New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-28
THE BOARD WANTS IT'S MONEY.
COMMISSIONERS OF EDUCATION OBJECT TO TIKI
PAYMENTS MADE TO TWO ASSISTANTS
QUESTION OF s.. 700.


OF TIE CORPORATION COrNsEL-A
QUESTION OF s. 700
There may be work for the committee OF citizens
investigating the finances Of New-York in the rea-
lions between the Board of Education and the Con-
trollers office An 'rregularity' In these relations
pointed the other day by the Board OF
Education. The amount in this instance Is not
large. the total being not quite %00O but II is an
instance in which money has been paid by two
Controllers directly in violation OF the law.
A curious part OF the case is that while neither
Controller Fitch Corporation Counsel Clark,
whose Offices involved In this "irregularity"
is responsible for II. both have been engaged in
controversy with the Board OF Education for
year or more. endeavoring TO cover up the matter.
The Board of Education protested against the
transaction from the start as Illegal. and a few
days ago it unanimously ADOPTED report Showing
up the entire transaction.
Upon inquiry at the Board OF Education yesterday
the following details relating 10 certain payments
made by the Controller Arthur Berry amounting
10 $500 and 10 Ron VI. Morgan, $780, were
learned The money was paid them for services as
Especial counsel in the examination OF property
for condemnation school sites. The Board or
Education had It's own counsel at this time but 1t
was said that a place was made for these special
counsel" in the Corporation Counsel's office. and
the Board OF Education charged for their
special services" The violation OF the law APP
pears In the fact that the proceeds Of the school
house bonds. from which these payments were
made by the Controller, can only be used FOR
liabilities incurred by the Board of Education IN
acquiring schoolhouse sites ana the payments can,
not be made except on the requiston OF the Board
OF Education.
In the first place the Corporation Counsels office
can only charge for It's work on the account OF
echool sites the expenses of searches commission Sa,'
sistants from this fund for their services as such
services are part OF the work of the Corporation
The Controller can in no instance make any pay
ment from these bonds without violation OF the law,
except "the requisition OF the Board OF Educa-
ton" There never any requisltion In either
OF these payments and they had already been made
by Controller Myers when the attention OF the
Board of Education was called 10 the fact
The payments Arthur Berry made on May
g. 1899 and on April %. 1890 and that TO Rolln VI.
Morgan on MAY r. 1891. The Board OF Education
has never recognized the payments and The am unts
still stand to its credit In its own books But In
the books OF the Finance Department the board Is
charged with those amounts. which II never au-
thorized and which ii still refuses TO recognize and
declares Illegal.
BY a special resolution last spring the Committee
on bylaws OF the Board OF Education was requested
whole matter and report on It 10 the board This
report contains the details OF the entire matter and
sustans the previous position of the Board OF Edu
cation in refusing to recognize the payments. II
adopted by the board at its meeting last week
II declares that the payments we're made without
the consent or approval Of the Board OF Education,
and that the duties performed by Mr. Berry and
Mr.. Morgan were the duties OF the office In which
they were employed. The resolutions read as fol-
lows:
Resolved. That In the opinion OF this board the
payment OF the said several sums made TO Messrs
Berry and Morgan are unauthorized and contrary
to the statutes in such cases made and provided
Resolved. That the Board OF Estimate and APP
portionment be requested to credit the school house
bond account OF this board with the amounts that
claims OF Messrs. Berry and Morgan, and the debit
-hich has heretofore appeared against said account