New-York tribune., 1909-03-05
BIG GARBAGE SWINDLE
COMMISSIONER EDWARDS
CAUSES AN 4RREST.
Inspector Charged Nth Larceny for
Crediting Loads NeUer DeLiU-
cred at the Dump.

One arrest was made late last night in the
District Attorneys Office as the first step in un-
covering graft which Street Cleaning Commls-
sioner Edwards says Will surpass the snow re
moval graft which he uncovered recently BY
the alleged fraudulent reports Of carloads OF
garbage unloaded at the Canal street dump the
Commissioner says that the city has been de-
frauded of many thousands of dollars monthly
In the affidavit Of Harry Miller. who was Office
manager for Brown d Fleming. the garbage re
rnoval contractors. one Of the receivers OF that
company Russell c Veit is implicated in the al
legged frauds. The company went Into the hands
of receivers in December. 1907. Two Of these.
Russell c. Veit and John Forester, are men
toned in the af1davits The prisoner. Ralph
viccaro, of No 247 West 111th street was dump
inspector at Canal street. with salary of $500
a year He is accused Of grand larceny in the
second degree.
In his affidavit Miller says that in June 1908.
veit told him that the inspector would make
false reports Of the number Of loads dumped,
crediting the company with number in excess
Of the actual number. He swears that Veit
said that Frederick A Richards, 2 in
spector. would transmit weekly memorandum
showing the difference between the loads actu-
ally delivered and those credited on the tally
sheet and that Miller then TO draw a check
for a sum equal TO 20 cents for each load falsely
credited getting the signature of the receiver.
and then cash ii. giving the money 10 Richards.
Veit he says. told him that Niccaro was TO get
this money. He says that through June July
August September and part OF October he gave
this money Richards.
Commissioner Edwards, with Deputy Com
missioner Hogan. spent most Of yesterday in the
District Attorneys office. The Commissioner
said he first learned of the alleged graft through
a college friend who had been with him at
g
had been cheated out Of large amounts ana
that he had evidence TO show that on one oc-
cssion while only two hundred loads OF garbage
had been dumped. the city had had to pay Tor
Just twice that number
When his office in the Park Row Building
closed Yesterday the Commissioner telephoned
to Commissioner Bingham, and an officer was
sent to the Park Row Building from the fth
Precinct He was ordered 10 guard all the rec
ords in the office and allow one near therh
II don't trust anybody" Edwards SAID "hen
he was asked the meaning Of this
At this one dump alone Edwards said that the
evcess charges paid by the city has amounted 10
81 200 month II the alleged graft was car
ried on TO a similar extent at all the dumps used
by the city. the amount Of the swindle Woulu pe
more than half a million dollars year Inc
Commissioner. however, says that he has no
evidence that any such false statements nave
been turned In from any oJner Dump
Viccaro has been at the Canal street dump lor
nine months When the information now IN
nossession Of the Commissioner reached him ne
saws he at once took possession of the vouchers
and tally sheets of the company. In one OF the
books he says he found items under Current
Expense which would explain the dlHerehce
between the 30 cents load paid for two nom
existent loads and the 20 cents a load alleged to
have been turned back to Viccaro. Two hun
dred loads at 90 cents, $40 were shown, he
savs on the tally sheets. The books, he alleges,
showed that $40 had been entered as current
exnense" and given to "a certain man."
Russell c. Veit is the of Robert c. Veit
of the Standard OIL Company. 1t is said that
he sailed for Europe few days ago
Two checkers working in eight-hour shlIts,
the affidavit says. kept track of the loads ana
on July 16 II and IS. 1908. reported 10 Miller
the number Of loads dumped on those days
amounting to 236 loads, and that on July -
Viccaro certified there were dumped +oo ios otsn
and that al about the same time RchaTu sa
him TIiller) a memorandum showing the III III
ference between the actual ana IePoI IePy .L,s Iif
her of loads and that after estimating NiII Inad
ference at 30 cents load he got ciech' cII the
Inv the receivers for S124 cashed H. pidIeuI p,Ird
money In an envelope and gave II 10 FiGn" Iyf. "'
arcordinc 10 the alleged instructions OL tha
Magistrate Corrigan was . suIiiiII as Miller
District Attorneys office, and as SOIL ntd t The
1te.,ed the afldavit Viccaro was afIesteuIp +hs
INVESTIGATION will he continued ~ bav-
a..ts,ae ~ the District Attorney stdll nc Ias.
ing heen sent out with sheaVes u sU''
nj