New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-25
JEROME SEXES BOOKS.
AHE4RN INQUIRY NOPE.
District attorney Gets after City
Contracting Com panies.

| District Attorney Jerome's Office obtained pos
session yesterday Of books and papers from the
safes OF the Metropolitan Equipment and Supply
Company. OBrien Ryder and the Franklin Con-
! tracing Company. The first named company is
run by Max A. C-amer, who on the stand in
the Ahearn investigation yesterday. O'Brien s.
| Ryder is the firm which obtained thousands OF
dollars worth OF orders from the Borough Presi-
| dents office without public letting The Franklin
! Contracting Company has laid a large amount OF
wood block paving. The contents OF tho safe were
| needed by the Commissioners of Accounts in tho
| investigation OF the Borough Presidents Office
Men from the District Attorneys office took
| Cramer away from the investigation at the City
Hall yesterday and escorted him to the Criminal
| Courts Building. where he found the bookkeeper
from the office OF the Metropolitan company and
the entire contents OF the safe Of that company.
which has its office directly from Tammany
Hall The Franklin company has Offices at No. l
Hudson street. O'Bren & Ryder's office is at No.
lat Spring street
Assistant District Attorney smyth. after he had
carried on his Investigations OF the books said
the Metropolitan Equipment and Supply Company
did not own n thing in the of supplies. Mr.
SInyth said he had learned that the Metropolitan
company simply bought things for the city and its
profits were like commissions.
Henry Bruere. director OF the bureau OF munich
pal research connected with the Citizens Union
testified at the hearing yesterday that he had ex-
anined vouchers and bills from the bureau OF build
ngs. He said he had found many apparent vio-
lations Of the law. He referred particularly TO
four bills rendered by Michael H. Lynch Of No
40 Christopher street, for work the public baths
The acquisitions cover amount OF s2.76S for tho
four months.
This 10 be a clear case OF violation
said the witness, land in view OF the seeming
close relations obtaining between the Superintend
ent OF Public Buildings and Lynch. deserving OF
the closest scrutiny
Mr.. Bruero mentioned similar "apparanet viola
tions." as he termed them occurring In 1895 be-
tween a successor OF the Lynch firm and the same
bureau.
The witness showed. by means Of vouchers. requi-
sitons and bills. that the Metropolitan Supply and
Equipment Company furnished supplies TO the East
18th street, East 18th street and Allen public
baths and said that under the charter there should
have been public letting for them
DIR. William r. Patterson. an accountant said he
had examined all bureaus directly under President
Ahearn's supervision. except the Bureau OF Build
ings He also examined the systems OF account
keeping in the administration office OF the Borough
President and in the Bureau of Public Works
Il found in my Investigations" he said that
work was being duplicated and redupcated on all
hands"
For instance?" asked Commissioner Mitchell
Well was the reply. Il looked into the account
keeping In the Bureau OF Sewers, Highways. Public
Buildings. the Borough Presidents Office and the
office OF the Commissioner Of Public Works, and
found marked Implications. Records dupli-
Gated for which Sould see no need at al
found two more records. a miscellaneous record and
contract record. in which could find no accurate
distinction | unable TO find any difference In
the two. Sewer contract entries made in both.
found. therefore. that contracts entered five
times and vouchers four times.
What Is the result OF the present systemG'
asked
More employees than are really necessary" re-
piled the witness.
DR. Patterson said no believed that. in a general
way, the system of account keeping in the l3Or-
ough Presidents office halted the proper adminis-
tration of the city's affairs.
Elsewhere In these departments" he continued,
IT found nothing to show that the cost of various
articles was justified, or that the appropriations
had been wholly speIr- Many changes In vouchers
made in the Controllers office are not recorded In
the books Of the bureaus which / investigated.
The books in the office OF the Commissioner of
Public Works found to be fairly accurate but
there the bookkeeper had trouble in obtaining
records of voucher changes and he Informed me
he could not be sure his books were accurate"
Max A. Cramer denied John C. Kehoe's testimony
given before the Commissioners Thursday that
all of his orders had from Ward. Cramer
showed letter purporting to come from Kehoe
the effect that the latter ordered by the former
to do some work Cramer said he had paid all of
Kehoe's bills. Kehoe testified that bills still
unpaid from last year, and that he had had no
money from Cralper in long time, and that re-
Gently he, kehoe. has been sending his bills for
work down TO the bureau OF public buildings and
off,