New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-11
HILLS $4,000 GRAB.
.1KG1srATrvE INQUIRY PRoBABIE'

A.,xo PUBLIC MONEY WITHOUT WARRANT OF Ia"
= 70 PURCHASE BILLIARD lAHLs AM
prANo-poNE WITHOUT THE hN""hAp""
or MS COLLEAGUES ON TnS BOARD
or PUBLIC BUILDINGS
-. -. ,-o,,, An CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.
law Feb 1O-Governor WINS action IN
s;v.r,;r O 81 : 900 from the $500 appropriated
= a.. maiutenapce Of the State buildings IN
tIh.nv 70 the purchase of furniture for the Exec
r,,ve Mansion was the subject Of general criticism
.mo,g the members Of the Legislature to-day.
Among the Republican Senators and Assemblymen
4bere was no question that the Governor had ex-
peeaed his authority as trustee OF the publo
buildings in acting as he had done. Palpably 1t
was not maintenance Of the Executive Mansion
20 order these articles for 1t:
For . grand plane. $500
For a music clock, 5000.
For electrical apparatus, 50 400
Fer n msquette carpet $500
For billiard table, SOU
The extra items, of which these are only small
portion, amount. as stated. TO between plo'ooV
and $4,000 There were three trustees OF the
public buildings last year when 'nis
expendlture was authorized, namely,
Covernor Hi, Lieutenant Governor Jones and
Speaker Hustled. Bat Lieutenant-Oovernor 'ohe'
said this morning: 49, poard nj
f INTO that Bn'i'i"S Once over two years
ago there has been no meerne Oh una. ooa,u, 80 of
has ever been called that ! am aware OF.
This expenditure of $1,000 for furnl-
iuTe Executive Manson ab,y WAS asv b noi
authorized by roe. was no, aware that any naN
Sneaker Hustled made a similar statement No
meeting of the Board of Pubic Build ngs Washed;
he said. 'dnring the two years ending in December
that was Speaker of the Assembly. was not even
privately informed of this purchase OF clock.
billiard table, and other articles lor 'ne EAeou'e
Mansion
1ur GOVERNOR SOLELY RESPONSIBLE.
II is therefore clear that Governor Hill is solely
responsible for this grab at FUNDS which the Legs-
lsture intended to be used simply Tot
the maintenance Of the State buildings and not for
the purchase Of furniture for the Executive man
sion The legislature OF 1887 had given the Gov
ernor S37. 900 purchase furniture. CLOCKS, OIL
hard tables ana saTPe5 this s Of
he had no right. the opinion or mos y OF OF
the members the Leglslatur' to take St. 49,;
from another fund and expend that money s"slr
tiOualIy for furniture He could have varied TOT
the Legislature 10 meet aud then there conld oe no
doubt that it would have cheerfuly voted MN
$500 for a grand piano and $500 or billiard table
If he desired them 1t may De sara ara ' fhs
the members of the Leg sI''Hi f 70 e stricf
accountability for tins 1dIture of money with
ont authority of law because Of his harsh critl-
cisms of bills that they have introduced approprl-
atIng money for various are purposes. - 49,.
The Democratic state officials, aware or tne
damaging effect potca ~ OF these Ss reVeIA''f fbs
pubic money. ale attempting 10 hush mp the mat
ter. They refuse 10 give any Informa ION 10 news
paper correspondents concerning the Governor ex-
pendifn-es. Controller Wempe this morning. after
much shutting, SAID to JHr TRIBUNE correspond
ent 49,. 49,. - -
ii nm willing 10 give this information about the
Executive Mansion bills to the Legislature nut
Won will have To get the items from MI: AnureWs
The SuperInt eDdent of Public Buildings
10 MI Andrews, therefore the correspondent
went and made the same request MI Andrews
Il shall not show them to you or to
any newspaper man. ! will include these
items OF what / have spent for the tAecutNe
Mansion in my annual report TO the LeGlIiaUure'
which will be made in a few weeks. muSII
decline to make them public until then, and l
positively refuse TO do So"
TO MOVE An INVESTIGATION.
Mr. Ainsworth the chairman of the Assembly
Committee on Appropriations, said to-day
understand that Superintendent Andrews refused
10 pay certain bills incurred for the Executive
Mansion The total amounts that he has PAID
are between 81 5000 and 81 1000. ms the
Governor has extracted from the maintenance ac-
count of the public buildings. nave oeel
waiting until Andrews should make his report
and then l intended moving an INVESTIGATION oy
the Legislature Of these expenditures 10y me Oov-
ernor Clearly money has been expended tor the
Executive Mansion which cannot properly ne re.
garded as expended Tor It's maintenance ou
rather for It's furnishing; -, r.,,
Senator Sloan, the chairman Of the Finance
Committee OF the Senate, said: have exam
ined the laws bearing upon the subject ana can
no: find any authority for the Governor vlrtuaiN
Transferring this a. 900 or 81 GOO from the main
tenance account TO that for the expenditure o
money upon the Executive Mansion p.oo,,,,,,
Controller Chapin, Mayor OF Brooklyn
had Governor Hill's bills submitted to him ahl
he approved them. There is much criticism o.
Controller Chaplin in consequence. Indeed II,
and Governor Hill will he made the subjects OF
the investigation by the Legislature, which Will
probablV be ordered.