The New York herald., 1875-07-01
YHE UNPAID FIRENEN
What Mayor Wickharn and
Comptroller Green Want.
How the Men Feel on the Ques-
ton OF Their Pay.

tracted meeting yesterday, lasting over six
! hours. After the adoption OF the minutes OF
the previous meeting the following communica-
tion was received from N p Bennett, one OF the
clerks alleged by the police TO nave been "roper-
in" for gambling houses and irequenter OF Iaro
banks:-
To THE HONORABLE BOARD FIRE Con- MIssIosERs-
hereby transmit tor your copslderation my afndav
able business men OF New YORK IN relation a SANDER
the q
IN p at @ or hss Sey n
either directly indirectly with any other
R% Trusting that the 'osm0ny Of the he
will be sucent evidence to Convince you that my char.
aoef mas OesH de9s Esps YarS
Attached TO the document were the names OF
some twenty OF our most respectable wholesale
jewellers, among whom were +. Solomon, B. Serf,
OF John street, and H. @. Bedwell. Bennett, 1t
seems, was jeweller by trade, ana had worked
for all the parties named.
A like communication was received from Albert
Osborne, also clerk in the department and
alleged by Commissioner Howe TO be notorious
gambler. He states that he was never known by
the name of Albert Gereau, as alleged by the
police; that he was a paymaster's clerk In the
army ana never was defaulter nor was he ever
arrested imprisoned in Norfolk Moreover
Osborne says he never was In Norfolk or even in
the State OF Virginia. AS to his having steered
men into No. Amtty street. he declares the
statement false IN every respect.
commissioner King moved that the whole
matter be referred for special Investigation. He
was not willing to nave men holding positions IN
the Department. against whom so serious charges
! were presented. II these were innocent
| he was for standing by them, but If guilty they
should be dismissed from the lorce.
Commissioner Perley thought the charges were
| all trumped up and brought about for the sole
FURTBERING POLITICAL ENDS.
commissioner hatch said its one OF the Mayors
fresh Geais.u
Commissioners King claimed tnatN an invcstig a.
tion would show the truth OF the whole matter.
During the session comptroller Green called
ana h i'd a long conversation with Commissioner
Perley. He mad understood that she Commls
sloners were gong TO raise funds from the lnsur
ance companies, ana he was bitterly opposed to
the project He claimed It would death-Dlow to
his scheme Of bringing the Mayor to terms. he
said:-"We have got the Mayor Just wnere we
want MIN. Tne whole force lay the blame at his
door, ana the pubic In general are loud In their
wncre ne is ana he will certainly have to come 10
terms. Let the men suffer little longer for their
eventually; but by no means raise the money out
side. nave the money all ready, but
THE MAYOR MUST SHOW HIS HAND
TWO or three trials were had for minor onences
| arose on certain appointments. winch were finally
laid over Tor another week. Hatch has now de-
unless the Mayor wltnoraws his name for removal,
and he has PUBLICLY announced tnat he Will side
erence to MIR. King. Quite number OF the mem
! hers OF the force called at the Hall during the
! about their pay, but were told tnat they would
! have to celebrate the Fourth OF July without
! several OF them waited on Comptroller Green to
! If they coulo get him to advance their money
! but the only satisfaction they got was 10 the
| effect that they could nave tneir nmoney just so
soon as the Mayor signs the certldcates
MAYOR wIcKHAM's REASONS.
The following letter sent yesterday by
Mayor Wlcknam to Comptroller Green:-
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, CRY HALL
Hon. ANDREW II. GREEy Comptroller &C
them 'ee on
is Of The month for % serviss: during IN last May
the Mayor 10 coqnterssn separate warrant Tor each
has been usaed
asyGr m the Finance e a
PEELED to an average OF between three and
to great number OF licenses certificates bonds trans
upon the Msy%r except in case o. necessity '''''"
SO s an e a OF
Mayemeyer ana Mayor Vance, not considerations
IN the matter but upon the facts tha the mayor IS dis
part OF the ot the Office that Re Should
drudge TOR any % Of m ha ne mas
Ills the executive officer, and that his useful
tho
ha ane do or n mors
shall always exert myself to contribute much pos
ministratOn. but TO the convenience and comfort OF
government e9 snail not hOweyer be party to What A
cannot but consider unreasonable ma exactions
Of the city government requiring ny attention. ana
Mayor to become mere clerk OF any of the depart
itis that the law provides that the Finance De-
partment shall prescribe the manner In which salaries
paid Bu; it goes on 70 quality and explain ina general
particular in which tnere are numbers Of persons
Paa ," o he oar of @
paid upon ,payros, upon wnicf eaSn person named
such person aud in every case Of payment upon pay
salaries included therein may be made payable to tho
supcrnendcnt principal teacher; foreman rother ON
ss5 Laws Of 1873 amended by section 8, chapter s6
am advised that that general dlscreuon vested IN
% o p G hs See %
distinctly suggested BY the aw would not have con
exercise that discretion arbit ary or unrcssonaby-
allowed courts and all public officers required 10
be exercised in all eases win sound Judgment not
regard for ana difference to oil the Of each
ar seetion Of the law above quoted is distinct sas
gest,on and Limitation as to how the general disereGS
regard payments to the members OF the several
The law provides for single warrant for the aggre
rant may be drawn payable etncr 10 The foreman OF the
company or 70 any other ocsr desSnsed tor the pn5
The officer tor The purpose though botn my Immediate
have %sd
Sucsoned And the discretion yos have exercised in
! that matter has fol owed no rule as TO persons.
For instance, in the OF the teachers you make
every month the warrant the principal teacher OF
hat sSoo In hs Of the cmoye Of the De-
partncnl Public PARKS you make every month
single warrant, payable clerk OF that department
who called the Tisbursing cerk) for the aggregate
amount the employees named each OF the several
payrols In the the aborors the Department OF
Public Works you make warrant pay able TO an EN-
ploye of the financs Department (whO Is called the
'paymastcrp for tue aggregate amount OF each pay
roll In the Department OF fubic Charities nnd Cor
rccton you make every month, warrant to Inc same
'paymaster" HS referred tbs aggregate amount
Of each of tho payrolis Itis the same rcqa 10
certain payros in the Heath Department, thou!h for
IN employts of the smallpox Hospital you make, every
month, warrant PAYABLE TO the President OF the Heath
Department Tor tho aggregate amount Of that particular
payroll And so on throughout tho several ucptrt-
mems In the Fire Department you made war; ant,
TO the same "paymaSter" above mentioned, for
the aggregate amount Of the payroll of each company
tor the salai due tor OF the months OF January
february March and April last, and am quite at
TO perceive sufficient TOR the attempt now
made 70 make payment by separate warrant to
/ Individual fl roman.