The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-02-01
County Collector Dugan
Will Pay Claims in
Spite of Him.
8RUGGEMANN THINKS HE CAN'T.
One Of the Claims That the Director
Refused to Sign is in Favor
of the County Collec-
tors Son.

W,
the counsel of the Board, with view to
learning whether the Director could re-
fuse or not to sign.
A STARTLING STORY.
was told yesterday by gentleman Of
the highest integrity, and who is in =
had sent word to John Boyd, the clerk,
to the effect that if he would send to him
the claims that had been properly audited
and signed by the committees and
Finance Committee, and had properly
been ordered paid by the necessary vote
panied by the resolutions ordering the
claims paid, he would sign the warrants
for the amounts due and pay the claims
without regard to the absence of the sig
nature Of the Director at-Large to the
warrants.
My informant also told me that Mr..
Dugan had in his possession an opinion
from Attorney General Stockton which
stated that this action would be legal.
Mr.. BOYD CONFIRMS 1T.
/ asked John Boyd, the clerk, IL Mr..
Dugan had told him he would pay the
bills if they were sent him in the con-
dition above described and he told ms
yes.
After that saw Freeholder Kimmerly,
who said he knew nothing about the
opinion of the Attorney General, but he
believed the collector could pay the
claims. for in his opinion and that Of Cor
poration Attorney Hudspeth the Director
had no further powers than to act simply
as presiding officer.
Collector Dugan was next asked If he
had said he would pay the claims without
the Directors signing the warrants.
II have nothing to say about the matter
to the press he replied.
"Well, is it true that you have an opin-
ion from Attorney. General STOCKTON or
other eminent legal authority on Abe sub
iect9c
asomebody has been swelling your
head" !" was the response.
Perhaps SO, Collector, but did you
notify John Boyd that you would pay Athe
claims, Notwithstanding the objectH pms
of the Director?n
Mr.. Dugan looked as stern as q go&4
natured old gentleman can look when*&& =.
said this, and replied Young man. ~
have nothing to say; you will have no
trouble to report that, will youfn
Later called on Director Bruggemann
and asked him if he had heard OF the re-
markable determination the collector
was said to have reached.
BRUGGEMANN SPRINGS A POINT.
81 had not heard it, he said, land It is
peculiar thing to do l claim that |
have no veto power, but that there is no
law that can compel me to sign q war
rant unless deem IL proper one. Iue
claim that / am not member
of the Board because the law
shall be elected is nonsense, for the same
act provides specially for The election OF
Director-at-Large, and / do not believe
Collector DugRn has right to pay claims
unless sign the warrants. Ii the power
to sign warrants is taken from me
in this case / will sign no more. My only
object is to have the Board act in q busi-
ness like manner. The resolution that
orders paid the claim of Coyle for IS, ,876,
and the other claims | refused to sign,
sets forth that Warrants be ordered TO
be drawn and signed by the Director and
Clerk of the Board
my conviction is that no claims can
be legally paid without my signature to
the warrant. II these claims are paid
without my signature | hold it will be
Illegally done, and l will contest the
struction of my duties. It would
place me in q very bad position If /
were compelled to sign all warrents for
claims that | Thought fraudulent con-
slider the Directors signature to the
warrants safeguard for the county.
The rules of the Board demand that the
contracts must be signed by the Director,
and his seal attached; now, why should
/ sign the contracts, aud be deprived or
signing the warrants for the payment or
the money or of refusing to do so II the
contract IS not complied with, or | have
reasons tobelieve the claim is fraudulent" +"
Who signs the County Collectors
warrant for his salary?"
81 do, and it would look queer If he
drew warrant to pay himself without
having the Director sign it. These men
claim my position is simply that of =
presiding officer. Without my consent
money cannot be transferred from
one account to another. Bonds must
also be signed by the Director. Suppose
refused to sign bond, who would buy
it? l claim the same principle governs
the signing of pay warrants. If 1t does
not, for what reason am | compelled to
give 900 bonds"
RULE OF THE BOARD.
Section i3 Of the rules governing the
ssnted to the Board at a regular meeting
= signed by majority of the
committee and then referred TO the
Committe of Finance and Audit
upon resolution offered by said Conn
mittee on Finance and Audit and passed
by the Board, warrants shall be drawn
for the same on the County Collector.
signed by the Director and Clerk of the
BOardn
When I met Mr. Boyd this morning he
denied that he had told me that Mrt
Dugan had sent for the claims referred
10.
''Do you mean to tell me that Mr..
Dugan said that if you sent these claims
to him he would pay them?" | asked.
''Weli-I-I; see here, | am busy; what
ever passed between Mr.. Dugan ana my
self is our business and not that OF the
public have no time to talk to you f1r-
ther.
wondered at his sudden reticence and
suddenly asked:-"Did you see Mr. DngaM
last nightS" !.
Il did; had business talk with him.
Then knew why his tongue was tied.
One of the claims that the Director re-
fused to sign is In favor of the County
Collectors son.
The Phonograph at High School.
A treat is in store for the High School
pupils Tuesday morning they win listen
to the phonograph.