The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-10-28

HEALEY'S SHORTAGE.
Finaneiers Invite Street and
Water Board to Begin the
Attack on Him.

The Street and Water Commissioners ana
the Finance Commissioners are having d
lively time trying to place responsipiilty
relative to the report of the water oe-
partment as made by Charles Both, the
expert accountant. In it appears that
there is a deficiency of something IKE
81. 900 in the accounts of ~ex-Registrar Cor
nelius Healy. When 1T was decided TO
nave the water counts the
Street and Water Board, then Republican,
fathered he resolution appointing Both.
The Finance Board c%oncurred in the reso-
luton. The members of the street ana
Water Board who selected Both are no
longer members of the official family. Inc
present Street and Water Commissioners
consequently do not feel that they are
concerned IN .le matter and do not wish
to have anything to do with the report
When the was filed with the
Board it was, by unanimous consent, for
warded to the Finance Board. Last night
the members of that Board met and after
looking over the report adopted the fol-
lowing resolutions:-
Whereas. This Board is in receipt of a
certain resolution and report OF an experI
accountant from the Board of Street ana
w dltI 0OllllktlSolOk1C1 = 0oAo O@F
countant having been appointed by salo
Board for the purpose of examining tne
condition of the books of the water de-
partment; and
Whereas. 1t does not appear hat said
report has been acted upon in any man
ner by said Board of Street and Water
Commissioners, to which said report was
Whereas, The control, management and
conduct ofhall the affairs of the water
department is within the jurisdiction OF
the Board of Street and Water
.sioners and all Irregularities in said DE,
.partment should be corrected by Salu
Board; therefore
Resolved. That the said resolution and
report of said expert accountant pc re-
turned to said Board of Street and water
Commissioners in order that said Board
may recommend and inaugurate Such pro-
ceedings as may be necessary LOT the re-
covery of any money due to the city which
may appear by said report to have been
misappropriated or ~wrongfully- Wltnheld'
this Board being willing to aid ana CON
cur in any suggestion or proceeuine aor
the recovery of such money, but lacking
the power to inaugurate any proceeding
of such a ~naturegin connection with the
affairs of a department concerning which
it can act in a concurrent manner only.
The resolutions were prepared by Cor
poration Counsel Blair, and he mas ad-
vised the Finance Commissioners that II
steps are to be taken looking to the re-
covery of the alleged Healey shortage,
the Street and Water Commissioners Will
nave to move first. In compliance Wlth
the resolution Clerk Finck of the Finance
Board, this morning returned Expert
Both's report to the Street and Water
Board. The members of the latter Board
are in a q%uandary. They say they nave
no idea as to how they Should proceed,
and contend that they could not be ex-
pected to ugu civil or criminal pro-
ceedings in view of the fact that the de-
fciency appears to be due as much. to
careless. bookkeeping and the unauthor-
lied alteration of accounts as anything
else. -
The members are to meet tomorrow
and discuss what they can do in the prem
ises. 1t is reported that exlReglstrar
Healey may demand a REORGANIZATION OF
the books and assist the accountant IN
tracing up assessments which now appear
to have been collected but not surren-
dered to the City Treasurer. The exami-
nation by Both has already cost the cIty
500 and the officials do not consider 1t
wise to. spend as much more in trying to
recover 81 1900. which it is possible was not
collected owilng to the many changes
which were made in the assessment books
and of which no record was made. Ex-
Registrar Hea1y declares that if 1t can be
shown him that through carelessneSS or
mismanagemefft the city lost $4,000 during
settlement. Mr.. Healy's position in the
matter is responsible for the hesitation of
the officials to proceed against him..
f