New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-12

unpaid for special improvements prepared under
the acs OF October TO- S3a snSuan sacn or
excessive. as required by the acts OF Congress OF
juno 10, 1878. aud June 81, 1879, by the owner OF
the property or the authorized agent
EVtk-They have revised assessments for improve.
mentS PREPARED under an act OF tho C0rp9ration o5
Washington, dated long prior to the Assembly act OF
August 10, 1871, referred to In the acts OF Cop
gress, comforting upon the District Commissioners
authority to revise assessments and issue draw-
backs. The drawback certificates issued under tiae
revision are excessive and Illegal.
1t Is understood that the frat four accusations
have been already substantially proved, and there
is reason to bsSe that the fifth charge is also true
While the District Commissioners themselves are
of course responsible for the violations OF law In re-
gard the failure to collect interest on tax-len
certificates and arc responsible for the issue OF IL
legal and excessive drawback certificates issued III
many cases, and which amount to many thousands
of dollars there Is thus far no evidence that either
one of the Commissioners has pro6ted by any of the
llegalities or frauds that have been practised.
There appears to be a regular drawback ring"
here, which has for year or more been engaged In
the business. This ring" Is believed to number
among its members several subordinates in the
office Of the District Commissioners. These subor-
dnates appear to have been allowed to do about as
they pleased, and to have taken ADVANTAGE of all
their opportunities Nobody can tell yet how ex-
tensive the frauds have been. but they probably in
volve several hundred thousand dollars. Frauds
appear to have been practlsed upon lndivla. ~.
ual property-ownerS, as well as upon tne
taxpayers of the District generally In some cases
the amount of draw back allowed has exceeded the
original assessment in other cases drawbacks nave
been issued on account of old material, when the
records of the office showed that the material Itself
had been turned over to the property-holder, and
his receipt therefore had been taken In still other
cases drawback certificates have been issued on
forged applications and powers Of attorney, and ~
the names of persons who had never complained OF
the assessments upon their property.
IL is quite probable that q number OF criminal
prosecutions will result from the investigation by
the District Committee. There have been @ good
many complaints about the administration OF the
District Commissioners within the last year or two,
especially in regard to the appointment Of eubordl'
mates. Representative HuntOn. of Virginia is char,
man of the House Committee on the District and
he hes been very influential in the matter OF sp-
pontments. 1t is asserted that mainly through bis
influence, faithful Republican subordinates have
been removed and the District offices have been
filled with ex-Confederates and Democratc parti-
sans without much regard to their fitness 1t is un
derstood that number of Democrats are watching
the present investigation with any thing put friendly
composnre and it does begin to look as though they
are not likely to make much political capital out OF
the management of District affairs.