New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-25

/
he ,a dedication and disappearance OF Excise Comln'-
sioncr owen Murphy produced renewed excitement ana
| dsrord yesterday. At an early hour lf'&e crown Z"
quorlealcIa assembled ~ Mulberry and houst"I-'S''
and clainorcd vain for admission tn the Once many
| hold receipts and were greatly alarmed lest
! they should lose tho money they had PAID Tor
| Them A few hcl d checks signed by Commissioner
Murphy I'm return for receipts which they had lrft IN
charge OF clerks Of the Board Soon after A. No. Excise
Commissioners Morton and Patterson came 10 the once
and assured The nQuordealers that the receipts anh
checks were good for the amounts named on them AFTER
to,dr abort secret session N the Office, the TWO
decided TO continue the regular business %
| the Office. Once or twice during tie day rumOr
/ from the Cy Hail. that Commissioner Murphy had re-
turned was circulated among the clerks, bnt II was
| speedily disprov,d. About II o'clock Commissioners
Morton and Patterson went to tie German Exchange
! B,pk and held consultation with the cashier. When
asked what WAS the object ~ their visit MI Patterson
! said that il private matter.
President Morton talked freely Yesterday in reference
70 Nj Mnrphys flight 81 believe that he Is somewhere
concealed in this city," he said Il had suspicion on
Saturday night that ne had gone away with money. On
Friday he left the once sick there no doubt al that
lime that he was a sick man lie said that he would not
con,. inck: but unpxueotelY IN the evening he walked
| in and we held a meeting Whom he said that D" was
SICK on saturday there nothing surprising ~ IT, lie
III rrpufed ~ b. worth several hundred thousand dollars
aud we have taken measures 10 certain what property
be NOV owns and in what condition il H." The Comui
sioners sent communications 10 the German Exchange
| Bank the Pacific Bank. ana the Bowery National Bank
warning them not 10 honor checks signed by MI MuI
! ply.
| Many politicians called at the Commssioners' ONCE
during the day IT, sk Information aud ave advice ih'
posilioa Of the remaining Commissioners vas discussed
with much interest Commissioner Patterson expre7''i
his fears that the loss resulting from Mr. Murphy
defica.ion would have to be borne by the TWO com
mi-souers 10 remain. Seycra uf me pohtl'iah' '''N
/ th. same view. They argued that the Excise
! Couirliss'o ners were the cusiOhans OF puolc
auls which had been entrusted by them 10 yr Murphy
No bonds had occu required Of him. In tie present at
tude OF inc public toward the Excise Board the hEht ~
one OF the mr,ubers would east dscredt on TIE others
and grand jurr might iudic the remaining Commission
ers for malleasance in office. 1t was further matter
II inquiry whether The moneys still remaining at tH'
banks 70 the credit or owen Murphy. Trasurcr-allo o.
fr Nuruhy's accounts had been opened IN that way
coun be used by TIE Commissioners to repay TINS money
on the receipts held by hquordealers 1t was ndrso'
| that rarv ,irar-ieaisss who paid IN mo""
| to the Board took out receipts ana ateG"'ri
! found that they could not comply with the
law and obtain hotel licenses agreed with
| Nr Murphy TO allow tin n money 10 remain with ih"
| Board unit. the legislature had pissed lHw undr'
which thcy could Obtain motel cru-fs. II al tlrse deal
| ers siould nov dmand th.lr houel; l"e r'i'.,,-
! inc Commissioners might not be an" 10 m'ct
| tine ran the funds sill! remaining. Another MT
ter OF discu sion vas whether tle cAaflane nl,ll-
! tuti,n-. 20 which Excise managers are usual!
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for these amoini' lhcre vas aI'' some h,Ss'ol
among the politicians as To the Successor oi hr MURPHY
Nv John Kciy the first vacancy in The Excise Board
Commissioners 'rton and Patterson sent conmunlc'
! zion 10 Navcr Ev. norming lin that Mr. Murphy hat
nro W., u. CON n tl f. I'M me ya,ancT Ifrr m
M t'l' - ,,rrt,i' %, d1-r tov,, IN ON,
| suit with CORPORATION Counsel whitney.
