New-York tribune., 1910-06-09
HELD ON CHARGE BY
COMMISSIONER FOSD|CK
Former Charities Clerk John ].
Macarthur Accused of
Misuse of Funds.
BLAME FOR BUREAU ALSO
Surprise Expressed in Report to-
Mayor That No Check Was
Kept on Accounts by the
Management.

charged with the Misrepresentation of
moneys paid by parents for the partial
support Of their children in charitable
institutions. John J. Macarthur. former
financial clerk of the cfildren's bureau of
the Department of Public Charities, was
arraigned in the Jefferson Market police
court yesterday Afternoon. He was held
in $4,000 bail
Commissioner Fosd;d1 of the Depart
ment of Accounts. who made the com
plant, alleged in report to the Mayor
that in the cases he had been able to ex-
anime Macarthur had turned in less
than 33 per cent of the money collected.
He added:
The total extent to which these defaca-
tions ran it is impossible to determine, 1t
is estimated that fifteen thousand receipts
were given out by Macarthur during his
incumbency as financial clerk In tins
period he turned into the city treasury ap-
proXimately $4,000 While an estimate on
this basis is by no means accurate, 1t af-
fords some idea of the possible scope of his
peculations-
According TO Commissioner Fosdick,
Macarthur was allowed not only to re-
ceive the cash and give receipts without
any serious attempt to check his work,
but was charged with the responsibility
of keeping the ledger and making the
daily returns to the superintendent Of
the bureau.
The fact that his detalcations eX-
tended over the three years of his in
cumbency. when the simplest kind of q
check would have discovered them"
reads the report. lis in itself severe
tion of the bureau"
Since 1902 parents of children commit
ted to charitable institutions have been
obliged to contribute TO their support in
such weekly or monthly sums. specified
IN advance, as could be afforded. Carbon
copies of the receipts given have served
as a cash book from which TO post the
ledger
Macarthur. whose home is at No. 1850
East 49th street, Brooklyn, was appoint
ed financial clerk in the children's bu-
reau in June. 1907. On January 21, 1910
his resignation was requested because of
drunkenness, according to Commissioner
Fosdick. AS is the rule in cases of reslg-
nation. the name was returned TO the
Civil Service lists, and on March p Mac
Arthur was appointed bookkeeper IN
the Fire Department. He held that place
at the time of his arrest. His accounts
there will be examined.
About May l Commissioner Drum
mond of the Department of Charities
called the attention Of the Commissioners
of Accounts to apparent discrepancies in
the cbildren's accounts. and an lnvesu-
CATION has been under way ever since
In regard 10 the results Commissioner
Fosdick's report to the Mayor says:
In order thoroughly to check his accounts
il was necessary TO secure from as LloiIS ~
of the parents as possibIe Lie r5onavs
contributed 20 the support of the chlldreIl en-
OF the thousands of receipts rendered IoI
rhis r,lrpose during his incumbency, we
e.sr17red 3SO extending from the beginning
10 the end Of his administration .-
OF these $50 receipts, 361 cases we're IouHo
where the original receipts did not agree ID ~
amount with the carbon copies IS CdSss
where the names of the parties paying M Mtne
money did not agree; IS cases WneIs T tllr
amounts of the original receipts had ne ne 81 81
heen Dosted in the ledger; 226 cases WIltie
tb. original receipts did not az ~
amount with the ledger entry. 90 casts
amount with the ledger entry; S8 cases ol
carbon copies for which no receipts WeIe
ever given OF the S2.1S6 30 represented Dy
a. eSo rereints which we were able to Sc
cure only S907 80. or less than 33 per cent
was turned into the city treasury.
The specific charge made in the COM
rlaint of Commissioner Fosdick is that
.,on December Il, 1903, Macarthur re-
oeived from one Michael O'Donnel, Of
No. 2O75 Arthur avenue. The Bronx, the
sum Of $50 in payment of the support OF
his three children who were i'll city in
stitutions. and that of this sum he
turned over $50 to the superintendent OF
Public Charities and misappropriated
500
In the police court Macarthur re
fused TO talk, and waived examination.