New-York tribune., 1882-04-23
A MAYOR UNDER ARREST.

LONG ISLAND CITY'S CONFUSED FINANCES
MAYOR DEBEvOIsE IN THE CUSTODY OF IHE
SHERIFF on A CHARGE OF EMBEZzLiNG OVER
100000 OF THE CrTY's MONEY.
Long Island City was greatly excited yesterday,
over the discovery of discrepancy in the Mayors
accounts of over 100000, and the fact that the
Mayor had been arrested and was placed in the
charge of the Sheriff in default of $4,000 bail.
The news OF the arrest quickly spread throughout
the city, and excited knots of men were seen eagerly
discussing the probability of the Mayors innocence
and his ability to procure the necessary bondsmen
The financial affairs of the city have been in
complicated state for months, and all the de-
partments of the governn cnt have been in disorder
The Law and Order Society. which was organized
about year ago. last fall began to look into the
municipal management only to find that the books
were improperly kept and tho accounts irregular,
and that large parts of the funds of the several de-
parmenis had either been stolen misappl:ed.
The Police and Water Boards were partly inyesti-
gated and found to be in great confusion. At
public meeting held in November, called by tho
citizens to discuss alleged irregular assessments and
other discrepancies, committee was ap
pointel which at subsequent meeting
reported that it had found the assess
ments irregular. but urged the payment of
taxes 10 keep the city from bankruptcy, and sug-
k'hicu lldl a lhOlOu4n investigation OF All llc uc-
parmcnts of the city government should be made
by n committee Of taxpayers. Acting on this sug-
geston the following committee was appointed
}. Lee Smith, T. II. Wolcott, Judge 4. c. MOnson,
DR.. J. D. Trask Joshua Lathrop, Sylvester Gray,
and J. ). Burroughs.
This committee not made up from any one
political party nor from any of the several factions
OF the local parties but is said TO contain lair
representation Of al the factions The property
owners of the city have carefully watched
the investigation. which has carried on by
an expert accountant, George Il. Tunbull,
who discovered discrepancy of oyer 50 300 in the
Water Board This deficiency was allowed to be
made no. About six weeks ago the accountant
began to investigate tho Mayors accounts. This
work he has not concluded yet but enough has
been done to ascertain that there has been large
cmbezzlcment. The Mayor was informed of the
experts discovery, and asked to explain 1t, but he
refused to do so. On n suit which has been insti-
gated against him by Attorney General Rus
sell to recover the amount of tine def
ciencJ, n warrant for his arrest was issued
by Judge Barrett, Of this city. 1t was served
by Sheriff Wright, of Long Island City, on
Friday night at o'clock He was not locked mp,
bat allowed to remain az his house in charge of
a deputy y-shcrlft.
Mayor Henry 5. DeBcyOsc has always lived in
BiissyIc. near Calvary Cemetery. having been
horn in the house which he now owns and occupies.
He il ;orty-hTce years Old, and has four five
children He has been Mayor for about seven years,
ard is The agent of james Thompson, large owner
Of city lots near the Court House. Ihe complaint
upon which the warrant of arrest was issued states
that tn Mayor has sold city bonds amounting to
- i.S SJ6 II. = follows.