New-York tribune., 1910-04-22
NEW GRAFT TRAIL FOUND
Dock Department Inquiry Dis
closes BIG Discrepancies.
FORMER EMPLOYE MISSING
Records Said to Show He Re-
tanned About $4,000 a Year
of Wharfage Fees.


As the first result OF the uncovering by
commissioner OF Accounts Fosdick of what
seems 10 have been some splendid nelds of
gran in the Department OF Docks and
Ferries. = warrant Is out for the arrest Of
John J. Csudwen a former dockmaster.
on the charge OF grand larceny.
The police have been unable 10 serve the
warrant which Mayor Gaynor exercising
ms preroCstive as 8 magistrate. issued on
"Wednesday night. II il said that Cauld
well who resigned on April Is. when he
heard he was under investigation. drew out
. large amount OF money from the Flat
bush Trust Company and left town His
home Is at No. l54 Ciarkson street Brook
lyn. He was stationed at the NsIlabout
Basin.
According 10 Commissioner Fosdick. the
investigation or Cauldweli's records Tor the
last two wears shows that he retained at
least one-third Of the moneys collected by
him as wharfage The money so retained
is estimated a. about $4,000 a year. and
The Commissioner says that what the city
lost in the other five years that Cauldwell
was in the department is a matter Of con
lecture only.
There is a strong suspicion in the minds
OF those familiar with the case that some
one else in the department knew about
osuldWeIrs alleged scheme and shared in
the division.
Other Graft at the Docks.
Another prolific source OF graft unesrthed
BY Commissioner OF Accounts Fosdick is
the eNtortion II money by certain dock
masters for good berths al city piers. II
hsd long heen q matter OF common knoWl-
edCe among shipping interests. Commis
Siorer Fosdick learned. that in order TO be
sure OF good berths At just the time they
were needed il was necessary TO fee the
docknasters. He has been told that Ger
tsir boat owners found II to their sdran-
tsge TO pay regular grstuities TO the dock
master where they berthed Formerly
these russping dockmssters, il was said,
were so brazen IN their demands that they
used TO call out from the end OF the piers
10 incoming captains and ask how much
there Was in II 10 ALLOW the boat dock
~ once More recently the dockmasters
had been little more careful. and con-
Quoted their negotiations in an undertone
IN secluded place.
Boat owners who would not give up
said that after finally getting a berth they
would find themselves subjected 10 all sorts
Of annoyances. Their lines would he cut
and thieves would break into their boats
and carry of property. The result was
thar boat owners found it necessary TO
keep tipping" certain dockmasters.
Criminal Action Planned.
The Dock Commissioner has the names
OF 2 number Of men who are charged with
Demanding or accepting tips. and the mat
ter will be taken before the District At
torney.
The city charter specifically makes il a
rnisdemean0r for dockmasters 10 receive
any tips of valuable consideration. and
they are supposed TO turn into the cashier
of the Dock Department the regular wharf
ace fees al the end Of each DAY. To accept
any such ernolument makes a dockmaster
subject TO a fine of 500 and possibly SEN
tence Of thirty DAYS in jail
According 20 system i'm use in the Dock
Department for some time the doclmaster
g. receiving wharfage fees was supposed 70
runcb = trlplicate ticket with the date and
amount received The third folder was
handed 10 the owner Of the boat as re
rcipt. tho second folder was retained by the
dcckmaster record and the first folder
uss forwarded 10 the department as
voucher In addition the dockmasters have
been supposed TO keep time book, in
which they kept record Of the various
hoats occupying their docks. These books
ore turned in AT the end of each month. 20
he checked up with the vouchers.
Found Many Discrepancies.
By comparing them with the receipts OF
host owners who had paid money 20 Cauld-
well The Commissioner Of Accounts says he
found discrepancies OF a remarkable nature.
Ills report SAYS:
In very few cases did the first and third
Iolders OF the triplicate tickets agree, and
81. IS quite evident that they were punched
81 different times. In other words, the
amounts Of money which appeared upon
the receipts held by the owners of the
boais were far in excess Of the amounts
which were turned into the cashiers Office
bv the dockmsster, and in many cases
fictitious names of boats were entered upon
tne vouchers sent forward 10 the depart
rffent. The following schedule illustrates In
those cases where were able 10 obtain
ne owners receipts the difference between
she amount of money collected for wharf
age rates and the amount turned over TO
the cashier OF the department
Amount
turned