The New York herald., 1879-07-31
Six Thousand Dollars Short in the Police
Equipment Fund.
MIR. SHEARMAN'S REPORT
What Commissioner Wheeler Has to
Say About It.

Police Department. by order OF Mayor Cooper. Ihe
fact kept profoundly secret and. beyond small
circle of His uonor's friends. few knew any
thing Of the matter Early yesterday AFTER
noon began to be circulated TO
the effect that discrepancy had oeeh
discovered in the accounts of the Board
of which Commissioner Wheeler is treasurer Inc
rumor spread like wdirc, and as the politicians got
hold Of it they magnifed the amount Ut the ai!cged
deficiency until it was beyond their compre-
hensior 1t was said that Mr.. shearman had discov-
cred that deficiency existed in WHAT Is
known as the Equipment Account" This, it
was alleged, from failure to account Tor the
profits upon cloth. gloves. buttons &C.. which arc
furnished to the men by the department The diff
ference further explained by statement to the
effect that the amounts paid to contractors for the
cloth and other articles did not tally with tho
sum that had been received and accounted
for by the treasurer. Nobody presumed
to give the precise figures. but 1t was
generally understood that $4,000 would cover any
thing that it alleged had been taken. good
deal of color given to the many rumors by the
fact that Mr.. Shearman yesterday handed IN report
on the subject to the Mayor. His Honor refused to
be interview ed and would not give out copy Of it
to the press until. he said he had opportunity
OF receiving Mr.. Wheeler's explanation.
CHARGES.
Ono Of the discoveries which it is said was made
by Mr.. Shearman. relates to the dealings with patrol
men on the part of Commissioner Wheeler. Rule 70
of tho Police Department contains the following
vision:-
called "the department. of clothing aud equpment suit
under the direction of the upon his writ
ton order only shall the members OF the toreG
by the rules regulating tho same no shall report TO the
neat on Of hs Of his aud
weekly to .hs Chief G CLERK the sss Sds of all en
articles from his during the preceding
sns as Also snp any Of rules affecting
departmsnt by members Of t force or Sy M
partment for uniforms.
1t will be perceived that the Chief Clerk of the
Board is the person vested with authority to order
the giving out Of articles OF clothing from the Sup
ply Room. 1t IL claimed that Commissioner Wheeler
sometimes gavo the orders himself however, and
that he took money from policemen to be paid back
to the department tailor who made up the goods
He was in the habit it is said. of giving his check to
the tailors. and they. tho story goes, COM
PEELED to s'dun" him constantly for the money
A HERALD reporter yesterday interviewed all the
.oicial police tailors. with the following resuts-
WHAT THE TAILons SAY.
Mr. Henry Levy found in his store, which Is
but q stones throw from Police Headquarters.
.'You make some OF the police unirormsY' began
the reporter by way OF 1ntrOuuctlOn.
"Oh, yes" was the reply, 1--WE make all Of them. "
"But there are four other tailors, are there noty
.'Oh well. they never mako suit They all come
"Well thcn will You tell me how you do when
patroman comes to you to have suit made up?
"Wo find out whether he has tho regulation cloth,
shield and buttons first.
"Do you require order from anybody from
ommissioner tor instanccr
mo. SLOWLY that Is, l nave never required an
HAS an order ever been presented to you signed
by Commissioner Wheeler, or any other member OF
the Board?
II don't recolect any case Of that kind. We al
ways make the policemen pay for their clothes when
they get them. and somstimes give them little
time to settle up.
you never received any money checks from
Mr.. Wheeler in part payment OF any claim against
him?
..Never, so far as know. have never had any
such relations with the gentleman at ALL was not
q creditor OF his i'll any way whatsoever"
Mr.. Schlessnger is another police tailor, and has
his store in Houston street. After tho assurance
given by MIR. Levy that he made all the police uni
forms. the reporter rather in doubt as to the
necessity of going any further. But, meeting Mr.
schessinger. he asked him the same question that
he had put to Mr.. Levy. Tho gentleman replied
with great WARMTH
"wRy, bless my soul. of course make uniforms.
They ail come to me. do all tho"
''i,ut." interrupted the reporter. "Mr. Levy
has"
.o see. he has been telling you that he made all
Tho reporter acknowledged that he had.
Mr.. schlessingers was silent. bait only for
moment lie pOintou proudly I'D " line OF Dlue cObtS
and trowsers, with brass buttons on tho former and
said, with u chuckle:--
Ihat looks as if he made all the clothes. don't it,
You mustn't mind what Levy says. 1 make all tho
uniforms. and don't you forget it,.
Then Mr.. Schlessinger answered the questions of
thereportcr in reference to his relations with Mr..
Wheeler. He made the same statement AS Mr.. Levy
substantially and said that In his long experience e
had never known OF a case where Police Comms-
sioncr had been Interested III the equipment account
in fact had anything whatever to do with tho
question of uniforms clothing In the remotest de-
gree.
GORDON CO. ON THE SITUATION
This firm, also. IL would appear from the state
ments OF its members polizes the entire police
custom. The gentlemen preserved dignihed
silence when informed of the claims made by the
other taors. aud said that ut least twothrds OF all
the came to them to have their goods made up.
He made the same general statement the others.
Ex-AlderInan william Benefits representative in
his tailoring establishment also claimed the monop
oily OF police suit making did also tho representa-
tive OF Mr. Jacob Bennett his brother. Both gen.
t.omen denied any knowledge of Mr. Wheeers
alleged course in giving orders tor suits of clothes
such things had never come under thoir notice and
they believed them to be utterly unfoundcd.
Of course good deal OF discussion took place
among politicians last might when the general ma
ture Of the charges made known. Everybody
talked Of it, and the general opinion seemed
to be that they could be easily explained
proper time came. 1t regarded
another dodge of his opponents 70 oust him from
his position. In connection with the many rumors,
the old story of Mr.. whcecrs trip TO Washington
some months since was discussed. II was said at
tho time that lie left New York for tho
purpose OF being away while his colleagues
tried before the Mayor. but many per-
sons believed that he had another motive.
These persons said that he $4,000 short in his
accounts and that he could not make good tho
amount until his friends came TO the After
all tho discussion nobody willing to father any
direct accusations against the Commissioner, and.
fact general air OF mystery was kept up by every
one connected with the matter.
Mr.. Isaac l.. Moew. who is Mr.. wheoler's clerk,
WAS seen last evening by HERALD reporter. He de-
nicd in the most emphatic manner that there was
anything wrong 20 tar rs ho knew. He did not
have entire control of every ythng but in his opinion
all would come ont right.
COMMISSIONER wHERIER's EXPLANATION
Commissioners Wheeler was found last nignt at tho
Everett House. with his friend Mr.. John 1. Davcn-
port. ana other political magnates. He said that
Saturday last Commissioner Sherman informed him
that there irrcgularity of between 5000 and
$1,000 III his accounts as treasurer OF the Police
Board In the particular matter OF the uni
forms or clothing bills. lilo at once set