New-York tribune., 1875-02-24
eu in charge Of the suit. against rwood and his frauau
len. ns sssoC,asc,; sssasc,,r,,x Cu. O'CoSoR.

THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE CONTROLLERS
ruRruxR TESTIMONY RELATING TO THE CHARGES
CONCERNING MR.. GREEN-JUDGMKNrs AoAiS'r
arHE CITY-RKLATfONs OF TWO LkApiN" DE
pARTMENTs-TEsTIMoNY or ii. A. GohDhhi"''
COMMISSIONER VAN MORT. AND LiNpshf %
HOWE BEFoRE THE ALDERMANfc LAW COM
MTTEE.
Aldermen PurrOy, Billings and Shandley'
eomposipg the Law Committee OF the Board OF Alder
men, directed. by resolution OF Feb. 4 to inquire n'o
the charges OF misconduct the part OF the Controller
Andrew H. Green met at p. yesterday in tho City
Hail. aud took the testimony OF Henry A. Gumbeton'
Deputy County Clerk. George M. Van Mort Commits
sioner OF Public Works, and Lindsey j. Howc'
Commissioner OF Accounts. subpenas had also
been sent TO John B. Haskio Salem H.
Wales Dock Commissioner Henry G. stebbins. Park
Commissioner aud Corporation Counsel +. Deaheld
Smith, only the two first sent excuses aud the Com
mttee have not decided whether not they will issue
attachments for the others
Mr. Cumbieton who had been requested by the Com
mtee to prepare statement OF all the Judgments re-
covered against the city during Controller Green's IN
cumbency first called and stated that he had pre-
pared list Of the judgments docketed In the County
Clerks Office from Oct l. 1871 TO and including Feb 49,
1876 The judgments docketed in the County Clerks
Office between those dates from the Supreme. Superior
Common Pleas, and Marine Courts amount to2,73sim 49,
Of which the tho Supreme Court Judgments
amounted TO t0375S o. aud the costs s5o5 81 or the
l93 udgments which shown In this list. Mr. Gum
beton said upwards Of 200 had been satisfied ana
appeared as satisfied on the books This statement OF
course ontained merely the account OF interest and
costs on the Supreme Court judgments alone he could
give no information to interests and costs on any
other.
Mr. Van Mort next took the witness stand and listened
TO the reading resolution which had called the
Committee together his testimony in response was
OF negative character, particularly the nrst
norton OF It, Mr. Purroy asked him If lie knew OF any
case under these resolutions Mr Van Mort replied that
he could not partcularze case he could only an
swer in general way that the Controller sometimes In
constituting the laws. would differ from the Department
OF Public Works and delay payments. He recolected
in the case OF the payment OF the socaed Boulevard
aborers planting trees. the Controller differed from
the Department OF Public Works about the law author
zing IT. and the laborers employed counsel took the
cases into the and recovered He didn't know
whether opinion Of the Corporation Counsel was had
In these cases sought by the Controller In one case
there was delay OF several monthshree months, at
Least Mr. Van Mort was urther questioned concerning
the Controllers alleged resistance to tho payment OF
legal claims against the city, but he did not recall any
other particular case woud try to refresh his reco
lection he SAID, before the Committee held its next
| session.
As TO the second charge against the Controller.
cerning the employment OF favorie lawyers for the
pose Of affecting legislation and resisting payment OF
clams-the fees OF the lawyers being paid out OF the
public treasuryMr Van Mort knew Of no case ofhisown
knowledge His Information only hearsay or from
the public prints. He knew nothing about the charge
that the Controller had illegally diverted certain sums
set apart bY the Board Of Apporonmen and the laws
of this State to other purposes" When 1t came, how
ever to the charge that the Controller had DELAYED the
payment OF salaries OF olhslas 10 ms Depsrt sr
| done so, although he could not state in
detail. Tho Controller would frequently refuse no to
vhara EQa
Van Mort tell whether the scrub-women had
H knew there had been he
could not partcnlarize He did not know the reason
for the delays the never Sta'eo any
Mr.. Purroy asked If the Department. In the expo,
s@S1 by ContGoer Green Mr. Van Mort this
somewhat dtasteiuI to him. but he was %, of
course obliged to answer the Committee tie l. From the
time he entered the Department there mad been per
himself by Controller and the Department hal had
difficulty in It's SoEk s ar as
When prices were agreed upon between tho
Of TGTs S. ws4s sed .om no to S
Finance Department certified by the Department Of
bills and persons would be compelled TO receive the
money leave the warrant as the case might be- :.
that do NJ think we have been aided" Have you
been obstructed ." was asked well. that wond nat
siated-though he could not particularze instances
that properly holders had called upon him and And com,
planned relation to surees that had been bled with
the Controller, laid by and neglected. There had been
he would mention the case OF an orui
nance regulate ana grade Fifthsve from Ninetieth
to hundred andtwentieth-st In which there was
great delay, though the sureties were Trustworthy
As to the charge the Controllers administration
retarded growth and prosperity OF the city, Mr. Van
about In his opinion If there had been a LIBERAL
policy adopted there might have been greater progress
and growth. The Controllers policy had been adverse
| TO CARRYING certain works OF Importance which re-
Qulred Of bonds assessment bonds and which
| would have been favorable TO the CITY, III the
Riverside and Mornngslde aves. could have
| been carried forward-in which cases assessments
| adp
property would in his opinion have appreciated in
ey next asked If the witness knew nyng the
employment by Mr. Green Of private counsel to effect
interest Of iHs Controller SomsS Finance Depart
R%'e" Rse said Mr. P' Van Mort Seeing Mr. Morrison
there during the session Of last year. He there
considerable period at which time there was legislation
before the Houses which related TO oo,h our depart
heard MIN before committees represent the Finance De-
IN opposition to the riverside O-Rversde Park"
Lindsey j. Howe. one OF the CommissIoners OF Ac-
boon 6esn Tesisced. When Mr. Parroy, began to inter
to affect legislation, the witness replied as follows
Allow me to make Abatement We are now
the facts which find Will be reported TO the Mayor
and Common Council. and in that report are embodied
all these points submit to you 1t is hardly proper for
us to give results of our examinations until our re-
port is completed
as sufficient, and Mr.. Howe excused from saying
anything charges that the Controller had d
yerted cert ain Gums illegally, and that his adminstra
on had retarded the growth and prosperity Of the city
MIR. Howe said, however, that this report would be
made probably In 80 days. They had been delayed In
their Investigation by the Controllers erefusal
to furnish papers to them. The Controller
claimed the right to exercise his discretion
as to what papers he should furnish. They
applied first monthly balance sheet as made up
by the Controller the Stock Clerk, then the Dep
uty and finally the Controller and received refusas
from all. day aterward they applied for the
monthly ledger balances of the different bureaus with