New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-26
VEIL TORN OFF S P. CA.
ITS SECRETS Laid BARE.
Expert Report Shoes accounts in
Badly Jumbled State.

present
at a meeting
Ihls move to give publicity 70 the society's
affairs was forced upon Haines and his sup
porters at the adjourned meeting OF members
held yesterday afternoon, and was an impor-
tant victory for the reform movement within
the Society for the Prevention OF Cruelty to
Animals
There were present about sixty members, OF
whom about half We're women and the meeting
proved to be the most revolutionary in the his
tory Of the society
Frederic r. Coudert presided. but Mr. Haines,
VINO sat at his side, practically guided the pro-
ceedings. He was kept busy throughout, writ
ing notes on pad and sending them TO his sup
pOrters
He listened with apparent Indifference to the
reading Of the auditing committees report and
the report Of Hasbns & Sells. the expert ao-
coHhlanJs' who went over the society's accounts
ana discovered some startling Inconsistencies.
AT one time when his advice on a point was
asked he said, Il didn't follow the argument"
but when Colonel Joel B. Erhardt who is a
member Of the board Of managers, accused him
Of Withholding the treasurer's report and Of un-
truthfully telling Colonel Erhardt that he had
not seen it. Mr. Haines arose and defended him
self. accusing the colonel in turn Of saying
things at variance with the truth.
SALE OF BUILDING RECOMMENDED.
Colonel Erhardt followed his arralgnment OF
the president with a resolution recommending 10
the board OF managers the sale of the society
building at Madison-ave. and 26th-st. The reso-
luton was defeated by a vote Of 81 to %.
A motion made by FaneUil D. S Bethune to
ask Mayor Mcclellan TO appoint a committee OF
three eminent men to make searching investi-
cation Of the affairs Of the society was also de-
feated by Mr.. Hainess supporters.
Probably the severest blow struck yesterday
at the Haines administration was the adoption
Of the report Of accountants 1t was the more
forcibIe in that the latter. who disclose the de-
Iberate bolstering OF the assets Of the society.
are not members. and consequently entirely dis
Interested I'm the reform movement.
Gordon Knox Bell and John H Iselin, the
auditing committee, in adopting the report OF
the accountants and recommending it TO the
board Of managers. said:
We make this recommendation urgently"
not only because we believe the suggestions are
sound, and because we know that the carrying
out by other benehCeRt institutions or similar
suggestions enauattng from the same sources
has proved Of great value TO those institutions,
but also because we are convinced that, unless
such course be taken, our society cannot deserve
the confidence Of the public or command the
wide and hearty support 10 which It's noble pur-
poses are entitled
The accountants begin their report by saying
that il w-s impossible TO obtain and report an
analysis Of expense and income for two rsa-
sons. which are;
Firsg-The accounts of the society are not
organized and classified for the purpose Of OBJ
tanning administrative results.
Second-The accounts do not reflect the ex-
penses incurred. and the income accruing to the
society for particular period. They are based
on the amount Of cash dsbursed without ref
erence 10 the application Of the expenditure to
the period for which the expenses were in
CURED.
Haskins s. Sells reported that in fact the con-
dition of the accounts necessitated a rewriting
Of the books
BANK BOOKS NOT BALANCED.
1t was also found that the bank books OF the
society had not been balanced and that il was
not the practice to take inventories either Of
furnishings. equipment or Of supplies
Again the accounts representing restricted
requests and other funds were not in every
case found TO accord with the terms and con-
ditlons Of the bequest. For example. the Fogg
fund Of $1,000 had been enormously written
Off the books and the Hammand fund. which
had been applied in taking up the mortgage on
headquarters. has been enormously increased
each year by the amount Of the accredited in
come ON this fund.
AT another place in the tangled accounts OF the
society there appeared this glaring example Of
high finance.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals has been carrying its books bond
Of the Central Loan and Land Company Of
Kansas, valued at 50 500 II liquidation the re-
ceiver paid the society S2.1OO, which represented
a shrinkage Of S7OO This S2,1OO. instead of be
ing treated a reduction of the asset was
enormously treated as income
c--,y-r- ,rr3r- III
The society has three hundred shares OF Con-
soldeted Gas stock, scheduled worth $780,
81 IS. "far above the market price" say the
accountants. They worth only $4,000" It
is recommended that the difference, S11.O71 SIS.
be written off and the surplus reduced by like
amount
The society owns building al No. 445
Broome-st.. valued at $4,000 II brought in an
income Of only 500 for the year Against this
the expense incurred was 81. .261 a.
The accountants recommend a thorough re-
vision Of the system Of the expense and income
accounts.
The meeting had been in- progress about half
Al, hour before the press was invited to be pres
ent The usual arrangements for secrecy had
baan made Uniformed agents Of the society
stood by the elevator TO see that none but mem
hers were admitted The stairway, as usual.
was barred with an iron gate which was locked.
Two clerks stood in the hallway with list Of
members. whose names they checked OF they
went in Some Of these were Colonel Joel r.
Frhardt Leonard Z. Opdycke. Dewitt J. Sc
Ugman. General Rush c. Hawkins, Charles NJ.
Jesup. Commodore KIM. John H. Islin Herbert
/. SatterIee Mrs. Herbert l. Satterlee the Rev.
Dr. Percy S. Grant. Mrs. Cadwalader Jones and
Richard yelling.
After the adoption Of the auditing committees
report Rlchard yelling presented the report Of