The New York herald., 1874-08-28
OFFICIAL FRAUDS In JERSEY.
Startling Revelations Among the
Hudson County Freeholders.
Prisoners Dragged from tho Pcnitenhary to
Work for Contractor.

with the Board OF Chosen Freeholders OF Hudson
county, New jersey for the past four years, which
remained underected till the present Board was Or
ganized. Ii remained Tor Mr.. Rub TO offer reso-
luton that committee OF ave be appointed to
ferret out the frauds perpetrated on the county at
Snake Hill. The committee proceeded to work
with vigor and earnestness, and their nvest-
cations have resulted in the detection
OF gross ''rregulanuesn 70 use q
mild term. on which not merely the Board Of
Freeholders but the Grand Jury. viii have to sit in
Judgment. The frauds perpetrated under the
Board OF Pubic Works in Jersey City were OF short
duration They were brought to a summary close
by the courts. But in this instance mean and
petty thefts have been carried on with impunlty
for years. and, it is said, one member and two
officers OF the Board are involved IN the dis
closures. The investigating committee reported
three or four weeks ago, but strenuous efforts
were made to throw cold water On their report,
and the matter was postponed again and again.
Yesterday afternoon special meeting OF the
Board OF Chosen Freehoders was held at the
Court House, Jersey City Heights. The only bust
OF Importance transacted was the consid.
Grafton OF the report referred to. Mr.. Ruh
handed IN the report, and 1t was read and ordered
TO be entered in full on the minutes The Board
resolved themselves into Committee OF the
Whole Mr. Jonn f. Smith occupying the chair.
The investigating committee OF ave members
iCoyle incuded presented their report on the
alleged Irregularities and frauds on the county az
snake Hill. Coyle was the only member who did
not sign the report. The committee, as will! be
seen, present some startling lacts for the con
slderatiOn OF the taxpayers After very brief
preamble, the report opens with the statement
that a contract was awarded to William c. Wnyte
signed on 18th Of April, 1873, By John Brinker-
hor, director, of the Board OF Freeholcer. well
Charles ". Allen. superintendent OF County
Buildings, as witness. Wnyte, when examined by
sent in any estimate or the work, nor did he know
ANYTHING Whatever about 1t. lie pronounced his
signature TO the contract forgery. He had no iD-
terest whatever In said contract The amount
paid by the cOun y to somebody other than Whyte,
under the certificate OF C. ". Allen, Supe,inten-
dent Of County Buildings was s2,00s 60, or $32 IS
more tnan the measurement OF the engineer en-
ployed by the committee showed. The sum of
I 81 20 was paid per yard for the work, which
done.
On the goth September, 1873, contract was
made with James Ccyle Tor additional paving nag
9ing, garden curp Coyle was allowed to quarry
the blocks out OF the county property and was to
sewer, and haul sand from the sandpits belonging
TO the county at his own expense. According
already mentioned, liberal compensation Tor this
work would be s6,704 ~, whereas Coye received
ent Aforesaid, the sum OF s7,s26 49, or 1922 Os
more tnan the actual measurement OF
the WORK. In digging the sewer twenty-seven
out and put to work by Coyle. Four hundred ana
fifty days labor was performed by inmates OF the
Penltennary. Part OF the sand was hauled by
horses ard carts belonging TO the county. and yet
the county never received any compensation or
credit for The labor, either OF the men or the
horses, or the use OF the carts.
ihe committee at lhis point state that the labor
OF the inmates OF the Penitentiary was employed
under the very eyes OF the members OF the com.
mtJee without any authority whatever from that
committee. Neither the minutes OF the Board nor
OF the supply Committee snow any resolution or
contract for the employment OF such labor. Coyie
received for this work the sum OF $500 on the Goth
: formed, nor any part thereof further than the de-
posting OF the materials on the ground. Yet q
certincate was issued Tor said amount by C. W.
Alien. superintendent. "ior work done according
TO contract" which contract cannot be found any
where. In the winter OF 1872 inmates Of the Penn
tentlary wnO were painters were taken out before
daylight IN the morning 10 charge OF one OF The
! Keepers named Patrick Farmer, and bringing
! with them painting materials were conducted to
| the house OF Coye. ms house they painted, and
! tney were taken back to the Penltentary late ut
nl2nt. This TACT is borne out by the afldavits OF
the keeper and one OF the men so employed No
credit OF any kind was ever given t. the county
the men, orficer materials, nor was any per-
mission gwen by the Board lor such employ ment.
In January, 1872, work was commenced in hyte
l. Coyle's quarry at snake hni. ., Fifteen men
tiary-ln charge OF oficers were employed
dahy IN TINS quarry for long time. The
tools employed were the property OF the county,
and blacksmitbs were employed Dy the county TO
keep them in repair. Thousands OF dollars were
quarry. Gains were presented aud collected from
the county lor large amounts under the names Of
/ lected by Coyle. Those persons in whose names
the amounts were drawn were examined, and
they stated that they never knew anything OF such
claims nor did they receive any portion of
the moneys paid on such CLAIMS
! over SIl,000 were drawn from the county under
the heading "JobbiDg carpenters' within very
short time and under different Names bot in
pearly every instance all the sums were drawn by
me person supposed to be SUPERINTENDENT Of such
work. though the warrants were drawn and
made out under different names. The per-
sons in whose names these sums were drawn
{ depv pVQr aiv
money from the county for snch work or signed
These grave Irregularities (say the committee)
could never have occurred If the officers and COM
mittees appointed by the Board OF Chosen Free
faithfully
A considerable portion Of the money which was
taken IRON the county may yet be recovered, or
tue parties VINO have unIustly received 1t can be
made amenaDe 10 the law. In the building OF the
dock at the Hackensack River the piling was
taken from the county property, and not only was
there no compensation ever gwen to the county
w erefor but the county was actually charged Tor
said material The teams belonging 10 the county
were employed without compensation.
The report closed with recommendation that
the Board ADOPT resolution callIng on one OF its
members, James Coyie, TO refund the amount over
drawn by him nom the county. An exciting de-
bate followed. Coyle Jumped up and asked what
became OF two upright boilers that had disappeared
from the county buildings. Mr.. Rnh retorted that
he would answer that cneeriuy, as he had found
Coyle to Mr.. Sinclair, OF Hoooken. the an
nouncement created a sensation, and Coy1e
lcu DdCk iuIO Ills seat. MT. Young mOVeu
that all the documents In the case
be referred to committee Of seven, TO be re-
ported on at the meeting to be held two weeks
from mat date. The motion was adopted and the
following members were appointed as the commit
tee :-Aessrs. Murray, O'ReLly. Speer, Joyce Cox,
Danieson and Frost.
The following sums received at different times
by Coyle, make up the amount above re erred to-
$1,000 $500 $1,000, $500, s1996 81, g7 $3.50, total,
$7,323 81. The amount received IN Whytes name
was s2,oOs co. One OF the contracts which, 1T Is
alleged, were fraudulent, was signed by John
Ertu az llaIF nm Of he Rn
the succeeding chairman, James III. Startup.
most important discovery was made py tue
committee IN their Investigations. In advertising
Tor proposals the words "dig sewer and haul sand"
appeared. In the contract IN possession OF C0yle
the clause reads. "dle screen and haul sand,"
very material difference, as several contractors
VINO would readily compete for screening sand
would be unwilling to enter into the business or
digging sewef and certainly there would be q
vast difference IN she cost OF botn. In the debate