The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1904-04-27
JUDGE SHlPMAN'S
REPORT.

JUDGE SHlPMAN'S
REPORT.
In the Matter OF the Investiga.
ton OF the Affairs of Hunter
don County as Provided by
Statute on Petition by Aihda-
Wits.
To the Honorable Francis J. Swayze, Justice
OF the Supreme Court of the State OF New
Jersey:
Pursuant to your Honor's order of the TWEEN.
ty-tlrst day of September, Nineteen Hundred
and Three. which IS as follows;
In the Matter of the Summary
Investigation OF the Affairs Order
Of the County OF iun'erdon, Appointing
New Jersey. Expert
Twenty-Five ireeholderS of the County OF
Hunterdou in SAID State, having presented to
me a petition on affidavit sworn TO and sub
scribed by themselves and setting forth that
they trechoders OF said county and had
paid taxes real estate within one year, and
that they had cause to believe that the moneys
OF the said County of Hunterdon were beng
and had been unlawtully and cofrupty eN
pended; and ten days notice TO the Collector
oil the County and 10 the Clerk and Director
OF the BOARD OF Chosen Freeholders OF said
making summary investigation OF the affairs
of said county by force of the statute in such
case made and provided;
do hereby appoint Hon. George NJ. Ship
man of the town OF Belvidere, i'll the County
Of Warren, expert to prosecute SAID invesu-
CATION.
do further order that SAID investigation be
made at Tie Court House m Pennington, III
,Sid County OF Huuterdon, and shall extend
over period OF not more than five years
prof To the date of this order. and shall be
L.
sci Tor the Chosen Freeholders and counsel
for said petitioners; and ii is further ordered
that such notice OF the hearings IN said mat
ter and fut the production of witnesses books
papers and vouchers shall be given counsel
the SAID expert shall direct
FRANCIS ]. SWANZE,
Justice OF supreme Court
Dated September p, 1908.
l. George NJ Sbipman. expert as aforesaid,
hereby report To your Honor that | have been
attended in said investigation by MeSSrs X
). kuhl and George h. Large. attorneys FOR
the petitioners. aud by Mr. Alex h. Nlitn
one OF the petitioners, and by Messrs Willard
{ Parker, Paul A. Queen and .. Z. Cham
berlin. attorneys Tor the Board OF Chosen
Freeholders. and respecting the affairs OF
said county fer a period OF hve years. TO wit
from the twentyf first day OF September, EiRh.
teen Hundred and Ninety eight, To the TWEEN
ty-hrst day OF September, Nineteen Hundred
and Three, ! have carefully examined the mat
tiers presented by them and have taken the ties
which testimony IS presented herewith and
~akes a part OF this my report. have also
examined the minutes OF the Board of Chosen
Isreeholders and the books of account and
vouchers of the county collector respecting the
receipts aud expenditures of moneys which
have been produced by the said petitioners.
COUNTY FINANCES.
First, will state that inasmueh as no oh
lection was raised to tho account OF the Coun-
" Collector relating 10 school moneys. and
tt1a not I'd hgtg ff1e utI
not take the receipts and disbursements OF
rat fund into account at all
| viii eonfne myself, therefore, 10 the appro
r=Fft IONS Ion county purposes and the
s4pt~ and disbursements affecting the
ltlcfe follows in the report itemized LIST
Vi receipts and expenditures during the five
yeats, which as omitted
From the foregoing tabulated statements
your Honor Will see that i'll the different years
they carried balances IN their different appro
priatious. These balances were not taken INTO
consideration at all in the next fiscal year bu,
used Tor general purposes without proper
action by the Board Tor that purpose FIRST had
Each wears tabulated statement will show IN
detail the different amounts OF the balance an
hand al the close of the fiscal year in the
cra appropriations.
SUDDEN DESTRUCTION FUND
From the financial statements of the county
for the five fiscal years as published each year,
have gathered together and herewith present
the Sudden Destruction Fund. that fund
rsos1soo
Borrowed on Sudden Destruction
Notes .----...-. ...--.--..........-.=s 1000 90
Amount expended ................... 2.5si o.
Balance unexpendcd .............-- SIS 10
The above balance of sudden destruction
money was. without authority OF any descrp
ton, carried over to the next fiscal year as
part of the general balance and used iot
sudden destruction
poses, which in my opinion is unlawful II
therefore. does not appear further IN the sud
den destruction account.
1900 1000
Borrowed on Sudden Destruction
Note, Notes a... 5000 Ios 90
balance unexpended ............... Si,so4 50
The balance this wear was carried over to
sle next year as sudden destruction money.
iooorooI.
balance from last year. ..............s SI,sp4 50
borrowed on Sudden Destruction
Notes OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 5,loo "o
Total ..=-.... 5000 81
Amount expended ................s. s,tss 90
Balance unexpended ................ $r,7lt -
The balance this year was carried over to
hc next iseal year sudden destruction
money
borrowed on sudden Destruction
Notes ..-.....-.....s-.....- ........ 1870 90
Total .sf4,o36 so
Amount expended ......... $500. o,o23 Al
Balance unexpended ................ $500 %
The unexpended balance of ssoos.oo. iar
as the county statements as published show,
disappears and evidently made part and
used part of the general fund. This Is
a fact because the county statement shows that
The balance turned over to John T. Barber,
county collector. who took office at the begin,
nng Of the next fiscal year, to wit May 50,
1902. is $3.50 20, less amount than the une>
the fnacial statements OF the finance commit
zee as recorded in the minutes OF the Board
committee for the next fiscal year Minute
Book No. s, page 442, find the sudden de
.Iuction fund placed there at s3,22s-33. There
vas a disposition on the part OF the Board oi
rIeeholders, IT appears 10 me, TO use this
und for any purpose whatsoever In the
statement OF the finance committee referred 10
appears the following statement OF the funds,
~nch clearly proves my contention:
eaance in bank ,..................... $3.50 20
Less sinking fund ....,,.............. 1898 81
sudden Destruction balance 1900. $3,zzs 80
Ioo2-IQol
The county statement OF this fiscal year does
lot show any balance Of sudden destruction
trnd carried over and the statement OF that
iund would:
borrowed on Sudden Destruction
Notes ....-....... -.........,..$ii,7 100 90
Expended for Freeholders'
services ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. $t,7o6 %
Bridges Observation-Disclosures. Io,4s4 OK
Total expenditures .......--- r2,2sI o.
Amount expended in excess Of
amount borrowed ................. sssr OF
1903 IAN 1904.
Borrowed on Sudden Destruction
Expended for Freeholders
services ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. SOB 90
Expended for bridges ...... 2,67s 80
Total expenditures ........---- sara 80 /