New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-05
THE WATER RENT FRAUDS.
INVESTIGATION BY THE GRAND JURY.


WHAT Is SAID ABOUT FOREMAN wooLsEY's ALICE
TONS
The Grand Jury yesterday began an investigation
into the affairs of the Wafer Registers bureau
which js designed TO supplement that made by the
September Grand Jury. Assistant Dlstrict-A attorney
Vincent represented the Dstrct-Attorney's office.
Three or four witnesses whose names MIR. vincent
did not give were examined. They were sald notto
be officials, but citizens who had knowledge OF the
alleged wrongful payments and we're some OF those
examined bv the last Grand Jury. The testimony
was taken down in short-hand ana VIII De maui
public Mr. Vincent said, when the investigation Is
concluded
odore b. W0olsey. of No 20 Frnnt-sr., was seen at
his office by a TRIBUNE reporter. He SAID his only
regret that the subject was not brought 10 tne
on OF td lie Sand SGy To attend to- thy
prison cases first and when did take up the IN
designations would give an hour 20 prison cases
and an hour to the water frauds. la al there were
about fifteen witnesses examined. IL we ha9
had more time / am confident that there WouId
have been result worth pubhcatl0n. SOME
OF the witnesses had cOnspTed with the clerks OF the
Department of Public Works to deiTaud the city,
but # course to obtain the information witness
had to be assured that he would not be prosecuted
The plau was this Suppose your water bill was
S.. O0O and clerk came TO you and SAID mat ne
was authorized to make reducton-authotlI1tu ny
the city authorities, the payment OF small sum
for political assessments. You see your nelghOOIs
having their bills reduced in similar manner, and
Why should you pay b the tui dora amOS sncb
@ test. Of course the clerk never told the
witness that he was going to alter the figures IN
the books, and some may not have Known thaV
there was any fraud beng perpetrated. l nave no
means of knowing how extensive the 1Tauds were
Aayor Edison said that the investigations CONCERN
ING the frauds IN the Department of Public Works
were being carried on as rapidly as possible, ana
ADDED that there mad been nothing new 9lsIG3VeIeu'
When asked If he had read the letter in Wednes-
laws TRIBUNE from Mr. WoOlsey, the Mayor SAID
that he had and was surprised that Ill view OF the
facts there presented no Iurther indictments were
Against whomH" asked the reporter.
THE persons said to have been conspirng to de-
fraud the city," ,
do you mean the clerks in the Water Registers
object" 49,,
"Mr Wools9y says that the witnesses were pledged
that they should not be prosecuted"
"Who gave them that assurancep
" He saws that toe Grand Jury was authorized to
do so, else they would not have gwen any nforma-
ton" ., ,u.1n,n..ha.i,hoc Grand
Jury had 80 much information should have IN
dicted the guilty persons whether employees OF
The system of bookkeeping in the Department of
Public Works having been called In question, the
reporter visited be Controllers Office and found
Mr.. Grant busy signing large pile OF warrants lie
saI0 that BIS business pressing hat he obliged
10 carry much of If home at night, often working
as late as midnight THIS press OF business, be
explained, had taken so much OF his TINE that he
had not investigated the systems OF bookkeeping
used IN the various departments, as ne was author
Are you satisfied with the system used in your
own Office 7" was asked.
a" Not wholly, and rs soon as possible snail make
a few changes, not very important ones but one or
two books should he added. 1t these books had
been IN use last year think the coupon frauds
could nos have occurred"
Commission r Thompson furnished to the news
papers letter-pTess of statement IN regard TO
the charges of Mr. WColsey. He says that silence
on his part is enjOned by the DIstnct-AtOrney, and
adds:
It has not been the custom OF anybody connected
with the Department TO collect money for political pur
poses citizens in cOns Iteration OF favOrs TO be or
that have been dOIe and in where such action
charge empoye who had Oeen guilty OF sucn grossly
Improper conduct / regret tuat the Grand jury Tor
September did not time thoroughly investigate
this whole ma ter and to give opportunity Of
bringing ell the evidence IN my possession In regard 10
these irregularities before tnem but the present Grand
Jury have day commenced an investigation to com
pete the WORK arted BY their predecessors and no
effort will be spared to give them all the lniorma-
tion In my power AT proper time when the District
Attorney relieves my present EN- orced silence,
1t Will pleasure for me 20 give the FULLEST ana most
minute particulars 10 the press and the public.
Water Register Chambers said that he could not
say ANYTHING about the conspiracy In his Office, as
Mr. Thompson had directed him TO keep silent con-
cernlng The alleged frauds