New-York tribune., 1874-07-18
A LOCAL COMMISSION INDICATED.

THE COMMISSIONERS OF CHARITIES AND CoRiiECfIoN
EXONERATED By THE MAYOR.
The final report of the results OF Mayor
Havemeyer's investigation OF the charges preferred
against the Commissioners OF Public Charities and Cor
rectiOn which is gwen substantially below completely
clears skirts OF the Commissioners and reassers his
unbounded confidence their discretion and honesty.
After mentioning the circumstances unirr which he
assumed the duty and the reasons which led him to
choose Jonathan Sturg5 his associate IN the matter,
regard to the presentment or the Grand Jury:
1t true that direct charge made in that docu-
ment against any individual and its terms were 30
that the DStrictAtt0rhey dd noJ ma IL cNpe-
dent TO take any action upon IT, However, the vague
and lndcfineness made II the more sweeping anl
general. and furnished the partisan press an Opportunity
to magnify the implications contained tlerel ana shahc
the confidence OF the people III number OF pubic OF
ters. whose appointment has aiways been source OF
satisfaction TO The proceedings before the Grand
Jury upon which the preSement was based were caro-
fully examined, anu ihe action whlch seemed 10 lInsn
the ground for tne charges contained therein turs upon
transaction of the Board In giving orders direct To one
Louis Sernblch for the supply OF linc Of dry goods
instead Of efectng the purchase through the supply
price goods furnished by SternDdch than could have
been obtained anywhere else. THIS Transaction seemed
to Justify the Grand jury in asserting ndt since me
Ii Of Nav 8IJ the dry goods bought 10y the Connils-
soners o Charities ami Correction have been purchased
directly corruption, ana which IN ia" interest or me
reputation Of the Commissioners. a. vel az OF the Ciy
OF New York, snail he al once rciOrmed'
Examining the evidence as gwen before the Grard
Jury in which certain william p Llmp.ou the former
" n
and sufficient figured as the principal person
age must confess that l failed to discover any SAP
stanta reason for tine prcsentncnt subsequently made
There is certainly wrong lii the chief and oniy re-
sponsible officers of pIDlic department assuming the
performance OF duty usually lntrn'ied 10 suOOr-
dnate II by doing the nercss oi sucn depar meht
are served thereby. Tne supply CerS i, 5ut suJor-
dnate officer mere empJjc. charged WIN Ihc pei
fOrmancc Of "A certain branch OF WORK, add thc 'Oh-
mssiouers themselves are ultimately repon'ne Tor the
proper discharge OF that portion Oi me work Ihey may
thhS nm o., an mfr for another rGe Cpmnssi5ners
personally, II possible t. IN; details anu fols'ht Oi
business. and suspicion need oe attached 10 lhrlr
actions because they ju IL best IN tie -, OF hs
pubic attend to certain aOOrs themselves Instead OF
leaving them altogether 60 snboriinates The appnt-
Of commissioners was Conferred upon geniiehen
whose position in tue community IS ncOf owieiSed
recutnde, OF capacity ana Willingness 10 uhneIgo me
arIuous and Responsible labors connected w;n iheir
several Offices Should ms trust DC forfeited upon ne
simple cdarge OI subordinate, a!tef Lls dl,cilisi
from Office ! YET solely uPon such charge wa the
presentment of the Grand Jury based, tar a. could
ascertain, from inc written proceedings bi'oE' thcm'
He then reviews the testimony, previously syel in
THE TRIBUNE, and concludes as follows:
From the statement received from the Commissioners
OF Accounts there 10 nave been expended b. the
Department FOR dry goods RON VI ~ lo'2 ~ May 1873
s6l,9]3 49, while the ,um expended rom May, 1873 10
MAY 1874, only $40 6i 80, saving OF $4,000;
aud at ths reduced expenditure over 3OO) more gar
menis furnished than the year previous while the
average numoer OF people exceeded ~ nearly l2t tAa
OF the previous year thI- Is certainly 20 evidence oi
extravaganza or wastefuness. the Investigation has
convinced fully that the admins otration OF the De
partment Of Pdblc CHARITIES and CORRECTION Is IN the
best hands that 1t Is conducted honestly. cOnsclcn
tously the Interests OF the plDic. ana tntt
have full cause 10 repose the ishst confidence IN INC
gentlemen composing the Board. Lest, however, in the
present unsettled, ieycrsh and dclud'd condition OF
fne public mlnd in expressing my opinion OF the pre-
sentiment OF tine Grand jury, when considered IN
pectIon with the investigation it elected might be
charged with taking a more favorable view or the
than the facts warranted, submitted all the testimony
taken before together with the prcsentment OF the
Jury the evidence taken before tncu the report
~ the Commissioners Ot Accounts the On stOn-
yolyed to VIM A. Booth and Howard Potter tor cxG.ni
nation and report, winch, n'yini received | hereto
append. W; f., nav tNh1 Ek ;l'5 Or
The Hon. WM. F. HAvEYEYER, Mayor:
AT your request have carefully examined the pa
ners received from yOu relation cuarSeS AGAINST
Ne,srs LamDcer ana stern, Commissioners Of Charities
and Correction, including the testimony taken Oy the
Grand Jury taken by you, wIth tue statement
~ the Commis ssoners OF Accounts, and nothing
Them 10 Justify the impuatOns 10 which they have been
subrcted nor Inconsistent with an Ones. pJrpOse 10
d. Inc puDlc faithful service IN dlicut anu re5pOns
bic position.