C0ntrecD Scf wy
Work.
In the suit of John B. Leverich against the
city Of New York, in which the plaintiff
claimed thirty-one thousand dollars for work
done on repairs of streets under the Tweed
administration, the defence was that the
amount being over one thousand dollars there
should have been contract after an advertise
ment for bids. The Court Gudge Van Vorst)
held the defence good, and that, though each
item Of the bill was under one thousand dol
lars, yet being Of the same character of work
they should have been aggregated and propo-
sails invited.
This is the law beyond doubt, and the de-
cision of the Judge is correct But how is it
that with such law in existence MIR. Stern,
one Of the Commissioners of Charities and
Correction, is allowed to buy Of relative,
without inviting proposals, dry goods to the
amount of three thousand to five thousand dol
lars in a single bill, and how is it that such
accounts are allowed and paid by Comptroller
Green? How is it, with such law in existence,
that Commissioner Laimbeer ia permitted to
purchase -four to the amount Of eight thou
sand and ten thousand dollars in single bill
without inviting bids, and how is it that
Comptroller Green allows and pays such ac-
counts? Independent of the fact that MIR.
Storms dry goods are charged to the city by
Mr. Stern's relative one-third more than they
are worth in the market, and that MIR. LAIN
beer -four must be bought at nearly double
its value, or must be used in quantities sufh-
cient to feed an army of ten thousand men,
the purchases are grossly illegal according to
Judge Van Worst decision, and in wilfully VIC
lating the law the officials implicated are guilty
Of malfeasance and subject to punishment.
The city charter provides that, except in
certain specified cases, no work shall be done
and no supplies purchased by any department
or officer OF the municipal government the
amount of which shall exceed one thou
sand dollars without advertising for
bids. AS the city invoices this pro-
vision of the law to evade the payment of
an otherwise just debt by what right can the
Mayor-the head of the city government
subordinates with impunity2 The Police
Commissioners have been giving out work
amounting to thousands OF dollars, not only
without inviting proposals, but, we under
stand, without tho SHOW Of formal resolution.
They have violated tho law again
and again, and have done so wilfully
and with knowledge that their action
is Illegal. The Charities and Correction Com
missioners, as we have secn, have made no
pretence of obeying the law, although by
altered bills and fictitious entries they have
endeavored TO cover up their illegal action.
The Comptroller, with we'll paid army Of
legal quibblers and Bohemian spies over scrub
women and clerks, has paid these bills after
their fraudulent character has been brought
to the notice Of his department. It is in the
power Of the taxpayers to bring these official
misdemeanors before q court of justice, and,
as we are evading the payment Of bills on the
plea that they have been incurred in violation
OF this contract law, and thus Furnishing the
probably innocent creditor for the malfeas-
ance Of an official it is only just that we
should punish the officials who wilfully vio-
late or old and abet the violation of the same
| law. -