Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-02-18
COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.

8 o'clock President Watkins called the
body to order The fact that the City
Treasurer was cited to appear and ansN er
the allegations of the Fisance Committee
as to the collection of moneys not accounted
for, brought out large number of citizens,
the room being crowded to the stairway.
Mr.. Ladd, of the Finance Committee,
presented three reports, the first being the
report of the Treasurer, designated No. 10,
for the year, the second volumnious brief
by City Solicitor Moore, and the third, DIR.
Readings reply to the allegations of the
committee
The first report proved to be the monthly
report of the Collector, and informed
Council that the Collector had charged him
self with the Gardner, Zell and Laub taxes
of 1894, amounting to 1892 40 among some
collections of 1885,
City Solicitor Moore's report covered
many typewriter pages the substance of
which was to verify the allegations made
by the Finance Committee two weeks ago,
that the Treasurer had collected taxes of
the Gardiner estate for 1894 and Zell for
94, and further End of 1872 from Theo
Laub in '94, which he had not placed to
the credit of the city. He had the proof
of bank deposit slips, however, that the
money was deposited to the credit of "Geo.
E. Reading, Treasurer" Mr.. Henderson
made discovery of the Laub tax last Fri
day, and hal the receipt in his possession
The third report was DR.. George Evans
Readings reply to the Finance Committee,
which we publish in full, as follows:-
To the Mayor and Council of the City of
Woodbury.,
GENTLEMEN In replying to your reso-
luton of two weeks ago citing me to appear
before you at this meeting and show cause
why | should not charge myself, on my
books. with the sum of $401. 28, would
answer that I wrote to the Chairman of the
Finance Committee asking to be allowed
to see the duplicate of 1898 and 1894, and
such other papers as he might have in his
possession bearing upon the case. He
replied that be would place at my disposal
everything which he had; but that the
duplicate OF 1893 had been lost two years
ago, while was ill.
In going oyer the duplicate of 1894,
found that the errors alleged in the report
of the Finance Committee really existed so
far as that duplicate was concerned. |
further found that the property of Theo-
dore Laub had been omitted by Assessor
A. W. Cattell, and thas | had assessed it
and that the amount of his tax, viz 1872,
should also be charged to me.
In tracing these matters up, examined
my bank account aud 1 found that these
several amounts had been deposited by me
in the First National Bank of Woodbury.
to my credit as City Treasurer, so that to
straighten the whole thing out, it ouly
becomes necessary for me to charge myself
with these several amounts as having been
collected upon the duplicate of 1894, which
do in the accompanying statement, No.
10. along with other taxes collected upon
the duplicate of 1895
As to how these omissions occurred,
am unable to say. On the duplicate of
1894, l did add several taxes, some before
and some after the Commissions of Appeal
met, and the only explanation which l can
give is that these taxes were not discovered
until late and in the rush of business at
that time the omissions occurred.
AS to the Gardiner tax for 1893, feel
positive that if the duplicate for that year
could be found, it would show that | had
charged myself with that amount, and, as
the duplicate was lost while in the posses
sion of Council l do not feel that l should
be again charged with it. Still, as the
books which we now have would indicate
that l am chargeable with it, am at the
mercy of Council in the matter.
Before closing l wish to protest against
the way in which this matter has been
managed by the member of the Finance
Committee from the Third Ward He has
known of these omissions for year or
more, yet instead of bringing the matter
before Council and having the amount due
placed to the credit of the city on its book
he has waited until just before the charter
election to spring it upon Council and the
public, and so make political capital of it
to help himself and to iniure me. More
than this, when, four weeks ago. he offered
the resolution providing for the inVestiga
ton, he gave an absolutely false reason for
it, saying that he thought it would be a
good thing to have a report for the entire
three years term instead of the annual
reports, which had been made, etc. Then
when the Finance Committee met, he pledged
them to secrecy as to the real facts so that
he could spring it upon me at the last
meeting OF Council, so that l could not be
in a position to make any explanation of it,
and even insisted that l should not be
notified to be present at that meeting
The City, also, has been made to suffer
from this action of the member from the
Third Ward, as it has had, upon several
occasion, to borrow money and pay interest
for it, when it the member had brought up
this matter, borrowing could have been
avoided or less amount borrowed, thus
saving to the City the interest upon this
amount This occurred upon the same
night that his original resolution was
offered, when the city borrowed $1,000, only
half of which would have been necessary
had the member of the Finance Committee
from the Third Ward not kept his knowl-
edge of the omissions upon the duplicate
of 1894 until nearer election when be
thought it would do more good to himself
and more harm to me.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE EVANS READING,
Collector and Treasurer
Woodbury., N J February 10th, 1897.
A motion to receive and file was made,
when Mr.. Henderson said that it seemed
necessary that the member of the Finance
Committee from the Third Ward should
say something before the vote was taken on
that motion. 1t was eighteen months ago
when he first heard that the Treasurer was
not paying over to the city all the money
he collected. But it was rumor only, which
he was in no position to verify until one
y ear ago, when he was made member of
the Finance Committee and given access to
the city books-even then it was no easy
matter to gain p. session of them and make
thorough examination. 1t was only very
recently that all the receipts came into his
possession. As to the personal assault on
himself he had nothing to say. He had
done his duty as sworn officer of the city,
and that needed no apology.
As to the Treasurer's excuse that the
failure to credit was due to the receipt dur
ing busy hours, the receipts show that one
tax was paid on October Doth, all the
others earlier than that date.
Referring to the Solicitors brief, Mr.. Fl.
said he was glad to receive such an elabor-