, 1877-11-11


The meeting of the South Park Commits
s:oners on Friday afternoon was the occasion
| for vigorous display of foul linen. Con-
| missioner MORGAN and Commissioner Subway
| were the principal operators, though the
other Commissioners all contributed to tho
| general exhibition. As in all family quarrels,
the bclligerents were yindictiyo, and lndec-
orous language wasfree}y exchanged. Sitting
the discussion of all its personalities, we lind
that the charges made, and perhaps estab-
ishea, were substantially as follows:
1. That CuAuScEY Bowen is defaultcr,
the dcfalcation parta1zing Of the character OF
| m e1nbczzlement, md that long before this
| WIS made public it was known to one Of the
Commissioners, who kept the matter secret
from the other Commissioners This charge,
whatever it amounts to-seems to be ad-
mitted, Mr.. Subway justiiying his conduct
on grounds Of public advantage. 1t now
turns out that Bowen took a number Of pnrk
bonds with HIM to Now York that, having
private dealings with New York bank, aud
being indebted to the bank, Bowen hypo he
Gated the bonds for certnin sum Of money,
aud had tie money credited to Lis indebted
ness to the bank. The bank now clnlnas to
have bought these bonds, and holds them Us
an Investment. as BowEN's disposition OF
them was wholly Illegal and without author
ity, the Board of Commissioners reps1liate
their transfer and refuse to pay the interest
on them.
2. 1t is further chnrged that a portion Of
the Commissioners hive undertaken to con-
struct streets aud borllevar1s outside Of the
park system, md against the legal opinions
Of the attorneys Of the Board. Subway
opposed NIL this business, and attributes
the controversy to his rer,1sal to consent 10
this diversion Of the park funds.
3. i third accusation is that SIDwA1, as
Auditor, allowed certain bills and paid them
without the previous consent Of the Board,
aud that he audited the claims of a certain
person, and had the money credited on u
note due by that person to S1pwAT's bank,
and that S1pwAY, rs Auditor, IVES too costly
and expensive, aud WIS therefore bounced.
we shall not undertake to render Judgment
on these or auy Of the minor allegations.
The majority of the Board evidently feel
cool towards AR: Subway, and it looks rs if
they we're trying to freeze him ont. There
is snd want of harmony in the Board, aud
few more exhibitions like that Of Friday
afternoon may suggest to the Governor
that a Board containing irreconcilable
factions is not calculated to pro-
mote the public interests. The prec-
edent set by the Governor in the case
Of the West Side Park Board met with such
universal popular approval that, when like
case shall occur, the Governor might feel
disposed to apply the like remedy. The
Park Commissioners are likely to do Tor
themselves what their enemies failed to do
when there WAS legislative Investigation.
While the Board are engaged in this busi-
ness Of Safeguarding each other, aud mak-
ing accusations Of official misconduct, Of
treachery, fraud, and jobbery, they should
make full disclosure. Let every member
tell all he knows about all the other men,
bers let each establish the misconduct Of
al Ills associates, and then, placing it all on
record, let there be q general resignation,
that new men, having no park record, may
be appointed.