New-York tribune., 1874-09-05

ns ,ond in his nor had he como to them
for information although the Board had twice requested
the Commissioners OF Accounts to Investigate their ac
counts. mot Of the Commissioners has seen the
sorekeepsr the publication of Mr. Howes report
and Is impossible for now" said Mr. Lambeer TO
give an explanaion OF the alleged alterations OF bills
and deceitful entries in his books. will say that II
there is anything OF the kind In his books
know nothing at all about It, 80 far es i
know this Board has never authorised single
purchase to the amount Of over 1900 We have never
intended to evade or violate the Charter In any way
and am not conscious that we have doneIt Our pur-
chases were made after consultation with the pur-
chasing agent and intention always was 10 get the
goods at the cheapest prices and 10 Work ior W
advantage OF the city. The Board is too busy Win
estimates take any action in the matter touay' out
we shall consider the subject at our meeting tomorrow
morning ana will probably make an oncai rep9 " i'
Howe's report soon."
The ninth section of Mr.. Howes report alleges tnat
the violated Section 1i6 OF the Charter I'D tne
compensation paid TO Charles G. Cornell, purchasing
clerk of meats for the Board This section provides that
mo subordinate In any department. shall receive
greater salary than the salary paid to the head
OF the department" Mr.. CornelPs compensa-
tion was fixed at one-haf cent per pound
on the purchases made by him. and the re-
port states that his receipts from this source Tor the
seven months preceding June &C. 1874 amounted 10 more
than $780, while the salary Of the head OF the Depart
ment is only $500 per year. When asked what he had
to say about this charge, President Lsimbeer said 1t
was a farce and OF q piece with the rest
of the report. The purchasing clerk OF meats
was obliged to rent stable, to hire horses ana
wagons TO go with an assistant or assistants
to the markets early In the morning, buy the mea's
needed store them in refrgerator-wnich he was
obliged to bmld at his cost and probably az an
expense 5000 5000 or perhaps more-o pay thtee
four men for cutting up the meat anu 10 naye , Ce
expense transporting IL to Backweis Island almost
daily. His expenses In these ways must oe al iest
s5ooa year. indeed MT Corners S oo r year
All this outlay must come out OF the compensation
which the report put 50 nigh ,s clark receives one
half cent pound upon all meat purchased whlcn III
the aggregate amounts TO more than me salary o, onnd d
is not this clerks salary; for ont OF TINS nai cen o
must pay the multtudin0us expenses OF Reepihg ouu
peses deducted he must be very economical 10 ge'
$4,000 year for his own salary. 49,
Robert NJ. Hedden, the present booKKeepef 10 .io
Commissioners questioned by TRBU NE reporter
yesterday at first exceedngy 5ar e
formation as he did not know that he ought 70 give
any Soon aerward however he t9e nc
June l5: He did not know he SAID h,nn, sne fon baG
dOn OF Mr. tSH OOGEs e on June Is
to make up new set OF books dating Iron ,
Jan s He dd mot copy TO% sRe Mi b %na pay
rolls and then verified them at the Conpoisls oct TO-
change their system of bookkeeping The WORK 9 mac had
been difficult one. He had monthly balances io ,no LUIS
would have completed up TO Sept l, lS4 lie ntu
found no discrepancies he had never looked over e
old hooks He reiterated his assertion, that he knew
nothing about the former books. Continuing ne sau
that his own books properly kept1n every pdutcu
lar, aud did resemble the former books. When
questioned as his authority for saying this aiter MS
assertion that lie did not examine the od DOCKS nc s
that he had heard from the Commissioners that tue ou
books were not right Tue system in vogue In the De-
partment as far as he concerned, was as folows
Bills for supplies, &c. go TO him after having uhder
gone the examination of the supply clerk They are
then entered by him in the invoice book and attached
to voucher schedule" This schedule contains the
bin with the claimants affidavit and the certhcatlon OF
the Commissioners its correctness. Appended ls
the receipt. The cerufoation OF the Commissioners
states that they have examined the bs found them
and just; that the articles en4iner, emu ~
ated in the said bills have been received ia
good condition by Department OF Public
Charities and Correction, solely for Its use, ana
were necessary for the lawful uses and purposes
OF the said Department. that the prices charged therein
are reasonable proper and that the amount OF sad
bills exceed the unexpended balancc OF Tue ap
propratlon duly made to said Department therefor
When these schedules received by the boOkkeeper
only the bill affidavit filed out. They are tnen
sent to the Board certcatlOn and thence 10 the
Finance Department for payment. The system OF
checks continued Mr. Hedden Is perfect as lar as pre-
venting any fraud is concerned