New-York tribune., 1894-04-21
THE ACCOUNTS ~ A MIDDLE
INVESTIGATING THE COLLECTORS OFFICE
AT RUTHERFORD.
TO ITS PLEDGES SHOWN BY THE NEW
REPUBLICAN, CorNCII.-A THoRorGH SEARCH
INTO TIE BOROUGH GOVERNMENT THE
CLASH BETWEEN THE MAYOR


AND O. Y. ALfEA.
When Thomas W. Alyca. Collector II the borough
Of Rutherford y. j.. and one of tho most popular
Repubcans in Bergen County died last fall H. lett
the finances OF the town in angle. His illness was
not thought by his immediate relatives - be danger
Gus. and 50 swiftly did it develop that BE- had no
time to sraiehtcn UP his affairs. AMI his estate.
amounting to several thousand dollars. was left in
confusion. Mr. Alyel. in addition 80 being Collector
was cashier q the Ruh,rforl branch of the Peoples
Bank. ~ Pas-tic AMI h" also held large sums -
money for various societies In his safe. with no
sure means of distinguishing them. were the bor-
oueh funds. private funds and funds of various So
c.ciios.
In tho last two years the finances u ID" borough
assumed large AMI unusual proportions. Rutherforl
was bonded for $500 for roads and sewers. grad
lrc and opening uew streets. curbng ami guttering
the same building new scho1lhous". laying stone
sidewalks. AMI putting ln a hre-tiarm sysi"m-aH
mean, adilt1na. work flr thc Collector and all
caused confusion in the accounts. while al THIS
work was az .ts neigh, Nj Alyea died AMI the
borough Councu-parily from courtesy. partly from
other reasons appointed as his successor a. r
Aiy.a his uncle ana executor
Mr. Alvca set - work 20 strt.gh''n ont affairs.
but was confronted by certain obstacles az tie start
ne &, was apparent nat much money hal been paid
lnt, the Collectors hands which iii not appear "n
the books Alexis McNu!ty. the Borough clerk. was
engaged a. an expert % go over the books Th'r"
was some friction between him ana the acting cor
lector. and the Council and IN" collector hlsp nal
.otne dliaciilty. In tho mean time taxes FOR ls91
became due and many complaints that Mr Ayca
did not keep proper once hours we're made.
THE lusrMAsTEEsilr AFFAIR
Mr. Alvea had been a candidate for postmaster.
and IN the rnld. Of tho busiest time Il the year IN
the Collectors onico. story was circulated hy hi-
Democratic opponents that b" bad been asked to
DAY 81 90 for the Office and prospective assistant
took an andavIt that Nj. Aiycl had askei him -
Tils
Was clearly worried hy these tales ana the bust
n.ss Of tax-col ectiug suffered In Consequence When
Mr. AIyca attended fhc Council m"cunse thor" "crv
snarp encounters between him and the Councilmcn;
and when hc received the appointment as postmaster
at Rutherford BE- stii retained 90" 'oil"ciorsA'p
At the spring election ;h' entire Republican ticket
was successful. Upon that ucke'. among others.
were Councilman Charles H. Crear who hhI sirenn-
oislv Insisted upon thorough investigation 81 the
borough finance ami A. ". Van Wluk'- VINO was
equally carn.s' ln h.s belief hat The entire nan'''I
condition Of the borough should b. gon" over. AMI
that q better system OF keeping accounts should be
adopted Mayor shafer's Views wer" tn" same. EX-
Postmaster Charles Burrows. a Republican, was
elected Collector The Borough 'ounch apl"n,ri
Mr Iurro~s 20 srryc tho month of ihr hh'NpIci
torn from Aprl ! 20 May J. and notic, was sen,
10 Mr.. Alyca 20 turn over the looks ana assets %
4 Council meeting was held On April > Mr.. bnII
rows and Mr.. Aiyea being present. Mr. AHeA @ hau
yet turned oyer hc borough hnancrs 10 & tHn nr %
Collector and Mayor Shaf"r sharply asked MN the
rcl sOn for his failur" io 10 So. discussion '.
sucl AT the Close oG which Mayor Shafer cmphat
icaly asserted that Mr.. .tlyca had given no good
and sfc.en, roAsn FOR iainE to ,,Ssd rjrS ' hac 70
Mir burrows the books turned oT"r later, ana
the Council decided to met as ooihinn,'' v,, 81
moved investigations; but that alh' was ihIp ihIp |
Whole it wa decided 10 employ special Collector |
10 look up back taxes and assessments Tor "hIch
there exists no record Of payment.
THOROUGHGY TANGLED Up
Early I'm the year Collector 6. r. Alyea paid 10
the borough over g. 90 make good irregularities
in tho hooks shown by Mr.. McNulty's report. which
was verified by the Collector This investigation took
placo before g. Il. Alycn took hold OF the ohc" +.
since that time other Irregularities developed. notably
on assessment accounts. The spring financial state
ment though correct b. the books was efroh'"""
bv the facts and many hundreds OF dollars pald .
in on account Of Highland Cross. PicirePont atss
and c;l.n Road were not credited 10 the borough;
In addition these matters several tiipuHalIS ,h
were locked up. owing to contests carried on Dy /
the Raymond. Hastings and Clark estatss NM anu
John II. Pollon. some OF the ia'sc'' P'P'''
crs In rutherford. , o,,e ,,kod T
70 Tribune reporter, Mayor Shaisr '",ho, ,kc,
frankly about the situation lie eNplalnrl lhat
tho trouble had come about through "A wrohg con
ccptiou OF the relation OF the tnHr'tof 10 lh, /
oe The nnnncial head OF the government. and his .
statements to the Council had hc,u suihInaf HeI hI
hrcn practically no check upon the collector. ne .
Councn has just passed an ordnance rGqu,rts ,e oe
rverv three months and the Mayor regaiIs any
recurrence OF the present unfortunate S'd'e VI
"'11S rhr r%nor, Of the Committee Of the Whole on
Monday night win undoubtedly MAKE pam i man!
th'ngS n 'nat ratc a' viii be protected the fullest
tent and the most gratifying phase OF me matter
rnessfui Rcpubican ticket ever named In Rutheerr-
ford have shown such an eapnefb their anteeccon
niedges and that biz Of business "hlch az SS LnS
tha agfi