New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-22
TUESDAY,
OCTOBER e. 1895.
THE TALK OF THE TOWN.
COMMENT ON THE WAY MONEY WAS
sQUANDERED BY JOHN c. SHEEHAN.
THE REPORT ON HIS ADMINISTRATION OF THE
REPAIRS AND SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT OF
THE POLICE BOARD NO SURPRISE TO
TAMMANY PoLITrcIANs-A CHAI~
LENGE FROM W. r. MITCH


The report Of the Commissioners Of Accounts.
published in The Tribune yesterday. in references
to the phenomenal squandering OF money belonging
TO the taxpay ers of this city under the Tammany
administration Of the Police Department, and par.
ticularly while the Bureau Of Repairs and Supplies
in that Department was under the supervision and
management Of ex-Commissioner John c. Sheehau.
attracted wide attention among all classes OF peo-
pie. and was OF the chief topics of discussion.
Sheehans present prominence in Tammany polucs
the ostensble successor to Richard Croker in
directing the affairs Of the Wigwam campaign
this year Increased the significance OF the ex-
posture.
None politicians city appeared to
be surprised At the revelations. and IL was the
general comment that they merely tended 10 oon-
firm the judgment OF the public 10 the char
OF the ex-Commissioner who left Buffalo
under financial cloud and is still under ndict-
ment for refusing 10 allow the Lexow COMMITTEES
to examine his bank books and private accounts
when he was member of the Police Board.
CONGRATULATIONS FOR THE MAYOR
Mayor Strong rec we'd frequent congratulations
during the dav in relation his foresight in losing
time in getting rid Of Sheehan after the Power
OF Removal bill passed. Ii may be remem-
bered that Mr.. Sheehan OF the first Tam
many officials to walk the plank" last February.
The Mayor ece!ved these congratulations with
modesty and noticeable He declined to
press any opinion the report contenting him.
self with remarking
Il do not think tina, anything is required from
present The report speaks for Itself"
William p Mitchell the Tammany Hall leader Of
the Xth Assembly District, IL in the printing and
stationery business and his name appeared in tho
report follows: Amber Envelopes No. IS, W.
+. Mitchell DOD, slls cost in open nIardet Under
bid, s7: percentage paid under market price. 25L"
The Commissioners OF Accounts received a letter
from Mr.. Mitchell yesterday in which he referred
| ,nfe said
rectness OF your report. witch | brand as false,
make this proposition: ] vii. donate any char
| table institution to be named by your Commission,
$500 II you can furnish the item for me amount
mentioned, A1."
To this the Commissioners. Messrs Terry and
! Dennis. the 70 lowing reply:
Your letter this date Is received and the proposi
ton contained therein Is accepted the 500 to be given
to the Charity Organization OF the City Of New York.
| II you viii send a check for si1 will have de-
| vered to you the 2oO printed envelopes similar to
th sum of SIS agd Known O by the Poce Depart
ment Amber No IS" As We are informed that
these envelopes Of special size not carried in
stock, it viii take few days TO have them made
TO REFUTE THE DENIALs.
| The Commissioners of Accounts yesterday gave
out extracts of testimony which they mad taken in
| order TO refute OF the den.ais which Mr.
| Sheehan had made. BY the testimony Of Edwin c.
Cav the requisition clerk at Police Headquarters.
il was SHOWN that it the custom Of the Police
Plies toward close of the year in excess OF the
| appropriation and then have the bills held back
| until the money for their payment was provided by
| the next years APPROPRIATION Mr. Gay also testi-
| fed that Martin r. Brown got the buk OF the con-
tracts for stationery and that contracts were
| got without bids except in few large orders.
Orders for other supplies were also given without
| bids
George Gott the treaslrer's bookkeper also testi-
fled that supplies were bought for the Department
in excess Of the appropriation for and paid
FOR out Of the next years appropriation, and that
| the practice had been followed for several years
Mr. sheehan in his testimony before the Com
| mssioners OF Accounts. asked why a Dill FOR
| 200 desk blotters. which had originally borne the
date Of October o. 1894. had been changed to bear
the date OF January 30 1895. and ne replied:
| I presume in October there was no money to
pay H. and the bill was held until there was
money 70 pay It, - ~ rho case ~ q lsle.
| number OF them? A.-That happened frequently.
QIn other WORDS when the fund was exnau .res
funds available for the payment OF the oiilsF
| Ayes sir.
In his testimony Mr. sheehan declared that bids
were required for all supplies. but he unable
to state what bids had been received when ne was
| questioned about them. and at length he made
| this attempt explanation
In some cases the requ-ltion clerk would bring
| quired They all laid before me: / would look
! them and tel him TO ask for oLds presume
| bids but / don't know. $500
| O-You don't know whether the bids which were
| not accepted preserved or not Al dont
| know. ..-.,.
| Q--Your committee never gave any INSTRUCTIONS
| in that regard? A-They were turned over 10 the
requistOn clerk Al,
| Q-Haye you any personal knowledge OF sending
out for bidders in any particular case Al nave
/ not
| Questioned as contracts for supplies when mad
! been awarded TO individual firms. Mr. sheehan
failed to remember any BIDS when hal o-eh 70
celved from competing firms . - -,
! George r. Kelso manager for Martin b. Brown
| testified that on the bulk OF the stationery sup
! piled bv the firm the Police Department there
! had been practica.y competition