The San Francisco call., 1897-01-23
THE SPECTER OF THEFT IN
THE HOSPITAL FUND LOOT
Money WantonIy Squandered and Wasted in the
Payment of Bills for Work Not
Performed.

paid from the appropriation for repairs.
Why the account was divided between the
two funds the books of the hospital do not
show. 1t is interesting to note in this ac-
count that the City was CHARGED $4 day
for plumbers hire and So a day for
helpers.
George |. Drew was paid the sum OF
$l566 for carpenter work, the charges for
carpenters being $4 and for foreman 81 so
a dav. A son OF George Robinson, the late
steward of the hospital, kept the time for
this work. Drew was allowed in his bill
3214 carpenter days and 20 days for fore
man, while young Roblnson's books
show that the actual number OF
days of carpenter work was 80 and
of foreman % This overcharge cost
the City $S4 30. Robinson's timebook
shows frequent erasures and alterations,
although 1t suhtracts from Drew's totals.
Moreover, the timebook has records OF
work done on December 10 and D.
although Drew'S account shows that he
closed his work on December Is. No bills
as yet have been discovered for the extra
work. Other charges for carpenter work
have been discovered, bringing the amount
of money unlawfully paid out up TO $128
The bills of J. J. Mulcreavy show more
discrepancies as they are more carefully
examined. MulCreavy was paid $l90 70
for concreting the floors of two bah and
two sink rooms and OF two closets. Each of
these apartments is u feet square. Allow
ing the charge OF IS $40 cents square
foot. which Mulcreavy charges he was
entitled to pay for but $40 square feet, or
sos "a showing an overcharge in this bill
alone of $50 96. In all Mulcreavy received
$3.50 by means OF kited bills and false
measurements, and his adeptness in
figures just cost the City an overcharge of
$211 49, All of which goes to show that
there is hope even for hum 6le concrete
contractor of achieving fame and riches.
A very interesting item that was paid
from the general hospital fund on October
19 is the sum of $102 so for carpets pur-
chased from James Duffy. The items in
clude " yards of body Brussels carpet at
81 25 per yard and IS yards of lining at 7 .
cents yard. This bill was audited by
Steward Robinson and Superintendent
Stable on December l and paid from the
City treasury on Decem Der %. but no
man, woman or child about the hospital
knows anything of that Brussels carpet.
Moreover Duffy has refused to tell the eX-
perts of the Board of Health to whom he
delivered the goods.
Before DR.. Stable resigned his position
application to take ten barrels of alcohol
from bond was made to Washington. The
permit arrived a few days ago and the
hosp pital druggist called for the goods at
the warehouses of 2. n. Lilienthal & Co.
market at 80 cents per gallon, 1873 proof.
In this instance the order had been given
at 40 cents per gallon, 100 proof. The
goods were refused by the Board of
Health, as its mem bers considered the
City was being overcharged $465 on the
order.
The general appropriation for repairs
has already been overdrawn 1927 %. The
money was divided among these people:
L. J. DIVER WhjtewashInq the kitchen
$50; Delano Bros, garbage tanks, $72;
]. j. Flynn, calcim lining. $1275; J. Null
creavy, concrete, $945 %; Gallagher Bros,
repairing sewers, $12; George |. Drew,
! carpenter work, $1566; George T. Cameron,
! hardware $98 %; Swift d Co., lum Der,
! 1897 IA; California Electrical Works, So 50;
T.. Alexander, sewer repairs, 1920 65; w. ID.
Hobro, plumbing, $3.50 As; Paul Seller
Electrical Works, $l73; John I. Burns,
carpenter work, $91; Peter Glaser, car
penter work, $50; b. L. Laying Machine
Works, new engine, 1898 30; P. F. Clere,
repairs or washing-macnine drum, $l26 20;
| Timothy Flynn, lathing and plastering,
$265; LIE Count Bros, books, $14 TO- total
| $40, ,927 25.
All of these bills were certified as correct
by Superintendent Stable and Steward
George Ro oblnson, and passed by the hos
pltal committee of the last Board of Super
visors OF which Joe King was chairman.
Robinson's accounts for Decem Der still re-
main Enclosed, although he has been re-
peatedly requested by the Board OF Health
to balance them up. Until Robinson does
this the work of Expert Griffin of the
! Board of Heath will be more or less re-
tarded. VINO is responsible for the hos
pital loot Is a question the Grand Jury
will be called upon to decide as soon as
the present investigation is com pleted.