New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-05


Jersey STATE TREASURY LAID BEFORE THE
LEGIsLATURE-AN INVESTIGATION OF
KELsEY's ACCOUNTS AND THE RE
TURN OF STATE MONEYS DE-
MANDED
Trenton. ~ J., June (SpeciaD.-The report OF
the VOORHEES, Committee. which was placed upon
the desk Of each Senator and Assemblyman when
the Legislature convened at noon to-day Is
poinied and emphatic No names are mentioned
hut SO clearly are the corrupt practices or certain
Democratic officials pointed out that no one read
ing the document can be mistaken Partsanshlp
cannot be charged for all members of the lnves'l-
eating Committee including Senator w. d. DAILY
recognizing the fairness of the report, promptly
signed il.
The co,Iusion Of Barney" Ford and Contractor
John Barlow. the Democratic Excise commas
soners Of Trenton. in the flagpole job is shown.
Colonel w c. Heppenheimer's metallic pigeon
hole Jobs and his 81. 900 fee from Eva Ray Hamil-
ton are severely criticised. as are also several
other Of his official acts while Controller Of the
c,a,e Hugh Kinnard the Democratic Fire Com
,r,ssioner Of Newark who did the printing job
., enormous prices; Architect" James Moylan.
,ba Democratic light of Hudson; Ex-Governor
1aon Albeit and others are severely arralSned
Cor their official commissions and omissions.
In dealing with Henry c. Kelsey the committee
sces not mince words 1t declares several or MI.
Kelsey's acts illegal. demands that the Lesisiat-
IRE put an expert accountant on MS DOCKS 10 Ne'i
" his reports. asks for the return OF the surplus
roonevs which he has collected and retained from
this State for clerk hire and recommends the I'M
mediate return Of the prerogative court lees NJ
tas illegally retained. The committee taxes up
,he Van Cleef map transactions. and ADVISE ina,
civil suits be instituted against John L. Murphy
nronrietor of THE State Gazette ana other
''.a.ers for the recovery Of State moneys illegally
collected from the State treasury upon oiiis ior
srnnljes Of maps that were never furnished
THO nrincipal features Of the report are as foi-
lows:
Your select committee appointed 70 INQUIRE INTO
the charges OF extravasance IN h conduct OF
public affars report that they proceeaeo Ma s,oi
r6 me taking of testimony and have con
tInued in that work until me prescsht, I'm ,or
& foiiowed up all the possible roads to discovery
hut have pushed our inquiries mo tS ear in
Scations OF need for investigation accomplishing
as much was practicable WITHIN 'he "'"e az '''
The !. nqqry of this 6re sqT
IS attended with mucn ar Industrious in obtc-
atng the evidence OF their actions ana c'mrS ana
are aware ol os give unwilling testimony OF
the ninety-seven witnesses eXaniileu c3
"a i,tle information has been volunteered tnoueh;
however has been disclosed 10 inaca'e t and 70
suggest legislation for guarding against ie'D'
renee OF similar irregularities.
STATE HOUSE EXPENSES.
p,ey,ous 10 1889 there provision for the
care and furnishing of the State House except
Joint resolution passed 1886 placing the properly
IN Charge q. the Treasurer. be kept in order NO
money was ever appropriated for the purpose.
r-,dar mi. measre authority the matter dr1fted
along forty-hree years until the annual expense mao
grown to 100. which was paid without any app'o-
pration. ,.a T.,
In 1889 the property was by statute piaceu III
c,arge of a superintendent. The expenses rapidly
increased. reaching $1,000 in 1894. and were as
usual charged TO state House Expense ms sum
by means covered al the expenditures ioF
'1We found on the statute book nine acts. passed
different times from l h 10 passed 0 10 meet the
emergency caused by the hre IN the ota.e 1ona
s snce 10 Seve served their purpose but under the
constructions given 10 them some OF mem
state moneys 70 1874 and might n DE 9se report
~ ~ tho senate repealers of these nine laws ana
tbev were repealed March %. 1885 Under these laws
Of the State House an6 a money expended
for furnishing. painting yentiIatng aga ~ tat
in addition to the annual sums charged 10 "'a'e
House expenses above explained .-,,-o :,
Retween 1889 and 1893 nearly all the furniture IN
posed Of for trinlng sums and new furniture put IN
rs place Some Parts , f inc money reazed for the
sale Of old furniture has not yet been pao into '"e
In the making Of this substitution the state was
cheated and betrayed The prices were exofo ~ ~
S os Bis Mere flashed in quantities and prizes
farge bonuses and commissions were PAD TO State
Sr.te we're sent to persons holding offices under the
gpsev IN
placed ana changes were made which were not de-
sired by the occupants OF the oilces'
DELIBERATE swINDLING.
In the furnishing Of coal. lumber and other sup
plies for the State House there was deliberate. HS
tema,c swindling Quantities and prices were raise
10 ,assed goods being billed to the State and paid
for that were never furnished, largo PERCENTAGES
were added 10 bills sometimes undoup'ea's io' 'ne
benefit OF State officers. at other ufnes possibly
for the benefit Of the dealer the STATE ""s' ny 'c
collision of bidders and others. made 10 pay N'S''
for a fagpole and flag on the state House ny ''c
col,uson Of a State Controller and In the race OF
the protest of other State officers against ne Wasle
the State paid s2.Si for the construction "a pesdm
hnes and similar appliances which couiu ieduiIy
have been obtained for 81 80 and san have amoraed
liberal profit to The msk hs MSeren false entries
Of labor and material had been mae, a ne pnroh
ahv 5000 That commissions were paid on 'h's
work was not seriously denied g., ,.h.,,her which
cost 600 01 an architect was employed VINO "@ Gt
never before designed and erected DuIIulns, 49,,
much OF the work he appeared to nave no ~ he
!, bnnp under the immediate supervision OF me
C;overnor No plans OF this work appear 10 w ~,
the possession OF the State except certain pS SAFE
fo5nG among rubbish in the cellar OF tne S, ,n
House These do not much as indicate hny
fisfine apnaratus. Such apparatus was, 100 .
me In AZ cost OF SIS 500. The evidence Is tn a aos
fu price with large profit would nave Pech and
And fr,hermors that the apparatus is oDsoietc on" r
highly unsatisfactory The same contractor ns
rangement with the Goyern9r amseT m pu' cost Of
Il625 The evidence is that fun price "ouIu , e
been 81 O2 and the work Is Obsolete anu s,atr
House with fixtures and supplies cqst ABOUT "a he
The evidence indicates gross , oveIr n his work
While much OF the work at the Sta'e omoetStive
said 10 have been done by contract AFTER conpe 49,
bidding the evidence OF that fact - missing I'm
the pubic nes The bids corresponuehOe, hn execu
documents appear 10 have been KEEP, ~ 'nc c~,,ive
tive offices and all Of these, with an me -, The
files were removed from the state nousd i,n "a, he