New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-09

mr.
EiDd1v remember. These buildings have been
stripped Of every piece of furniture ana carPe H
period From this very room all Of the expens nd
furniture and CARPETS haze 1Ge6 IRE prce PAID
have been exorbtant TO say nothing else. IN ~ bns
ever come under my notice, was stripped OF the
handsome walnut furniture ana cheap oSh suoSti s
Ss ju6res of Td thar Io court The state
furnished with cheap oak thr9ugnout wne5g ia
OF cheaper grade than formerly ana iar lnleriooI
70 that taken hs out Of he ths a Gga na This
furniture has been taken from the S'aie fiou So
o dDT no b nPP agsns the State The bills furnish
ing the State House. of which intend 70 % Show
Trenton' for ssos6 scudder & Durham. Trenton
ELS o1g cb FaT[s Furnshns Company sos
A. r Deck & Co. ew-Iork. s292, and ). MuI-
Who We're paid $S51l 4 for furniture in less than
six years.
MULLINS & CO.'S MUT1LATED BOOKS.
John Mullins. Of Mullins & Co.. was then sworn
A wagonload of books was produced and put IN
evidence. and some Of them were found to be mu-
tiated In the order and cash books fully two
hundred pages were missing. They had the APP
pearance OF having been carefully cut out.
How were these books mutated, Mr.. Null
lins?" asked Mr. Corbin.
We'll l don't know. We found the books mu-
tiiated the day after the election November, 1888.
when the Republicans carried the State" The
parts Of the book missing were the pages from
July l. 1892. to December 23 1892, and these pages
covered the principal transactions between Ford
and others and John Mullins & Co. touching the
furnishing and refurnishng of the State House.
Where wore the books kept?
I'm a vault or safe.
Where did you find the books after they hao
been mutilated?'
ION the counters and shelf. Three were found
first and one the cash book. was found about a
week later"
What dil you do about the mutila tion?"
THE police. to whom reported the case. put
Detectives Dalton and Doyle, of Jersey City, on
the case, but we never learned anything The
detectives charged the robbery 10 some clerk
in Muns's store, but Mr. Mullins diScredited
this, and for this reason the detectives dropped
the case On examining the books Mr.. Corbin
discovered that the State House accounts were
recorded in lead pencil while the credits against
the same account were in ink. What Mr.. Mullins
didn't know about his business was surprising.
LIGHT FROM MULLINS'S BOOKKEEPER.
Eugene Murphy, of Jersey City. ex-head book
keeper for John Mullins & Co. testified about
the nutilated books contradctng his former
employer at many points. He said the books
were not cut on Election Day. They were never
kept in the vault. but always on the desks.
When goods were entered in the ledger they
were entered without any prices opposite. All
entries were made in this fashion by direction
Of Daniel Morarity, of Mullins & Co. Taking
the book in hand. Mr. Murphy exclaimed dra-
matically: These books have been doctored
i
prove that this book has been doctored. you've
only TO note the footings Of the totals. You
will see that the State House supplies are not
added in"
Senator Skirm asked Mr. Mullins why the
State House sales We're not added in.
II don't know replied Mullins Murphy
was the bookkeeper. and ought TO know
Then I'll tell you" said Murphy. The pri.
vate prices were placed there in lead pencil
that no one would know the real prices charged
the State for goods; 1 did that work under
order Of Mr. Moriarity. Mr.. Mullinss partner
Murphy took up various goods sold the state
and explained that the firms private marks
charged. The witness said Before prices
. were put in Mr. Ford would call and Mr..
Moriarity would see Mr. Ford They would so
upstairs and when they came down they would
have the bills made out with the prices fixed
He mentioned numerous articles for which ex-
cessive prices were charged, and read from the
books charges against the State for Mullins
& Co.'S salesmans expenses, including carfare
ing TO the books" Mr. Murphy said, the State
still owes Mullins & Co. about $4,000"
BARNEY" WANTED HIS "DIvVY."
zone day" said the witness. Barney Ford
sent several kilograms to the store and John
Mullins came TO me and said, Figure UP the
amount OF money that has been paid for state
House supplies. Barney is getting impatient
end wants his "divvy."' He figured and handed
the amount $4,000. to Mr.. Mullins. A
check for about 10 per CERT Of that was drawn
in favor of one of the firm.
zone day Mr.. Mullins came TO me-. Mr.. Muir
ply went on land told me to write In the margin
Of the ledger everything paid to him but Bar
retts goods"
At the mention Of the name Of the ex-senator
OF Essex everybody started
What did that refer to- asked MT Coroin.
"A dining-room set sent to ex-senator Barrett
at Newark replied the witness. NO Dill was
sent to Barrett. Moriarty told me the State was
to pay for the SET
WAS it paid for by the State?"
Yes: l believe so. l entered the account TO the
State and the account was paid later"
did MIR. Barrett ever pay?
NO sir"
Frank McDermott Newark lawyer. here
stepped forward as the representative Of Senator
ness whether or not Nh. Murphy had tried to
get 500 out OF Mr.. Barrett. The committee and
counsel objected. The witness asked permission
10 deny the statement and did so empnatlcaIly:
McDermott stated that the goods were shipped
TO Senator Barrett part OF a counsel fee.
Mr. Mullins declared this to be true.
''I charged the goods 10 the state, as ordered,
and the State paid the bill" said Murphy
DO you know of other furniture that was
charged to the State and sent TO ndvidualsT
There two more; one I'm not certain
about-N X. Thompson Of No. 46' Morris-ave,
Elizabeth one Of Ford's ex-assistants. rem
dered the bill, but 1t WASH, pald. IN not sure IL
was paid by the State"
DESK FOR LEON ALBEIT, JR.
"Do you know of any goods going to Ho-
boken?"
Picking up a big book, Mr.. Murphy Tor answer
opened it and read follows:
On March H. 1890. Leon Albeit, jr., Jersey-ave
and Mercer-st.. Hoboken. received Nos. ana 20
antique oak desk, price charged, $780, one screw
chair and ore oak chair price 81.
Note-Folo 40. See page 4o2, State House ac-
count.
Here find these goods were paid for by the
State and were included in the bill for 1891, which
was paid by the State. These goods were orgl-
nay charged to Leon Albeit. jr.-the desk at
ssS-and Mr.. Mullins told me to transfer the ac-
count 20 the State. and then the price of the desk
changed 10 800"
Mr.. Mullins again interrupted. saying that Cow
ernor Albeit had ordered the goods sent 10 his
sons office. as he his private secretary at the
tine. and also ordered them charged to the State.