New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-24
THE RING BROKEN UP.


THE RING BROKEN UP.
- THE FRAUDS WERE PERPETRATED-AIKEN
g CAUGHT ON THE EVE OF FLIGHT.
r r,. officials of the Department of Public Works
m saturday closed their investigation OF the FRAUDS
.o,uscted with the collection of Croton water
,snts complete series of tables mas been pre-
narsd showing the amounts collected and approprl-
tied In whole In part by the dishonest CLERKS the
amounts which have been PAID ana the amounts
ana The report will be handed to the Mayor some
time to-day, and 1t Will rest WIN MN wnolnei VI
not il is made public.
In Nav last Hubert o. Thompson, Commissioner
of Public Works, received information which led
him TO suspect that there certain irregularities
connected with the collection of water rents,
where meters were used. The record OF
,be amount of water consumed registered
nv meters is kept by the chief engineer
Of the Croton Aqueduct. The bills for the same are
made out there. No In that bureau is authorized
10 receive payments The cashier or his assistant
in the Bureau of the Water Register are the only
persons authorized to receive payments for Croton
water and receipt for the same. In order to break
up the nng If any existed aud get to the bottom Of
the irregularities, Commissioner Thompson trans
ferred SIX Of the clerks TO various other bureaus.
Some of those who were detailed to take tue places
into certain matters. The investigation was under
good headway and some suspicious things had been
discovered when Commissioner Thompson fell i'll
and for several weeks was unable to visit his office.
This delayed matters somewhat. When he was
sficienty recovered TO once more de-
vote himself to the details of his Office
the investigation was pushed vigorously. 1t was
discovered that some persons had paid consider
ably smaller Tor at least they were credltedOn
the books of the Water Register with having paid
less sunni than they should have done. Others.
when their bills were sent. declared that they had
paid an empoye OF the Department. 1t soon became
evident that persons outside the Department were
engaged in calling large consumers of Croton
aud offering to get their bills largely reduced. In
mauy instances the offer was accepted. Some of the
persons who thus attempted TO evade the first pay
ment of their water rents, when asked for an ex-
planation by the Department of Public Works
have declared that they supposed the person who
approached them with the Offer was an
officer of the Department and had authority
20 reduce the amount OF the claim. In
most cases. however, no explanation was
attempted The fraudulent collections ex-
tended over all kinds of business. Many shrewd
men thought II wssaeiug good stroke of business
to have their water rents reduced one-third or
half by dishonest official. The amounts thus
members of the nng.
HOW THE CITY WAS SwINDLED.
There was another way in which the city was de-
frauled ard the loss through this way is probably
the only one that the city will actually have to
bear. In many instances manufacturer receives
two bills covering considerable space of tme Or be
may have two manufactures, each having meter
separate bill is rendered for each When the check
for both amounts was received. payment would only
be credited for one place the books Of the Water
Bureau, and the difference appropriated The con-
sumer however, would receive receipt for the
entire amount paid. In of this kind the city
the loser. Where no receipts from the cashier or
his assistant can be shown, Commissioner Thomp-
son has decided that the full amount appearing OH
the books as due must be paid. The bills of the
Department expressly state that money must be
paid to any one outside of tbs Office of the Water
Bureau, and those persons who have done either
through ignorance or design must suffer the loss.
EXTENT OF THE FRAUDULENT COLLECTIONS
TITO report made to the Mayor will show that the
total amount of the wrongful collections was about
$4,000. Of this amount SO 900 has already been
collected by the proper officials from the persons
owing IL since the investigation began, and turned
In TO the Department. Of the remainder about
$4,000 has not been thoroughly Investigated the
persons owing it being out of town. Most of it.
hen on the property of tie debtors About So. 200
has been actually stolen by the means above desig-
| mated. This amount may possibly be swollen to
$1,000 or $4,000. This is all that the city lose.
: DAVID K. Aiken, because OF his position was one
Of the principal men engaged in the frauds ira
c. Bellows who resigned last spring, is also sus-
pectsd to have proGted by the wrongful collections.
There certain entries which, it is said show that
he must have been aware of what was going on. He
Is probably not so far away but that he can be
reached by the strong arm of the law. There are
several persons under surveillance aud it would
not be surprising If other arrests soon to fol-
low that of Aiken
HOW AIKEN WAS WATCHED.
Aiken will be arragned before Judge Cowing In
the Court of General Sessions this morning
On indictment charging him with forgery
IN altering book OF record When
itwas discovered that the frauds had been per-
petratcd in his Department, Commissioner of Pub
lie Works Thompson had several nversations
with District-Attorney McKeon in which the
officials agreed that it well TO keep Mr. Aiken
nnder surveillance perding the examination into
the books of the Department. Aiken had been en-
ployed since 1883 in the Department
of Public Works. and for q number
Of years had filled an important position in the
meter-room. Inspector Byrnes was informed of the
desire to have Aiken watched and he detailed De-
tectlye- -Sergeants Hickey, Langan and Golden 10
observe the movements Of the suspected clerk dur
Ing the day, and Detective Sheldon. of the Thirty
third Precinct, whose home was in the nei gnbOr-
hood, TO watch AIkeDs house, at One-huudred-
pnd-seventieth-st. and Franklin-ave. at night
The work of the detectives began ON September
IA. They were given instructions TO arrest Aiken
bhoud he show any intention OF running away. lie
continued, however. come and go about hIs bnsi-
boss. At night when he returned home he wouldp
nwaJs enter his house through a private entrance
"a fnlton-ave. On last Tuesday Commissioner
Thompson and the Disirlct-Attorney 3reed
That they had secured sufficient evidence to war
rant Aiken's indictment. bench warrant was
Placed in the hands of Inspector ByTnes Not beng
AntlraiY nrenared for the II hn the DE-