New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-11
GLYNN DISSATISFIED.
FINISHES An INQUIRY.
Says Record Of Handling Tar
Stamps Vas Inadequate.
GBy Telegraph to The Tribune.I

Albany, Feb. 10-ContToller Glynn made pub
sc a statement tonight declaring that from the
time of the first issue of stock transfer stamps
millions Of dollars worth Of them had been
handled without adequate record of supervision
Stamps representing more than five million
dollars Of the first issue, discontinued because
they were being counterfeited and brokers'
clerks were washing them, were said to have
been destroyed in process Of manufacture or
by burning yet there was only the word of
clerk with a salary of $4,000 year, who
not even under bond, TO prove the truth Of the
record of their destruction.
From the time the stock stamp act was
passed until Controller Glynn took Office this
clerk Charles N. Watkins, had absolute charge
Of these stamps. as easily convertible into cash
as postage stamps. Under Controller Kelsey.
who appointed him, and Controller Wilson, after
Mr.. Kelsey was made Insurance Superintendent,
Mr. Watkins had stamps printed, issued, stored
and destroyed, absolutely without check super
vision or complete record. according TO Glynn.
These stamps are practically cash" declared
Mr. Glynn, land feel 1t my duty myself to
let the people of this state know the facts. If it
should turn out that any of these stamps have
escaped from the custody Of the Controllers de-
psrtment, my skirts clear. The United
States government doesn't handle its stamps or
money after the fashion which appears to have
the state want theirs handled in that way"
When the Stock Stamp act was passed in 1905
Controller Kelsey put Mr.. Watkins in charge Of
the stock stamp bureau, with the tile of chief
clerk. This place he retained when Mr.. Kelsey
was succeeded by Mr.. Wilson. and went out of
Office only when Mr.. Glynn appointed Demo
crat. On taking Office, Controller Glynn started
TO check up accounts in all the bureaus. Grave
discrepancies. as he thought were disclosed, and
he asked the Civil Service Commission to detail
an expert accountant. John HouTigan, sent for
this work. found stamps and printing paper on
hand amounting about 100000 but some
$5000.00O worth missing, accounted for on the
ground that the stamps had been destroyed.
Then he began his investigation
THE FIRST ISSUE RECALLED.
The issuing Of STAMPS began IN June, 1909
In May or June, 1906 the first issue was re-
called, and the printing OF a new issue on patent
paper begun. Between the date of first issu-
ance and December %. 1906, when Mr.. Glynn
took Office stamps worth $5011 600 were sup
posed TO have been destroyed. Two lots were
reported actually burned, one of S174,O00, an
other Of Sc, 2S3 607 20. Still other lots de.
stroyed while being manufactured because Of
defects in one or two stamps IN each plate.
These amounted to 1893, 042 go. The rest Of the
S5O00000 worth accounted for only on the
ground that the stamps had been destroyed dur
ing manufacture, to be replaced by the new
issue.
These stamps were printed by Quaye & Son,
in Green street. this city The plates were kept
by Mr.. Watkins and were delivered to the print
ers each working day. Oliver Quayle said to-
night that there never was particle Of work
performed save when the representative Of the
Controller there, and that his directions were
followed infinitely. He would make other
comment the affair.
or the first ISSUE, stamps valued at 81, 5G1 COS
were destroyed at some process Of manufacture.
About October l. 1905, stamps valued at $1I40O0
We're received as good, were sealed up and stored
but later these stamps We're destroyed The !
statement was made that theseswere replaced as (
not having been up TO the printers standard,
when I saw Watkins here" said Nj Glynn /
tonight, he told that in October he took !
all that remained Of the old issue Of stamps /
down to Quaye's shop. in Green street boxed /
them up. and they remained there without /!
guard or Waterman for at least one night /
There were over two million in this lot, S125S, +.
211 ~ returned from the Bank Of Manhattan
Company and S1O27 1896 never issued. I do not /.
know how long they remained at Quayle's but /
Watkins says they Were brought back to the /
State House here some time. and on December |
20 were burned without counting, checking UP |
or any witness Of any sort save Frank D. Lee /
sponsbe for their care. Quayle has told me |
that ne urged the former Controller to get |
Waterman for them, but nothing ever was done |
about it. Watkins says he worried about this, |
and once slept I'm the shop for a week.
4 asked Watkins if he didn't think it would /
have been better. if only for his protection. !
10 have deferred the destruction of this great /
amount of stamps until the new controller could /
at least have verified his count. He said he |
had never thought OF that And he offered me
e bond of 81 for every dollars worth of stamps |
that was found to have gone astray. I called |
al 70 he rr hat hOT7d mil
total S25,oO0O00. He admitted that the sys-
TEN was lax. but contended that it all |
right If you knew your man
ORDINARY LOCK ON DOOR
"The paper on which the first issue Of stamps
printed was commercial stock, such as ordi-
narily would be used for this purpose 1t was
stored in Quayle's shop in ordinary ROOM
with just ordinary lock on the door. The
sheets were counted out before printing, but
there was nothing TO prevent anybody stealing
all the paper he wanted. In fact the count OF
sheets did not tally, I found, and the expIana-
ton was made that some Of the paper was used
for other purposes.
Under the original contract the printer was
TO supply the paper. No stamps were printed
after December l. but there was new contract
made on December 81, containing no provisions
on the subject of who was to pay for the paper
i ne printer says there a verbal contract !
with the Controller by which the state was to !
pay for the paper, and the last two bills sbov,
that the Controller bought the paper and the
state paid for IL. The prices under the new CON !
tract are three times what they were before
When the new patent paper came" continued |
Mr. Glynn, 1T was not handled bit more care
fully than the other 1t was left down IN
Quayles shop just the same and the Co. |
trollers seal with which the packages Of stamps