New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-02-26
B1DEAU IN BONDS.

of Brooklyn, which we announce this morning
with a melancholy pleasure, has been for some
time anticipated Indeed it was a foregone
| conclusion when the evidence on the BrittOn
trial revealed beyond any sort of doubt that
Badeau had been guilty of misdemeanOr in
drawing interest OH public funds. That his
arrest did not promptly follow that revelation
of guilt is another count in the grave indct-
ment against BrittOn which happily was not
needed to secure the removal of that faithless
officer. And it now happens that his arrest is
based upon other proofs Of other crimes. The
misdemeanOrs amply proved on the BrittOn
trial are not embodied in the present charges.
They are of direct embezzlement OF the public
funds; the retention, in fact of portions OF
the taxes paid by citizens to the Collector
The latter will appear to most persons the
more henOus crime; but the other is an
Ofiense which, IN view of the low standard of
official morality existing in Brooklyn. ought
not to go unpublished. The evidence is ample
overwhelming, and ready at Mr.. ROdman's
hands, and we hope, in time, he will indict
Mr.. Badeau, as his predecessor did not.
Mr.. Badcau may b. already set down by his
friends as another victim to Reform. He is
the third or fourth whom justice has at last
overtaken. Sprague, Rodman, Gil, Brtton,
Badeau-so the list swells, and time-and
brief time too-will add others to the list.
Unlike the others, save possibly Nh Sprague,
Badeau is sacrificed to a false system of per-
nicious and criminal public administration. 1t
may yet turn out that Sprague was merely
weak, not criminal that he was the victim of
wiler men like Rodman and those who placed
him in position to steal for them, and who
now protect him as the States witness while the
victim goes to jail. Gill was overtaken in
a career of small peculatiOn on his own ac-
count; his arrest has little more significance
than that of any other petty swindler. Brit
ton was the willing tool of a criminal crew
who had captured Treasury and Courts and
believed themselves always secure. Badeau,
on the contrary, was seduced to wrOng-doing
by the temptation to which hundreds of pub
lie officers have succumbed-he did only that
which was customary His predecessors had
stolen the interest on public funds so long
that the money had come to be looked upon
az perqusites, and the crime as a mere techni-
cality. The pretended sale of property for
unpaid taxes had for so many years
been custom OF the Office he filled that
Mr.. Badeau looked upon it as perfectly
honorable transaction to transfer millions of
property to a pretended buyer i'll order to
rob the taxpayers who redeemed their own
of the immense percentage allowed by law.
Ii was not only so easy, but had so long been
usual IN the Tax Office to charge taxpayers
heavy percentage as default FOR failure to
nay their taxes when due, and after they had
left the office remit the penalty and pocket
the default, that not only Mr.. Badeau but his
IDENTITIES seem to have thought it "A perfectly
proper az it was certainly profitable trans
action. The Board of Audit talk of paltry
So, 900 which has disappeared in this manner.
We have shown months since, and the tax
payers generally of Brooklyn now know, that
they have been robbed of millions by the
THEFT Of defaults, the drawing Of interest on the
public money and the fictitious sale of pro-
perty for unpaid taxes. The Board of Audit,
when finally forced by public opinion to hold
open sessions and expose all the truth, will
probably show that ellis thousand and
Badeaus twenty-five thousand are not the
only sums which have disappeared and that
these two are not the only criminals of the
Tax Office.
NIL houHidI, INC new DlStTlcl-.AttOrney,
sgnazes his advent to office by the proceed
ing against Badeau Nothing he could have
done would have served as well to give him
the confidence of the people; nothing perhaps
which will create more distrust of him on the
part of the Ring which has been so quick To
claim him as its own. Mr.. Rodman will not
know of the satisfaction which will be felt,
for it will not find general expression. He
will learn of the annoyance he has given the
Ring, for its chiefs will bring their boosted
pressure to bear upon him. Let him not mis-
take either the silence of the people or the
protests of the Ring bat as fast as he
sees His way and comprehends the great duty