New-York tribune., 1901-12-20
CITY ROBBED OF BIG SUN
BRANCH OF COLER' S DEPART
iNENT LOSES $4,000.
CLERK EMPLOYED THERE FOR TWENTY
FOUR YEARS ARRESTED ON SPE-
CIFIC CHARGE OF LARCENY.


CIFIC CHARGE OF LARCENY.
Charles P Chipp formerly a bookkeeper en-
ployed In the office of the Collector of Assess
ments and Arrears, branch of the Controllers
Office was arrested yesterday and charged with
the larceny of $211 10. This is but a specific
charge, It being alleged that his peculations
amount in the aggregate to 100000, and posi-
bly, much more The arrest made by De-
tective Rynders of the District Attorneys office,
VINO held warrant issued by Magistrate Brann
in the Centre-st police court
Chfpp is hfty-nine years old, and at Police
Headquarters where he was taken, said he lived
at No % West One-hundred- -and-twenty-
eighth-st He has been an employe of the Con-
troers office for many years.
The investigation by Mr.. Slattery produced
such results that yesterday he laid before
Magistrate Brann an affidavit TO the effect that
Chimp had stolen $4,000 from the city. The
complaint was drawn on a specific charge Of the
larceny Of S271 -. This amount was the
equivalent of a check left at the office of the
Collector of Assessments and Arrears in pay
nent OF taxes and interest by Marian j. MINIS
on November II, 1898.
1t is alleged that the check was received by
the interest clerk and the proper entries made
by him giving Marian J. Mills credit for paying
bpr tax interest
passed on TO the cashier. In some manner and
at a time not stated by the affidavit. Chtpp 1t
is alleged. entered the check the cashiers
hooks and then extracted $271 -. the amount Of
tho check from the large amount of money that
IS kept in the office. He manipulated the books
in such a way that they balanced perfectly at
the end of the day. His long service in the
office had made him familiar with the intricate
business methods there in vogue. An interest
clerk and cashier are the two principal employees
in the office and 1t is supposed that Chipp op-
Grated on the accounts in the absence of one
or both of them.
At Chpp's home last night Mrs. Chipp was
awaiting the return of her husband, who she
said had left in the afternoon with three men.
! When TOLD that her husband had been placed
under arrest she seemed greatly worried. She
said that her husband had been employed in the
| Controllers office for twenty-four years Mrs.
| Chipp said that her husband had some trouble
In the office last March and was then dismissed.
Since then he had had regular employment
The three men called about o'clock, and her
husband went away with them. When leaving
ne said that he would soon return or she would
hear from him. So far she knew he did not
speculate in Wall Street or gamble on the races.
| The apartment occupied by the Cnlpps is nand-
son1elv furnished. The couple lived alone their
only child son. who was physician dying
a few years ago. Chipp a member of the
Tammany Hall General Committee of the
NNXIst Assembly District
COLER MAKES STATEMENT.
Controller CoIer was at the Waldorf-Astoria
with Edward A Slattery, Deputy Collector of
Assessments and Arrears. Slattery was in
formed that Captain Titus would like TO see
him. and both he and Mr.. Coler Went to Titus's
bureau. Chipp made a statement in the pres
ence of all three which not given out The
Controller said afterward:
Chipp was attached TO the Bureau for the Col
lection of Assessments and Arrears in the Depart
ment of Finance. and resigned his position about
nine months ago HIS ] rs Tf;es IN fhe
accounts Of that bureau As result OF this discov-
charge of said bureau to make searching investi-
CATION of the collections Of taxes dnTng the aS @
amounts credited on the official tax rolls were
This examination involved the careful searching
of ali rolls for the years 1Sl 10 1899 and embracing
soHerfng Two more than two million entries The
that this n Work G could
only be done night and on holidays, and it re
results which led up to Chipp's arrest
The result of the examination Just concluded d. has
payments have been credited upon the tax rolls of
fne Gny Gf Of this 500 less than s2o was cred
tied upon the tax rolls during Mr. Coler's term.
and the balance thereof credited during the years
1894 to 1897 inclusive.
Deputy Collector Slattery. in talking of the
case said tnat Chipp appointed by Mayor
Cooper and that he had been more than twenty
years in the Office.
In February last Phineas c. Kfngsland, a
searcher. in looking over the papers of certain
piece of property, noticed that the taxes were
marked Paid" but later noticed the paid
erased He told Slattery. the latter says. and
Slattery says he promised to investigate. Chpp.
according to SIattery. was approached by Kings
land who taxed him with the erasure, and
Slattery says Chipp admitted getting S2I1 40
from the taxes on the property. The Deputy
Collector says Chipp admitted it to him. also
That night SIattery says he went over the books
and found five other erasures, amounting 70
ST 600 kept back. He says Mrs. Chlpp MADE
the amount good and Chipp resigned.
Denuty Collector Slattery says Chipp received
m. check for the Kingsland taxes and entered
the amount on the bank deposit slip putting the
check in the cash drawer and drawing out that
amount but falling to enter 1t in the cash book OK
He said Chipp was two bonds. one for $4,000
ard tbe other for $4,000. He had been under
surveillance since February Mr.. Slattery said
without knowing IT. Il 80 -, -,
| the Deputy Collector ana captain Illus tiat lie
| has lost money the races
rp urIr RESITMED ON THE LEHIGH VALLEY
| RAILROAD