The New York herald., 1877-12-24
How $4,000 of Excise Moneys Have
Been Tenderly Cared For.
A NICE CHECK MANIPULATION.
he Wall of the Liquor Dealer To Ee
Heard in the Land.
WHERE HAS THE BIRD FLOWN !?

rs 70 inc disposition made by the Board of Excise cf
inc moneys they had paid 70 the Board for the
privilege OF ''recepts" which proved no protection
10 nem when the poiicc TOOK 1t into their heads 10
enforce the Excise law Win bc ablo to-day 10 under
stand tho situation better than they have been
able 10 at uny timo since tho raid fever
oroko out, after they havo read the above
dospa'cn signed by ono Of the inspectors o, police,
and which was tcegraphed all the precincts las.
night Mr. Murphy endeavored OH the 7lh OF las.
month to explain to the pubic what had become Of
the moneys, and this is the statement he made TO
HERALD reporter VINO called upon him to get his ex
planation. Ho said -
"Any moneys received bv mo as license fees arc
usually deposited IN tho German Exchange Bank
where they remained Tor thirty days aiicr he license
IS granted, and then are handel to the City
Cnamocrialn. they hayo not drawn any interest,""
said me- oecause the bank cannot tho money which
IS simply placed in tho vaults Tor safe Keeping Tho
custom OF tho Board prior to last August was AS
above stated, but when the trouble began In that
month all the money tho bank and that recciy,d d.
whether tor licenses alreaiy granted or those ap.
ped Tor, | handed to tho City Cham.
berlain. This course was pursued until
latcly, when there was in tho hands OF
tho City Chamberlain $4,000, for licenses which
have not been granted up TO the present do not be
lcvc that more than $2o 600 worth of licenses can be
granted until next May under the law it stands
We notified the Comptroller not 10 pay any OF this
money to charitable institutions It may have 10 DO
returned TO the deposors II tho Legislature does
givc US proper excise law this winter Wo had
conference with Comptroller Kelly tho other day
TO ascertain whether The City Chamberlain can
hold this money ior aud refund ii to the de.
positors when callcd or not. Our reuson
for asking this Is found in dcsirc to place
the money wherc everybody can understand
how 1t Is being used, and because the German Ex.
change Bank does not want to hold IL nor do l. AL
present have about $4,000 in tho bank for saic
keeping. 1t Is not craving interest, because the bank
cannot use It, as tho dcposi,ors may want their fees
back at any moment, other because they hayc
Withdrawn their applications or the same have been
rejected"
THE AyXouyc EMExr.
Commissioners Patterson and Morton hurrlcdly
called upon Inspector Thorn at Police Hoad-
quarters ut about ten O'Clock last evening
and informed him that owen Murphy had
absconded with a largo amount OF funds. Hc LEFT
thcm at tho Office Saturday morning, saying thas
no sick and would 30 home. Thcy
learned OH tho following morning that no
had drawn a check upon the German Exchange
Bank in the Bowery TOR $50 600 and presented II there
for payment AS there bills to give him, Il
Oelng tOo last OAy OI Tue week, Mr. Murphy got tho
check certified and went to the Pacific Bank Broad
way, whero he opened account and
drew s100 000 Tho Commissioners informed lnspocto,
Thorn that they believed Murphy had taken other
moneys, which they thought would Increase tho
amount Of his deialcation to about $4,000; but It is
believed that II Will reach a much larger
sum ~hen all tho facts are known. After
listening 70 this narrative tho Inspector sent
out the general alarm mentioned abovo
to all the Stations and the iorce of tho de-
tectiye Office duty at the Central onlce were sen.
search for tho fugitive, but up to the hour OF
going to press clew obtained.
A HERALD reporter called ut Mr.. Murphy's resi-
dencc, No. 70 Second avonue, but failed TO- obtain
an interview with any OF the family. Tho windows
were oil dark ami sign OF lie visible about tho
house. Tho sound OF the street door bell echoed and
echoed through the halls and CORRIDORS but re-
spouse was made to It's call
the DISCOVERY WAS MADE.
From a statement obtained IRON Commissioner
Patterson 1t appears that Saturday was busy
day Tor tho Excise Commissioners aud thor
colleague when leaving u plea OF ilness
was requested TO return. II possible,
later In the afternoon but they waited IN vain for his
return. They therefore transacted tho business
without him. Yesterday morning they had
more business OF import 10 attend to, and
wcro carly in their Office expecting to nnd
Murphy IN attendance, but were disappointed.
They then repaired TO Mr. Murpny's residence, but
did not ind him and hts wifo replied to their queries
that he had bcon homo all night and had gone
to u barber's but = short time previous
to the Commissioners CALL lie proposed to
get shaved preparatory TO attending mass at
the Church OF the Nativity, OF which he was a trustee
The Comm missioners waited for some time, and then
followed the directions OF Mrs Murphy to tho barber
shop and to The church In Second avenue
Third street, but at neithor had he been that
morning. suspcions were reluctantly aroused IN tho
minds OF thc Com IN ssoners and they drove to tho
residence OF Mr Michael j. Adrian, President OF tho
German Exchange Bank, where the Board deposits
the excise funds. From him was CLEANED
sunl cicnt Information 10 convince them that
Murphy was a defaulter ard tho two Commissioners
devoted themselves untirngly for the remainder OF
the day TO asccrtanng the extent of the dcfalcaton
aud some possible Glow 10 lead TO capture Of the
missing treasurer.
SENSATION cRgArgD.
The two Commissioners were led to bell eve that the
other amounts obtained by Murphy lad como
from tho Bowsry Savings and other banks
where excise funds on deposit. They
had nade examination OF tho books.
and could only await Developments to-day.
In Of the fact that the Commissioner Of Accounts
Is to go into examination the excise accounts this
morning, In compliance with Ill Aldermanic resoiu-
tion, Murphy . departure seems omnous. suspicion
exists that the books OF the absent treasurer In
very bad way; that no has false to his trust
for long PERIOD and has dcfraudcd tho city OF very
large sum.
AT Commissioner Whoclcr's residence. tho Gilsey
House, was iound at midnight tnat g6ntlc-
man, IN company with Commissioners Nicn.
ola and Erhardt, ex.Mayor wickham, Col
loctor Arthur, Superintendent Wailing and othors,
who eagerly discussing tho extraordinary news.
They know nothing moro OF tho circumstances OF tho
dcfacation than are told above
WHAT THE ExcisE BoAgD's BAsxsR SAYS
HgRALp reporter called at tho residence OF Mr.
H. J. Adrian, tho President OF tho German Exchange
Bank last night, and, although tho gentleman had
retired he arose and courteousiy furnished whatever
information he WAS abie TO impart.
"You arc aware of Commissioner Murphy's fight
with a large amount o, excise reccptss" said tho