New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-20

CITY OFFICIALS DISCUSSED THE WAY ADOPTED
BY COLONEL wARING TO PAY HIS
PRIVATE SECRETARY

BY COLONEL wARING TO PAY HIS
PRIVATE SECRETARY.
The statements in Commissioner Warnings letter
as 10 the payment of the salary of his private sec
rotary caused discussion in several city depart
ments yesterday. Colonel Waring said that his
action in placing dummy on his payroll to
draw a salary which to be paid to his private
secretary who as an alien, cannot be a salaried
employe OF his department. had been approved by
the law officers Of the city.
The Mayor would not talk about the matter at
all. Controller Fitch is out of town, but Deputy
Controller Storrs said that the amount of the salary
had been withheld by the Controller on the ground
that II the private secretary could not legally
ceive pay directly from the city. payment through
another equally unlawful. The payroll pre-
pared In Commissioner Warnings office contained
the usual certificate that the services had been
rendered for which payment is asked" The pay
roll did not contain the name of the woman who
really rendered the service
Corporation Counsel Scott In the city for
short time yesterday. He said In reference to Col
onel Warnings statement. that he remembered an
inquiry had been made of him on the subject and
that he had referred the matter to Assistant Cor
porat.on Counsel Dean. He had been informed that
Mr. Dean had given mis- opinion in favor of the
legality Of such proceeding under the Gircum-
stances Assistant Corporation counsel Iurner
who is the acting head OF the office in Mr. SCOTS
absence. said later In the day that no written
If Colonel Waring had made statement respecting
1t, that statement was undoubtedly correct.
There is a law making the Justification OF a pay
roll crime. Colonel Warnings friends say that
there false statement as 20 the services
Of the private secretary II they were not rendered
by the person named in the list. the city stu had
the benefit of them in another way.
Little light was thrown on the question of the
Flaw and the lady" IN the Street Cleaning Com
mssoner's Office. as Colonel warng is no! ex-
pected In the city until to-day. In Colonel War
ing's absence Captain F. n. Gibson declared that
he had light 10 throw on the question as TO
whether Colonel Waring could get around the law
regarding aliens In the way proposed or not; 1T
TO me-" said the Deputy Commissioner that
II the private secretary selects person to DO his
work who Is satisfactory TO his principal he has
a perfect right TO do this Still. Colonel Waring
can do his own talking on that point
Nine. Care herself sat by and seemed much
amused. over the situation %. think ! get my
broken English II don't think ] shall have 10
bring civil suit or get a-what you call it?-a
mandamus to compel Mr.. Fitch to pay my salary.
] have nothing more to say. Colonel "aring mas
said all that there Is TO be said. =.
The nominal private secretary is Henry n:
Blunt. Nine Care said she thought he was not
a stenographer Everybody In the office. including
Captain Gibson and Nine. Carre, expressed great
admiration of Controller Fitch personally and a
high regard for his abilities.