The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-04-23
ARRE!,SsTTMnI1 THEE. Mayor Ma H1,.
TIE LONG ISLAND CITY TAxPAYERS
SUE HENRY S. DE BEy0ISE
Ms 4. Accused OF Converting Over 500. 900
Obtained from the Sale OF Bouds-Declin-
inn 40 N ake n Reply TO the Charges.

he 10 Accused OF Converting Over 100000
Obtn,ned from the Sale OF Bouds-Declin-
ing 20 Make Reply TO the Charges.
Under Sheriff william A. warnock OF
Duoens County arrested Henry s. De Bevoise.
tho Mayor oil Long Island City. at his home in
tho outskirts OF the city on Friday night Tho
news of the arrest was not generally circulated
until yesterday morning. but then and through
out the day 1t was the ono topic among all the
townsfolk. who were shocked as well as sur
prised by 1t.
The arrest was made upon an order granted
BY Judge Barrett OF the Supreme Court pro-
coed ng from the complaint OF Attorney-Hen-
oral Leslie W. Russell. the accusation being
that OF conversion of funds OF the city. Judge
Barrett fixed the amount OF bail required at
$50 0OO aud up 10 late hour last night this
had not boon obtained and the Mayor remained
In the Sherifs custody.
The true oomplainants on whose account the
Attorney General has acted are the special
committee appointed by the Citizens Associa-
ton OF Taxpayers Of Long Island City to inves-
tigate tho accounts Of the municipality. The
members OF this committee are ex-Judge A. Z.
Monson Chairman. and Messrs Daniel s.
Riker and J. Lee Smith. Tho late Willy Wal
ZACH. the stationer. was q member at the time
OF his death. These property holders were APP
pointed at a public meeting last December. and
tanned Mr.. Charles A. Benner OF So Lib
erty street, this city. as counsel and
set Mr.. George b. Turnbull OF Clinton
street Brooklyn. an expert accountant. at
the work of investigating the city's ac-
counts. He discovered a deficiency IN the
accounts OF the Water Board amounting TO 49,
$780, and the committee made the Aldermen ac-
Quainted with the discovery. The money WAS
paid back into the treasury without any expla-
A.. A. AL Iii. a.
Next the accountant claims to have discovered
. discrepancy amounting to over s1OS. 900 in the
bond accounts between the Mayor and the peo-
pie. and 1t is for the recovery OF this sum that
the committee is now suing by civil process.
under What Is known as 't the Tilden act By
which in tn. the case OF conversion OF public
Mesrs 8eeon Msi Nile G the lawyers s Of 55
the Mas in
day that In the course Of the examination the
committee wrote as follows to the Mayor
M eS Sas s an ,sps .
snsantsd TO $500 While the pumSef. snsrsI n the
@ II 1sss Of entry TT TIN
sa ysn i; 4. Ii sa
ss.ps at a u by sn Sr .ss
and what was made Of the proceeds
S ss q
lar: any iisSsi sond. 9.S: u:Ssd ' pa'"'
prompt reply VIII greatly Obuss your. respectfully
/ Ii Rl s.asH'
The Mayor did not answer this. though he
March % the comm nit ef prodded him w. With
sn1 es March T an ayor s. ee
form the labor required. My health OF itself
mot to SHrk Ct al while it l. as
formation gained from ali sources. he charges
,,"An AZ was passed il 1879 and 1874" said
Mr; Miller; in reviewing the case under
lion OF the debt due By Long Island City upon
Mayor il is7s sent Message that 'i Il 'wouii
Teq4ire 500 900 to pay the eitys proportion;
Of the bonds, have been issued leaving $4,000
unaeS" ,nit t9r The Mayor never paid over
Under chapter 254 of the Laws of 1877"
PSTSR s5a d ssb
Under this act Mayor De BeyoIse issued i65, 900
IN bonds IN 9P to ls Then 9Roas
issssd bonds for 81 5oS Again Under an an act %f
ISL The entire 9fGSssds & hssa F ESad sGd
si s sSa ss sss .lessiS;!s leaving Sslanss
has Yet been oersa
Much Of this Information comes from an ex-
New YORK broker acting ior the MAYOR. Who he;
appears from the records 70 have bought the
eSees s GRs sy efsn to ht i
payment OF these bonds amounting to ST.
Mayor anS ID h y Of MAJOR hs S Ss R G
money from which has not been paid TO the
s t6s basp " he d
bonds amounting to s5DS. 900. but it is impossi-
BILE to say how many have been issued. Tho
number 9lS. tho highest number recorded. is
have found during our inyestigation.|,
Mayor wrote to the bank where he has his ac-
count not TO cash coupons on bonds beyond the
tons to have S tn them cashed The theory Of the
prosecution Is that the Mayor himself cashcd
s a and ina. f Si tssm f9r
him 70 write as he did.
70 talk about the projects OF the taxpayers now
That the Law has been invoked He said that
Long Island City has been misgoverncd many
years and that the people are determined to
end the misgoyernment. He would not say
whether the ,misgovernment took tho shape Of
for the Attorney General n: TO that. He said,
however, that the expense OF the thorough in
betrayed wholly by the taxpayers. and will not
'H %hs hs if l f2a was asked the same ques
ton he narrated many recent instances Of ir-
regular practices by certain Of the city officials.
ana audel tnht the finances are so loosely man
aged that II has required seven or eight acts OF
the Legislature every winter to straighten
things out"
Mayor Do Beyoiso was found In the tiny
structure on tho edge Of the town which CON
stitutes the once OF HIS business as a real
estate agent; LII the front room sat Deputy
sheriff Franklin Is. Sprague. in whose custody
he Is. The Mayor was in the back room. pen In
hand. At work wi tn many papers.
=, l don't want to be dscourteous," said he.
and appreciate your natural desire TO give
both sides OF the story. but yet will refrain
from saying anything. really have nothing
10 Say at present eScent that what Is charged
against me Is not true"
But about your bail. have you been unable
oh, that does not trouble mo at ALL" he
replied addihg after pause. In which no
seemed 70 be collecting his thoughts in fact
there Is not anything that troubles me at all :"
He looked like man suffering from nervous
prosIra'iOn. anu sP2Ho iiSH one whose mind