New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-28
tBr TELEGRAPH TO rnE tribune. |


what channels that 100000 flowed; the infcrcr
being Of course, that It reached other ohannel.'
than those through Mr. snaiths bank In word
the Assembly resolved 10 continue the lnvestigati'a
into the Assembly ceiling scandal begun by the exp 3
commission and the Committee on Appropriations,
with view ~ lcArpinC whether any Of the states
money hd teen stolen
This conclusion WAS not reached however una
after five hours of continuous debate dpon the ceiling
matter n preceded by effort by Controller
Wenlple p, Vueglo opt % ths position which he
held since the Committee on Appropriations ms n
It's rport Of negligence In the performance Of 10
duties IN that h. had ovcrpad Contractor sna n
70 the amount Of $4,000 Tho Controllers sta .
ment, like many other documents issued by pu5io
officers caught ncglccting their duties Is not
satisfactory ono tie does not deny that the ats
Treasury lacks $4,000 which t would possess lut
FOR his action. All that he say is that De- rad
hliDlly tho acquisitions Of Charles r. Andrews, tks
superintendent Of Public buildings who had charge ~
thc ceiling work, regardless ~ tho fact that n 80
rrqul,Itions mflfnecd upon the 20 per cent Il hs
contract price be reserved untl tho final cnL
The letter ~ Controller Wcmgc. which vas adirc -
10 the speaker read 10 the Assembly a. sool a.
that body met this morning After quOtng that rart
" tho report Of the Committee os ADpiyDrla ons
referring him self and character1ing a wholly IN
lusi and unwauanted IN law or fact the relcc ,us
therein contained the Controller continues
Chapter $50 Of tho laws Of Isss providing "r rrpa
ne Capitol and f'f the appointment ~ committee
psrv-a the sane and making Appropriation the o.
contained M limited authority conferred upon tho Col
troor In respect the work authorized thorehy. E
an authority for the execution % con
ana performing the contemplated 9, expressly
i5rc1 upon special .,.on composed of hy" t.sm.
bers oi the Assembly ncuing the SPEAKER AMI tn pe
utonient of Public Buildings The Contr1l'J v1s
granted authority except ,1 certify before the s.fG
.a ftt .r LA a.
furnished under thc ntract therefor within 80
omount Appropriated and. The work should b. SIM
menced o pay of ua tNlury from The approp Ton
the csSfed by the commission be due ~ u' en-.
tractorS The preliminary certificate signed O. 80
Controller sfter contract duly signed and 'op"f
ana sufficient bond gvrn. lie not party g. d. con-
had authority f. after 81, cS"cu'' 40
bound by law pay the amounts duly re-. pa %
and certified by commission. There was no p9" i't
f1 The Controller n credit bills under such act ha
amounts paid upon duly roceiDtd 'ai
ceruncd by he superintendent d'sFnated by 'af sub.
and pursuant following resolution duy dd'pe Ell
clrtihed by the commission;
EcCyd Tss, @ 20 sggrots ~ ' @ b E
the prosecution o. the entire work.
7, hs, been u- custom "a years % IncorPcr't
lefl sauve enartments for the obstruction q Jiils
buildings provisions Tor protection of the IN nf-t'
u te s,,ie bv rquirine rho Controller 70 approve %
ans and specifications and contracts tor work 20 b' h
In ts act these important provisions wore ori'" ana
VII power and responsibility were placed IN ih' h@ = .
aid commission Il rot trIe that neglg"n4l All
d, withhold 70 per cent q payable o. con-
tractor uudor the contract lp question, o. nai' ~
illegal or excessive payments to him lhe CONF ~
alone had absolute authority % carry on The WORK al 'r'
tfy moneys due and by 'hr.f contract 20 ram -
. cen. OF The contract price until the work sh u -
c,i.l.~toi The Controller Nas bound ~ resrf no
authority and acV u officials ~ 'hc state "te. 80
cutting a power specially couhrrd upon them y 'h7
icsi.Iauro / am responsible for my on'ia eofe'' .
tb, p.opie II the state and shall earnestly i's~ -
attempt 70 udct upon mc any share u th' r'' 1''.
