The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-19
VOUCHER, SAYS HOWELL
MORE PUZZLE ABOUT POLICE con-
TINGENT FUND DEFICIT.
MIR. GrOut Doesn't Like Being Used as Part
OF MIR. HOweiIs Explanati0n-If Police
Headquarters Had the Voucher I'm
Question, q en-. bingham Hasn't Seen IL.

hAeN NN'' -
Question, q en. Bingham Hasn't Seen IL
Commissioner Bingham's letter to the
Mayor showing a deficit in the police con.
tingent fund for 1905 of so 1897 and 81 ,44t
due the department from Mr.. McAdoo's
secretary, Howell, as part of the same
fund for 1904, may result in an overhaulinQ
OF the vouchers in the Comptroller's office
deposited there to show what the money
was spent for by the vice squad and other
persons employed by the department to do
secret service and paid through Mr.. Howell.
The statement made by Mr.. Howell,
implying that the 81 ,448 had been spent
and accounted for through an arrange
ment between Comptroller Grout and Mr..
McAdoo, led to a sharp reply from Mr..
Circuit yesterday.
Il don't know anything about this par
ticular item said Mr.. circuit, and neither
do l know much about lots of other ex-
penditures OF this nature. except that l de-
manded and did get vouchers pretending
to show how the money was spent. The
question is, what good are such vouchers2
1t Is absolutely impossible for the city to
verify them. They are entirely different
from the other vouchers the Finance De-
Dartment receives.
"The statement made by Mr.. Howell
that / knew all about this, because l had
the vouchers locked up in my safe, is alb
solutely rranted. 1t seems to imply
that / was a a rty to a practice that | had
been fighting for year ~. Three years ago
when ! discovered the cha ra cter of the
bills turned in by the Police Depa rtment,
purporting to show how money had been
spent by detectives in illegal resorts to
get evidence, l took the matter into court.
| did that because l thought then, as
believe now, that this sort Of thing is alb
s~olutely wrong morally, and, besides, the
city never can have an adequate check on
such expenditures.
Il was beaten in the courts, but | then
and there informed the Police Department
and Mr.. Jerome that l would not give them
money for such purposes unless | received
the bills and original vouchers. :
Before that we hadn't even got them.
They protested and said that the vouchers
would go through the Finance Department
and that the names would become known
and the purpose of such secret work frus-
trated. I told them that that didn't mat
ter, that | must have vouchers but that l
would lock them up in q safe instead of
filing them like other documents. Those
are the vouchers Mr.. Howell probably re-
feps to
AS Mr.. Grout explained Yesterday, the
Finance Department gives the Police De-
partment $40. 900 at a time out Of that part
Of it's appropriation which is charged to
the contingent fund. This money the
Police Department deposits and draws
for another similar amount. What Mr..
Grout insisted or was that before another
$4,000 was paid over vouchers must be
presented showing that the first $4,000 had
been BEEN spent }bs i and 81, how Win. 4; As . will be re en- a
into the hundreds.
Mr.. Howell said yesterday that he had
the voucher given for the s1,446. when he
received it, to disburse through the secret
channels. The voucher, he said. was sworn
McAdoo and jeremiah Bacon, then auditor.
1t had been in the possession of the Police
up to a week ago, when he
1t from the police bookkeeper,
who asked him about a difference of SIS
in the amount on the books and the amount
in the voucher. Mr.. Howell said that he
was now keeping the voucher to show Mr..
McAdoo when he gets back from Atlantic
City.
This voucher" said Mr.. Howell, ais for
seems to think I owe the department, As
/ matter Of fact i understand a check was
Ira VT TO pay this deficiency out of present
'unds but the Commissioner concluded
not to sign IT,. There must have been
money. therefore, to make it up"
Mr.. Howell said that a deficiency in the
contingent fund could be met out Of the
OF another year.
Commissioner Bingham. so it was said
yesterday, has never seen any voucher
o explain the transaction, despite Mr..
iowell's statement. 1t was said that the
natter had beer unea rthed on the hooks
without any voucher explaining it and that
I was that which led Commissioner Ring
IAN to mention it as money apparently
WED to the city by Mr.. Howell. II was also
earned that Charles Colt, the bookkeeperof
he department, three days ago received
yord from MI. Howell that he would zee
the matter was "straightened out"
is all the information that had come
rom Mr.. Howell so far, it was said.
Mr.. McAdoo declined yesterday at Atlantic
lily to make any verbal statement. He
minated, however, that he would make a
one.