The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-10-13
OUR OFFICIAL FINANCIERS.
The Comptroller on Judicial Estimates
and Court Deputies.
SPARRING IN COUNCIL.
Commissioner Wales on
the Comptroller.

missioner Wheeler present The Comptroller sub
mitted list Of unpaid judgments against city to tho
amount Of SIS, S34 49, resolution passed author
zing the issue OF bonds tho of $50 600 &c
these claims and others that may fail due reso
luton also passed authorizing the transfer from
various OF unexpended balances for 1874 De-
partment Of Public Works of $40 os4 3d. to the appro
priation for this year The Comptroller was author.
lied to Museum of Natural History stock to the
amount Of 100000.
A communication was received from the Corporation
Counsel relative to the point whether or not tho
Board of Apporonment had power pass resolution
providing for expenses of codifying the laws of the
State affecting local governments The Corpora
ton Counsel decides that such expenditures can be
| made.
ISSUE cRoToN WATER STOCK.
Another opinion also received from Mr. Whitney
relative to the powers Of the Board in issuing Croton
water main stock TO the amount Of $3.50 o00 accord
ance with the law OF 1872, and requisition of
| the Department OF Public Works. dated June 90
1875 The Corporation Counsel concludes that no
objection be made tho issue In support of his
argument he quotes the statutes at length in relation
to the subject He asserts there is nothing In the ma
ture OF the act which makes it any other than con-
tnung power to the authorities of the city make the
expenditure and cause the issue of the bonds at such
time they may select avail themselves OF the
privileges conferred by the act !"
TAR JUDICIAL ESTIMATES.
Comptroller Green called attention to the large ex-
penditures in the estimates OF the different judicial
offices He thought the expenses and number of at
endants ought to be reduced In connection with this
subject the Comptroller offered the following resolu.
tom
Whereas the expenses conducting conrts Of this CITY
have been much increased in become
Whereas needed and should be vgor-
% the TO he % I and
salaries and dispensing with all those employees actually
Resolved Mayor tof address com
respectfully asking their active and earnest n
the work Of edaepg the expenses Of their respective
aries and other items OF costs and expenditure
Mayor Wckham said that the 2sth of June he ad.
dressed letter to each OF the judges the heads of
all the departments pointing the necessity which
existed for reduction il expenditures or the
5000 900 paid for salaries tho local governme of
the city $5,000,00o mandatory He was in
favor of the resolutions and even OF making them
stronger but he id not know Of any good
would result
THE COMPTROLLER on COURT DEPUTIES
Comptroller Green remarked that the letter trans.
mitted by the Mayor was looked upon Us a matter of
form The sheriff OF the county had been in the habit
OF deputng thirty forty to attend the Court of
oyer and Termner. He (the Comptroler) addressed
letter TO Judge Davis calling his attention TO the fact
that the Judges of the Supreme Court had power 10
limit the number of these attendants A meeting was
held and resolution passed limiting the number TO
ten. He thought II advisable TO send special com
munclton TO the judges and he felt convinced they
would cooperate in measures OF retrcnchmenL
After some further debate the resolution was
adopted.
COMMISSIONER ATTACKS COMPTROLLER GREEN
! A number of back bills from the Department of
Parks recently sent into the Board of Apportion
mcnt IL appears that they were contracted above the
appropriation allowed for the year. Mr. Salem II.
\ Wales then member OF the Park Commission.
When the bills before the Board of Apportion-
ment Comptroller Green placed the responsibility OF
their contraction upon Mr. Wales Investigation Of the
subject was referred by resolution, TO the Department
OF Parks Mr. Wales sent the following answer to the
charges made against him. and all the documents were
yesterday referred to the Comptroller
Cry or New YORK, DEPARTMENT OF DOCKS,
NEW YORK, Oct L. 1875
WILLIAM IRWIN, Secretary, Department of Public
SRI have the honor to acknowledge the receipt OF
your communication Of the sth inst, ncosng preamble
and resolution OF the Board of Estimate and Apportion-
referring to certain unpaid against the
Department OF Public Parks for the years 1870 ri ~
and 73 with the request for explanation from as
former president of the department Ny reply is re-
spectfully submitted, follows
FtrSt-I am aware that the Comptroller of the city
has upon two different occasions, called the attention
OF that Board TO this deficiency in the accounts tho
Park Department. and has sought to fix upon me the
sole responsibility OF its existence.
Second-I am also aware that any of my late as.
socate Commissioners is equally with myself fully
competent TO furnish the explanation called for by the
resolution shall therefore leave IL to the judgment
of others to fathom the motive which actuated the
Comptroller to force my into public con-
ncction with this matter.
7aird-I am also aware that creditors who have ap-
piled to tile Finance Department for the payment Of
their claims have been advised make application to
me, the person responsible for the Obligation in.
Cured and Tor which payment refused by tho
Comptroller, aud .this, too In TACO Of the fact that
have had official connection with the Department OF
Public Parks since May, 1874.
| am advised that the Comptroller had promised CO.
operation in measures necessary to the settlement Of
these claims; but instead OF doing whenever the sub
ject has come up in the Board of Estimate and Appor
tionment he voccrates Tor explanation from me
1t appears however, that when His Honor the Mayor
moves a resolution to secure such explanation the
Comptroller alone votes against it, thus virtually
pcaching the integrity of his own action.
This may appear singular 70 those who not famil
lar with the eccentric methods of the Comptroller
They are not unlike the character of .Sir Anthony
Absolute IN the comedy who always INSISTING
upon having his own way but satisfied unless
he could have his own way Of having it.
II may be proper for me to state here that have not
sought opportunity to answer this charge brought
against mo by the Comptroller, neither did intend to
force myself upon the Board OF Estimate and Appor
tionment to vindcae either myself my late col.
leagues who share with me whatever responsibility may
justly attach aud which seems TO have caused much
anguish in the Comptrollcrs mind
BY tue vote OF the Board Of Estimate and Appor-
tionment am called upon to explain; therefore can
longer avoid taking the responsibility and will de-
tail the facts briefly possible.
Il not a Commissioner during the years 1870 1871
and 1872, and therefore cannot explain how tho obi
cations for claims of those years contracted.
was appointed Commissioner Of Parks in January Of
1873; my associates in the Board Henry G. Slcb
bins President, Andrew II. Green Richard NJ. Batch
ford and Frederick Il. Church,
had not resigned his Office as Commissioner OF Parks,
and continued therein until April 80, 1873, at which
time what Is known the charter into oper
alton, Of is provisions being that no person can
hold two offices AZ the same time. During the four
months above specified Commissioner Green did not
meet with the Commissioners OF Parks but, while de-
cning share his null measure oipublic responsibility,
he nevertheless sought TO exercise the functions OF his
ONCE, separately and apart from his associates IN Office
and chiefly through Y. w. Whttemore, Secretary aud
Treasurer Of the Board, his trusted friend
This condition OF things pressed heavily upon his CO
Commissioners, causing considerable unplcasantncss