New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-02
THE VATER-METE FRAUDS.
A pREsENTMENT. BY THE GRAND JURY

THE DOCUMENT MIsLAID FOR TIME-cHANGks IN
THE SYSTEM SUGGESTED.
Theodore B. Woolsey, the foreman of the Septem.
Der Grand Jury, said yesterday IN coDyersatont haC
he was surprised that no public mention nad oeon
made of preseptment hanged III ny Ie and aSl
sessment frauds A TRIBUNE reporter VINO was ln-
formed of the remark made inquiry about the pre-
sentiment, and was told by the chief clerk OF the
District Attorneys Office and by the clerk OF Part
of the Court of General Sessions that no sucn docu
ment had been received. Later in the day Chiet
Clerk DOnnelly in looking over some lnuictments
that had been handed 10 the court on FRIDAY 1ound
the missing presentment. 1t is as follows:
In view of the scnsItiyeness existing in the public
mind by reason of disclosures affecting the man
agement of certain departments OF the Clty Govern
ment having charge of the public funds ana rom tes
mony taken before u.s. feel It to be our duty 10 call
attention to what in our Judgment seem TO DE radical
faults in the system now operative 10 tne several nu
reaus of the government whose auars "o Aa'o Deen
called upOn TO examine "
1t shown that the authority to receipt for the pay
mept of the Bureau of the Commissioner or Pupnc
works. and to atK the official stamp Of payment mas
been vested IN the official who receives the money
and upon the OF his record there Is no d
rect immediate check. .,,
which is an incentive TO careessness ana liaud-we
would respectfully suggest that me Phh,d s t
official whose duty II Is TO receive the money TOT the
same and be the separate and distinct duty OF an oncla
who shall receipt the bills only upon the certication OF
the clerk who shall have received the money tor the same
and make separate record OF each receipt thus given
as check upon the cash transactions OF the receiving
clerk comparison Of the record at the close OF each
days TRANSACTIONS Will anor ready detection .o any
clerical error and render extremely dcnlt any iraudu-
II annears further that books OF record posted in
loose and eareess manner without being submitted TO
the proper cross checks aud that while there nOm
nal system for making these pOstngs 1t Is entirely Inad
ennate and Insufficient in view OF the Importance of the
interests involved and leaves abundant room ior hao
Fron evidence before find that no method is en-
ployed the ordinary tests or me accuracy OF e
most important books OF record OF the city, ana that the
correctness records affecting some or me most lt
portant interests of the city. especially III the Bureau Oh
Assessments aud Arrears, l. dependent solely upon me
accuracy the clerk or clerks whose uuty IL may De W
| transfer the postings. . , -.
ting department clerks to carry bills for wafer rents 70
the ices and residences of parties VINO may be h1t Dieo
and recommend the INTRODUCTION
of some plan by which bills may be forwarded 1nier
official supervision and that memorS s vi 1nr
of the with date and method OF dclNer DC re-
tanned department for reference ana there De CON
spcuously displayed on each PHI an S NV M
against their pay meht eAcepI d. sIe o.Oo va t 49,
Register The notice 10 that effect ON existing forms
is not sulhcitnty prominent ~ "on sT,I w i r az
the most vital Importance ihat some hneullo
cal measures should be adopted by the proper author
ties 10 provide uniform and thorough ~ stem Tor re-
cordpa the transactions the several departments Of
the CITY Government, in such form and manner as TO
and dishonesty similar to those that have come TO our
knowledge and which lead TO grave apprehension that
upon more searching Investigation sun sic"'c4 "e'"
We further recommend the appointment Of board OF
experts to examine into the records OF an le Hhahca
departments of the city from July l, 1871, 10 uatc
Judge CowIng was present at the opening OF the
| Court of General Sessions yesterday to receive
| tine report of the Grand Jury who had continued IN
| session to consider whether any further acton
sLould be taken in relation to the Affairs OF the
| Water Registers Bureau of the Department OF
| Public Works Foreman Wool>ey reported that
| the Grand Jury had submitted 10 the Disiuct-At"
torney the question the suiclency OF the eve
| depce that had been collected IN relation To other
| persons than those already arrested IL had been
| decided that the investigation mad not proceeded
| far enough to warrant the finding OF any new lnr
! dictments. Judge COwng discharged the jury with
| the thanks of the court. The Octob'r Grand Jury
| with Francis ii. AmdOn, a retired merchant oil No.
| 10 West Fortv-fith~st, as foreman, was then
! delivering the charge TO the jury did not refer TO
| the charges against the management of the city
| departments.
| Hubert O. Thompson, Commissioner of Public
! Works was asked what he thought of the present
| ment of the Grand Jury. lie replied: ." do not
| think the Department has been at fault In TINS
| matter The men were sent with notices 10 parties
to paw their CrotOn water rents more promptly; had
| no authority TO receive anv money or receipt tho
| bills 1t was simply done TO hurry mp delinquent
| taxpayers The notices contain be announcement
that no person outside of this Office Is authorized
10 receive PAYMENTS The checks on the possibility
of fraud or col'uson by means OF separate set OF
| books were devised by me and put In practice when
| was Deputy Commissioner IN 1879. was not
| summoned before the Grand Jury bad | been
| would have explained the matter al length. On the
question of COLLISION among employee, that is some
| thing that cannot he prevented. But II can be de-
| tected and il was done IN this instance. | wish
| every detail of this conspiracy brought out and
| the guilty persons punished"