The evening world., 1894-03-13
Friends in . Panic and Trying to
Raise Money to Balance the
Boss's Accounts
OTHER eRAvEsEND FRAUDS.
Charged that Fines 0fsS40sS Were
Imposed and that Only So FlnsA
Appear on tho RecordA

Considerable excitement WAS causes
among Gravessnders in Brookiyn to-day
over the statement made by John H
O'Rourke and James McKane that thsy
had placed the books In which John =.
McKane kept the accounts of the town
In the hands Of an expert accountant for
the purpose OF clearing the Chief OF the
charges that he was short In his 10
counts.
The cause of all the excitement was
the effect the report had had upon the
| Citizens Committee which had been sE-
aiming McKane's accounts. When the
Committee started on their investigation
they were greatly hampered in the work
by finding that nearly al the books
were missing.
McKans's friends say that as the =
Chief had little knowledge OF business
methods he had failed to keep proper
accounts, and had only q few books In
his possession when he started to Sing
| Sing to serve out the six years. sen
tence.
Despite this fact. the COMMITTEES went
to work with a will and learned that
McKane was short in his accounts nearly
500. 900, which amount, rs told In the
Evening World" yesterday, was brought
down to 500. 000.
All the time the Committee were maxi
ing every effort to obtain more data they
suspected that McKane,s friends were
positive proof that other books were In
existence until Mr.. O'Rourke and Nc
Kane's brother made the statement that
ONCE on o Street by an expert.
When Lawyer George +. Elliott heard
Of O'Rourke's and McKane's statements
me ss once sS eo ssns l With ,h i'm 1'o on the steps
to be taken to gain possession OF tne
coveted books and records.
The conference will be held IN NJ.
Mr.. o'Rourke and McKane's brother
made the statement. in their anxiety 70
consulted any one. and now Il. "a said
taken to task for. letting the cat out
BOOKS iae Which ShE the COMMITTEES have been
o'Rourke's safe in his office. 70 Court
III this is true" said Mr.. Elliott this
morning. IAN l have no reason to doubt
1t, we will take immediate steps to pro-
cure these books.
~playing. the part OF detectives searching
FOR fraud. My clients would be only too
glad to find that the accounts or John y.
McKane are all right, and as yet all the
evidence is pointing the other way, and
| have some new facts in my possession
which are OF a startling. nature-facts
which ] cannot make public, but which
prove to my clients that all Is not right.
II will further say that while II may
be true the public accounts OF Graves
end may, be straight and legitimate, tne
up would certainly seem TO indicate
either great negligence or Ignorance on
the part OF the man who Kept them or
gross fraud.
When asked II he knew what books Nh:
ORourke had In his possession, II he had
any. Mr.. Elliott could not say,
MIR. Elliot then went on 10 say that the
Committee could not find the books or
the town. kept by McKane which were
produced in evidence during his trial. -,
first began the Investigation, and while
he was on the witness stand. ! had
the books there and made what notes 1
l. was then that the COMMITTEES began TO
see that their investigation, might bring
TO light some queer facts, although, as l
said before, II Is not the intention or my
clients to prosecute Mchane.
We propose to slft matters TO the bot
tom. and when the proper time comes
Committee and myself"
Mir. Elliott refused to give out any In
formation on the next move TO be made
by the Committee. or what would be
lone to procure the books which
| O'Rourke il said TO have I'm his safe.
MIR. O'Rourke was in Brooklyn this
MORNING. Inquiry as to his whereabouts
- don't believe O'Rourke said he
would place the books in the hands OF
an EXPERT" said George w. Roderick.
McKane's counsel, this morning. See
| O'Rourke and | guess he will tell you he
did not say so. Neither did the Chisfs
5 s.ryker Williamson. who Is Nc
Kane's closest friend, said: II know
nothing about 1t. l shall say nothing.
See O'Ryurke."
lex ana Williamson, O'Rourke did make
the statement and It II known now that
he did not know at the time why Ne
kane's books were kept from the Com