New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-30
DOYLE'S TANGLED ACCOUNTS
SERIOUS CHARGES AGAINST THE OLD FISH
COMMISSIONS SECRETARY.
nrr,.s,1. TO PRODUCE BOOKS AND PAPERS
n,,p1IcATE VOUCHERS UsEp-AN EXPERT AT
WORK on HIS BooKs-AN EMBAR-
RAISED COMMISSION.
Inv TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNE.]

INV TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUNE.)
.r.,v Nov. 29-The accounts OF the Fish.
r.me and Forestry Commission are IN such
confused condition that it's members heard with
~re.t Measure to-day that Edward p. Doyle
the secretary Of tie old Democratic Fish Com
mission. appointed by Governor Flower, had
allied a meeting of Its members here on Tues
dav rext for the purpose OF seeing II the ac-
counts of the Commission cannot be Strengthened
out The Fish and Game Commission apparently
,ef, the amusement of all its financial affairs
IN the hands OF Edward p. Doyle OF Richmond
County. who was already encumbered with
large number of business enterprises Mr. DoEle
was secretary Of the Commission and its executive
officer The Republican Legislature aoohsheo
this Commission and consolidated II with the
Forestry Commission, creating new Commas
sion with the title Of Fish, Game and Forestry
Commission. Barnett H. Davis, OF falmyra'
was made president Of this new Board ana exec
utlve officer at salary OF $4,000 The new ne
oublican Commission elected Edward r. Doyie
"a act as its secretary. although it was under
stood that his appointment was to be only
temporary one. It lasted. however Tor seVerai
months. and Mr.. Doyle was continued in controi
A. the financial affairs of the old Fish and Game
Commission.
The new Fish. Game and Forestry Commission
foOA OIlCc on %tpll 20 ioSe "''N 49, ~
no, take the precaution to have the books OF
,he old Fish Commission audited and balanced
Mr. DOYLE retained possession Of its papers. and'
n is understood still has possession Of the main
croportion Of them. Lately the new Commission
has discovered that its financial accounts with
the old Fish and Game Commission are IN
steat state Of confusion. and naturally has de-
sired to gain possession Of all the p pers or the
old Commission. but has been unable to do So
The members Of the old Commission VIII be
messed the coming week to give over thelr
napers to the new Commission. Meanwhile Mr..
Doyle has been hard at work all the week at the
oe1ce of Controller Roberts endeavorng to put
the books and financial accounts Of the Commis-
sion in correct and Ineligible shape.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.
The Executive Committee of the Fish Game
and Forestry Commission the present week sub
snitted to it a carefully prepared report about
allsiis matters. This report was made pubic
today. II is a document that will much interest
Che public Extracts from this report are as
follows:
These complications become very serious for this
COMMISSION especially in view of the fact as re-
Se SOP ESQ 50 appropriated May 10 1895 the
and yGrk of 'hs & @ baS OUTSIDE tSF 'f of
fOnis specially appropriated for the pIrcnase Oh
cured by ourselves without considering the oblga-
thaf this Board should decide once whether they
viii from the funds on hand pay any any onc,sSe
NOT TO do So inform every creditor of the fact and
might MI ~ rs@eo-e si.- vsr--. reer.
II IS evident by this that before October 1, 1896.
The Commission will. If it pays its debts be In
state Of bankruptcy. unless the Legislature comes
forward and makes a special appropriation TO
tide the Commission This IL is expected
will meet with some opposition under the claim
that the appropriation Of 1895 sufficient If 1t
had been managed in a business way.
MADE NO STATEMENT.
The other important findings In the report are
rs follows:
The outgoing Commissions made no stateme1n' OF OF
formal transfer OF funds or property on hapd an an
omission which perhaps as mucn our our own on nom
sense require mat we should have ~demanaed ~ s anls
liabilities Of the board which by the Consoldattion
Act 10 succeed as legal represenIae'es i"h
among other things required we now have found.
the settlement and liquidation OF thousands Od dfl b
collection and adjustment Of thousands OF d0iaars
Que the State from various sources uu, PHents
On Of fines and penalties ana Jqus,iiehoss Js os
therefor and account Of sales ana IeSTs made de-
oyster franchises On May ~ ee the following re-
"The secretary Informed the Commission that the
Controller had paid the payroll OF the o.d CON-
mission and that the secretary had pald personSiy
a.. outstanding accounts of the late FISH CoihHiS
sion
This very soon na Snna ams TO when Ps WeTe
presented for payment. some running back as iar
exam nation of the office, and found they had no
books Of accounts; vouchers cahSe.Ied cHeGA9 1o 0
BURY developed the fact that all books and papeSs
fatng financial transactions as "eii as az ON,
New-York which had been used as branch once.
Request was made for their production Dut the
The most serious difficulties were met with IN the
Department Of Fines and Penates wnefg ntace orr
GERS lawyers. printers and others were
gently be adjusted from the accounts contained IN
the books and papers wlthned ana can "a U''E i,dg
fnents recovered for violation OF the Game laws
We had no official knowledge OF the serious cOnu,- %
H ns 10 e 1nnEbs nHe Of the comttee PERSONAL
quest Tor the books and yoIcHers rscon q" the Com
mission and the existence OF the missing poohs
and vouchers was dehleo'
Az EXPERT ACCOUNTANT EMPLo1ED
In October with the consent and by the courtesy
Of the honorable Controller. employed an expert
accountant 10 20 10 his office and make copies Oh al
youcher, paid within the last fiscal year, ana get
such memorandum from his books ana mes %
would enable US 10 make up our accounts lof scer
ment with claimants and for the purpose oi deo nd
taining 60w much our funds had been mpareu a,Iu n
. ensb make the hPanGia rePSh' PSs CENT se t
man has already made his RIeh RTehihm shoMsd that sev
eral thousand dollars Of advances mace WhiCn d " 'n
applicable 10 and supposed 10 nave peen 'ssion ~
qudaton OF the indebtedness OF TINS 't,hinnsanS
had applied. ani tnst seVtra hn cpedited
dollars in vouchers returned na1 hOt poen otsnnder
Up because Of mperfections therein or mb,ch
standing Of The particular appropriations W
ohargeab 9 THESE discrepancies are being aayus.,1 So,
snd Ra'ences Collected and ater on the expert Will
make supplementary report nj, ,a,,ors ~ this
We f,,nJ seyera hundred official letters Oh I'm, ,ile
Commission which had been mailed 70 & o., and a. had
brought nm In the office at No. SO Broadway az. no.
never been seen by this Commission Many o' nsgi
were In the nature OF complaints as 10 a bus in
gsnce " this Board as unpaid ovetuue "a
some Instances imputing 10 us dlshonestSy ,nnre @
crookedness and others contani,,S hsve been CON
VI ~ rs III HypitdhCe X''bsr Mr. DOYLE in