The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-03-23
ST.iIEN ISLANDS POORHOUsE
Alleged Irreguinri,ics In superiut eadent
Nnnghn'. Aceomnts Inye.tIrated.

Alleged Irregularities have been discov-
cred in the accounts ofJohn g. Vaughn. former
~ Superintendent Of the Poor of Southneld.
Staten Island. These accounts show that in one
year tlSG9 over $1,000 WAS expended for the re-
lief Of paupers In the town of Southncld. The
town has population OF less thnn 5000 For
the other four towns Of Richmond county. with
a population OF $4,000. only $4,000 was expcnd-
ed for paupcrs in the same period. These ac-
counts also show that among the persons taken
charge Of in this ycnr therc were 500 widows.
The account OF $1,000 was not allowed by tho
County Supervisors ut the time the expenses
therein were incurred. 1t was brought forward
from year to year. and charged against the
county Last week the present Board OF super
vsors determined to Investigate IL. To that
end "a committee was appointed
The committee visited the poorhouse and en-
dcavored to ascertain in what tho indebtedness
cons sted. According to the evidence Of u mem
hcr OF the committee, many suspicious bills
were encountered. In some instances the
amounts had been raised from tens to hundreds
hy prcilxing the figure |. Mnny Of these bore
the name of james Kelly of Southneld. grocer
One ~ them. amounting to tlSS. presented u
mass Of inexplcahlo figures. Few OF these bills
bore uron them any evidence that would serve
been given. or even the kind OF relief furnished.
Besides this, instead " being made out against
Commissonrrs ~ ihr Poor There are no Com
missicpers of the Poor in Richmond county.
MIR. Kelly was informed of tha Irregularities
IN the bills standing in his name. He vis ted
the committee. No hili had been presented 10y
him. he said tlat d.d not contain the name II
the person relieved and the dcs 'ription oi the
relief granted. II such bills existed he Said
emphalicay, they were fraudulent. Mr. K-ny
wns subpunaed Yesterday. and brought before
the meeting OF the Supervisors in Staplrton,
that he might. give his testimony against Su-
perlnt"n lent Vaughn. Then. however. when
put under nnth. he acknowledged the
ing and the signature TO be genuine.
II WAS so large that he hnd been unabl. to nut
in the names and items. Then hili still larger
for 81 .iO3-wa- shown. upon which he had
written the necessary data. When ash ed to ex-
plain b. gave ny utterly and said that he could
not His attention WAS called to the fact that
the affidavit to the bill WAS in the han1
writing Of Superintendent VAUGHN. In
this AFFIDAVIT the fact was omitted that
II WIS further shown that Suprrlnton lent
Nnughus report gave Kelly credit for furn sh-
ing provisions ~ 'hc yalu" Of only sl.7i6.7j
Instead of Nh = being the cnSr. thres of Kelly
bills alone amounted Ia s2i23 2i. AlthOulsh
having lived in the town OF Soutnnrld for nitrpn
years, Kelly could not name one out OF twenty
oi.thc persons who had been relieved.
The committee uS'"rtaincd from thu bills Tint
ia some cusus II had cost the county nearly $500
e. take u lunHtir To- the asylum. and they were
informed that. instead uf sending them with a
krrh.r. several ~ tho superntcndents had
hired carriages and had HE'nrrHl JulliflcltiOn
Mr.. Vaughn puts in general den nl Of the
charges nude. Many OF the persons who sup.
p.ud provisions. he says. had made nO record
OF tho ~tlles