New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-28
THAT GREAT BOND STORY.
CONTROLLER FITCH WELCOMES AN IN
VEsTIGATION.
SOMETHING ABOUT THE RECORD OF THE MAN
WHO SAYS THAT A DUPLICATE ISSUE
OF slWcooos CITY BONDS
WAS MADE YEARS AGO.

WAS MADE YEARS AGO.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT hudson Lawson George w. Stokes
Orlando Smith John W. Stevens. Henry C. Ropn-
son and A. W. Lightbourn. committee Oh GU"
GEMS are preparing TO make thorough eA"''.'""
ton OF the charge made by MattheW JePiNo'
O'Rourke regarding the fraudulent issues OF cry
bonds aggregating $O)Co00o0. Ex-Judge Niia'
II Armour the committees counsel, was not IN the
city Yesterday lie Is taking little rest at nv
yard Haven preparatory to entering upon 'ne ID
ious work which he has undertaken. MI A,"0'N
has hesn in consultation with Controller fitch ana
has made arrangements for examining 'no'ouhn''
and completely ali the records of the nnahce ue-
nartment having any connection with TINS stuPe"'
dous alleged fraud II Will probably be lapoi iouS
undertaking. as the evidences OF these u"p''"'
issues of bonds IL they exist must run throue" '"e
long series OF years which have pas'eo Si"0c INV
were made.
Controller Fitch said yesterday that as the re-
mort of the uurposes of the committee had APP
reared in the newspapers he did not think ne was
violating confidence in making this statement
Some time ago Judge Arnoux came TO me ana
told me of the suspicious which had pee" ..''''
through the revelations Of Mr. ORourkc. lie as
sured me that the investigation was not ai''ieu d"
me or anv one at present connected with the Con-
trollers office and told me that he had a''eP''u e
place Of counsel in the matter with the unueiS-'n"
ing that he should be free 10 INFORM me VI 'e
committees Intentions and referring also 10 tne
Of the Supreme Court
81 told Judge Armour that l should certainly wei
come such an INVESTIGATION as he Outlined ara una
L would be wholly unnecessary 10 secure an! o'"''
Of court as | was most ready TO pace a. MS u's-
oosal or a, the disposal Of men Of standing ana
responsibility whatever records OF the once II ihls'
be deemed necessary to examine. All wished was
tina. nv valuable records and papers shon.d hOt DC
subject 70 abstraction by irresponsible persons y"
tina, WILL OF course be satisfactorily arranged wheh
Judge Arnoux and the gentlemen Of the committee
get ready TO go TO work
What Is your own opinion OF the probability OF
ORourke's allegations?" the Controller was asker.
81 am sure that | have no opinion 10 give ,nat
would be Of any value" Mr. Fitch replied, 'or
have not been sufficiently impressed win me posi-
brity OF such double issue Of bonds as mas oeeh
suggested 10 warrant me in ordering an examina-
ton. But l shall welcome the assistance OF Judge
Arnoux and his friends, and they Will find that no
thumbscrews In the nature of Supreme Court or
der are necessary 10 get all there Is in this ONCE
Everything Is open and aboveboard here. We are
ready for investigation all the time.
The Controller added that this one fac was sum
Client 90 cast a strong doubt upon the allegations OF
ORourke The city" ne said. provides yearly Tor
the payment Of the exact amount OF interest upon
every dollar OF It's outstanding indeoiedneSS' II
there are duplicate bonds out. how can Il DO tha'
their holders have not come forward for the ac-
cruing interest? I dom; see how /; could be pos
and no claim made for the interest. There wG I
be complaints from holders that somebody else na1
drawn their interest. which long aso would nave
resulted in investigation anq me discovery % a.e
whole fraud. II any existed Holders OF bonds are
moi going without their interest for twenty years
without making a fuss about it,
Deputy Controller Richard a. Storrs. who has been
In the Finance Department for thir;yseyen years;
said Yesterday that the story OF a duplicate and
fraudulent issue Of bonds which had been carried
9 9n ana the days o Richard g. connolly the
mereA moonshine. The O'Rourke ne sad.
had mana for Investigations. He had told this
was employed in the Finance Department as a clerk
in 1871. He succeeded in getting Mayor cooper -
order nvesiie9;on but no frauds were dl.soy-
cred Controller Myers had. after he came 20 ONCE
listened 10 O ROurke's story. ana mad given hn &C
cess to all the books and papers in the ofhce In
short time O.Rourke had begun abusing me clerks
in the Controllers office and MT MyeS hou 10 ord@F
him of the Office
o. Rourke is now about sxty-four years old. Ac-
1853 Implicated with John NJ. Finneriy. his EN-.
ployer in the burning Of grocery store AZ No. S@
Eighth-ave Finnerty had an Insurance OF Sfp on
his stock which he recovered from the nsurns com
rany The fire occurred August J. on November
10 Of the same year Fnneriy had ORourke arrested
FOR forging his Flnnertys name to an orde5 for
president OF the insurance COMPANY Whch iian pan
Finnerty's insurance money Of the firing OF the store
IN the preceding August, Finnerty was arrested on
the charge Of arson In the first degree lie was
tried IN December 1873. ORourke appearing az the
principal witness for the prosecution lie described
the part he took in burning the store lie admitted.
In crose-eYamnatOn that after Flnnertv had lighted
the candle which set fire 10 nfammabl@ ma
teral and the confagration, he, O Rourke had
effort TO exlnguish the torch although he knew at
the time that the upper portion or the building was
occupied by several families.
been detained a witness for $50 days In the city
Prison, was allowed s75 expenses.