New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-10-15
MOVE TO GUST MCGUIRE.
Thompson Makes Charges
Against Deputy Register.
ACTION FOLLOWS REPORT
Fcsdick Investigation Said to
Have Revealed Lax Meth
DDS in Office.

Charges If tnefficiency and mismanage-
ment were made yesterday by Commission
er Thomson against William r. Mcclure.
Deputy Water Register in the BROOKLYN
office of the Department of Water Supply.
Gas and Electricity. They were brought
about bv a report of the conduct of the
BROOKLYN office, made to the Mayor by
Raymond B. Fosdick. Commissioner OF Ac-
counts. II was said that the conditions in
the office revealed in this report had good
deal to do with the resignation of Deputy
Commissioner Cozier last week.
The Investigation by Commissioner Eos
dick revealed, according to his report. in
Vulnerable errors in nearly ell Of the rec
ords examined. these errors including mis-
takes in computation involving apparent
financial loss to the city annually and re-
iectfng perfunctory performance of
duties by clerks and system of control
over the cash handled in the bureau of
such a loose nature as to enable a cashier
to appropriate public moneys to his own
use for a considerable period"
Speaking Of the cashier. the report SAYS:
Apparently in the early part OF 1908 he
began TO collect sums OF money and receipt
bills without recording the transactions in
any manner, thus diverting the money to
his own use
Both Deputy Cozier and Register Nc
CURE admitted that they knew of these
Irregularities" the report adds, practically
from the date of their first discovery, June
1908 II would appear, however that no
serious effort was made by either of them
to prevent a continuation of the practice,
the cashier remaining in his position until
dismissed in April 1905"
According to Commissioner F'osdiCk when
receipts were presented from time to time
for items that appeared to be unpaid the
cashier would acknowledge the payment
and say that he must have overlooked
entering it. He made good the money in
volved in each case.
The summary Of cash book receipts for
the Water Registers office, according to
the report, showed that the receipts for
1905 were S24 less than for 1907, and those
for 1909 were $3.50 less than for 1908. 1T
seems almost Incredible" says Commits
sioner Fosdick, that IN borough growing
as fast as Brooklyn there should be a
steady decrease in water tax receipts. 1t
is our opinion that a careful reinspection
OF the entire borough, together with the
proper recording of the findings by such
inspection, will show considerable increase
in the city's revenue from this particular
source"
Mr. MCGUIRE, when seen last night at his
home, No. g Woodland avenue. Rockville
Centre, said that he had no knowledge of
the nature OF the charges which had been
made. against him
Mr.. MCGUIRE said that there might have
been clerical errors in the department I'M
der his Jurisdiction. He said it was he who
discovered the Irregularities in the accounts
Of his cashier about eight months ago.
which resulted in the latter's dismissal.
These Irregularities amounted to about
Loco, and had since been made good, &C
cording 10 Mr.. Mcclure
William C. Cozier, ex-Deputy Water Com
missioner, denounced as absurd last night
the allegations made against his manage
restigators were going over the books in
ny Office" he said. they told me that
was straight The only fault
they had TO find was that number of
trivial errors. such as are usually made
by Soo-a-year clerks. had been found.
see Commissioner Fosdick says that the
water rates have decreased. AS a matter
Of fact they have increased almost s, 10000
within the time I was in office
Then. as u that story about the cashier
We were informed that a. few hundred dol
lars was missing which had been paid All
the bills were of the same date We held
the cashier until we had investigated every
case where water bills appeared as unpaid
on the books. but found no case beyond
those first brought to our attention After
the investigation we dismissed the cashier"