THE CORPORATION CoCNsELs OPINION
Mr. whitney rendered opinion yesterday in regard
10 the Excise communication, in which. after referring
! Sir Murphy disappearance. he said:
Witnout referring ia detail the circumstances under
! which that disappearance has taken pace, IN m,
| of the Office of Commissioner of Excise. IL l.
well recognized IN The law that q vacancy may
! occur by TIE abandonment of the Office.
Az instauce has occurred IN le administration u our
city Affairs in which the abandonment OF an oin..
was implied from circumstances somewhat similar
Yields icn the city while holding The office Of
! CORPORATION Attorney. lie under Indictment
at the time. and h, whereabouts could not be Obtained
Il wa c,nstrurd Of abandonment Of IN office
The acts Of he person appointed in tie place "
Mr. Nurpby would doubtless he yali, even If Mr. Mnr
ton abandoning the office, 80 that no important publr
interests w"ud stem to be impgrled by your taking
action upon tn state OF iacts "a thc' seem 10 exist
With reference to tho inquiry. also suggested by you
whether the remaining members 81 the board can act
| IN The absence of M hlr"p IN ne mateIof i-,Gms
crnses. and the transact on o. such Other official duties
doyove ugon them che cnse would seem to be covered
pa Plo''7tHHh ~ C1'l,rr 40 !""t
provided that -" Any one or more Of tho Commissioned
80 aP.o'c t fH IN % Ic bo ~, a"9,irG mn ne
vision was intended 10 cover ease Oi an incomplete
board 10y whatever cause vaca'cY has been stoned
and dos authorize the two rem lining members OF The
bolri to act while the vacancy EXISTS
Inquiry was made Of Mr.. Whitney yesterday, 10y a
TRIBUNE reporter In regard 90 possible Liability attach
ing to the city for the stolen funds. Mr Whitney
di~nclnrd speak the subject 'aying that he would
undoubt ,dy have 10 give OH ll opinion the sub
iect before long He remarked however. thet the Com
mis,ion,rs were not the agents OF the city
to receive money except FOR licenses granted. and
they had no authority TO receive money for licenses
which they we're unable TO grant. Mr.. Whitney knew
of the part al the city which could DE hcld
ratification 81 the Of the Excise Board. Ito dd no.
think however, that the Commissioners could be held
Conn is.iorcr Of Accounts Howe yesterday began IN
Investigation OF the books OF Tie Excise Board with two
accountants
NO TRACE OF THE DEFAULTER FOUND
No clue has vet been obtained by TIE police regarding
the hiding place Of Mr. Murphy. close watch still kept
in quarters which the dcfaung Commissioner has been
known frequent and his house.. at No. 10 secondve
Is watched by officers from the Seventeenth Precinct
The belief to prevail among the police thar Mr.
Murphy has not left the city, although various reports Of
his having been the HoDoken Ferry late
Saturday afternoon have been circulated At Mr. Mur-
phys residence. yesterday morning. stated that
ne was at home on sunday morning. when he went out
90 got shaved and did not return Peter Murphy,
stood guard N his broihcr'- door would only say That
MI Aurphys friends and relatives did not know where
! he
came his hquor store Friday evening and offered 0
get beer rensc him. restore the 500 which had
been paid Tor a recent Give M $50 for the beer
license" Mr. Murphy sud land viii get Won "A lcrrr,,
and send "a check Tor the $50 already paid" Mr.
| Cross assentod and paid HE money. lie waited
all dag Saturday Tor the promised check but 10 did not
come Late Sunday evening. Peter Murphy. the Com
miss0ners brother. called on Mr. Gross and him
check FOR 500. which he said had been given him on
| saturday evening. No entry had been made ~ tine
Excise office. either OF the check or OF the $50 which
D Mn. titu IaUA.a aEafaI