.ty fr losses 90 the satc resulting from me o. '.'''
or lneoupetency Of said commission created Toy ST.
or for me d..gracetul scandal which unvi~ - IN
prudent legislation has made possible Wy s'p~H
r,uv EDWARD NyC,uLE C'nt'.'i.
THE CONTROLLERS LITTER RETURN ID
FN speaker Hustled pointed ouL a> soon & 'h'
letter had been read that the constitution a"' "rL'a
the Governor II the state o. soma '"H'Ih"" '.'"''
to the Legislature una,kcd. bu uo other Sia'' oi'er'
Mr. Wcmplc therefore. had no riEht to sen1 Pm i''''
,o the Assembly. AID General HustcI moNea Nat u
be returned to him.
The Democrats. Of course resisted this d. iosIlon
NJ the letter Mr shcchan lotB claimed "a alY
taxpayer could send petition 10 the L-l'ai''e '"l
stid that he regarded Nj Wcmpl"'s letter 10 h-Nt
Of a protest petition against being aNsAl'' 'r"n-iF
IN the Legislature. The Committee ON Approl ia'i''i
had mn right a. mabe such an attack upon t'ltroure
wcmplo.
MIR Hustled replied that tho controller clc' '-lF hai
no rght TO assan one ~ the standing comp tees =
the Assembly I'm a communication t. tho assembly,,
which that body had not requested him - send
Moreover. Mr. Wemple was A" too previous a' Tie.
report OF the Committee on ApIropria'IJhr H'N '''
Set been adopted.
Mr. Sbecban said that Mr. wemplcs arGuuc ~ ",rs
unansverable. IIoie Mr.. Aln>Worth. the chairman
Of the Committee on APPROPRIATIONS 's'"''''
into the discussion saving al ~ s'aft
that newspapers all over the S'ae hai a" rs. rs
committee of preparing whlt'"a>hlh- ! Iw' ~
tbc ceiling scandal Vet here Mr.. shce'sn lynx
to vbifewash Controller Wempr Morov''. it wa'
we'll known that Mr. She han himself DE- Il TO %
vli,ewashcd as a member Of the telin- nHU'''
Tho fact is7 cWutnued Mr Ainsworih' ..i' th'''
isnt a man who has touched ti, ceiling '' ""'' O't
ma, bmndcred. ranging from th' Nt"iN' -'eh.iN
down ~ state Controller and th' 1oLuf m"Iii''.
The motion thai Controller Wcmple's = . e.ta'1i'
cttcr should be- returned 10 him was th' al"lie'
h, a vote II 80 s6. th' Republicans N"'' y b" 'us
affirmative and the Democrats I'm the mega W
WITHDRAWING AMENDMENTS TO THE aEronT
Mr. Alusworth then Informed the Ass'.ably hat
the Committee Appropriations had heh m'','"s
this morning, and that some of 10, m'm'',N "''i,u
10 offer certain amendment, tu the Mp : OH 'u'
ceiling scandal which they submitted to '' NrS'o's
ON Monday night. Judge Grccn' anoih'' i'"'' -
the committee read these proposed amer
a, ono, became ndicrnlsly evident that pressure had
been nut upon the Committee oi AppiolIl'''oH' !"
compel t 10 soften rs report. lhu', Juuee 'I''H'
a Democratic m,nbor proposed To apply hoS'hnah
Of wbl,cwash 10 controller Wcmpl", another Democrat
nv expupqtpr from the report the statement ihai
wcmple wa, negligent IN his duties IN overpaying
the contractor by $4,000. Mr. Greene also suss','ed
hat statement 30 put in tho report tat Mr.. sh'en"h
wa, not present at the irst meeting oi the ''li"s
CommIttcr Mr.. Martin. another Democratic HeH-
bcr NJ the Committee Appropriations had mo
manliness however, to say that he did not propose
IN acouit either Mr. Shcchau Controller Nchple.
Every member OF the Ceiling Committee was gW'S %
gross negligence. only one of them Ge'iared tn'' no
had rad the specifications of the contract MOI ono
Of them visited Albany while the work Of putting up mo
new ceiling In progress, to learn II 'h' t
49, .,0u,n, bis contract Mr. sheehan pleading
,ho h,hy act when all he could say was that he had