Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-23
$4,000 BILL OF
AUDITORS JARS
COUNTY BOARD
Row Brewing Among Freehold
ers Over Unexpected Big
Charge.
FINANCE COMMITTEE
GETS A RUDE SHOCK
Original Appropriation for the
Book Experts Was
$4,000.

A row IS brewing IN lie finance
committee of the Board Of Free
holders over bills for ss0o1 submitted
by the three experts gho spent sew
eral months prior TO The last election
in survey and audit Of the county
books. The row may come at the
meeting of the finance committee this
afternoon, but 1t is more than likely
that It will be postponed until later
date, as the clashing forces are not
sure of their line-ups as yet.
Frank G. Dubois, of Newark;
Leonard H. Conant. of East Orange,
and W. Foster Oakes, of Essex Fells,
were the three auditors appointed
early last summer by Director Wal
ter A. Evans, of the board. after that
body had passed a resolution au-
thorizing the audit and survey and
empowering the director to appoint
the experts.
AT the same time a resolution ap-
propriating $1,000 was made to cover
the expense of the survey and audit,
1t being tacitly, at least understood
that the cost of the audit would not
exceed this figure. The three experts
finished their work shortly before the
November election. and since that
time bills amounting to about $50
have been turned in by the three men
who have made charge of s25 a day
for every day they put in on the
examination of the county books.
Just how these bills are divided
could not be learned today, as inquiry
for them at the county auditors
office revealed the fact that the bills
were not in the office. AS far as
known at the auditors office, the bills
are in possession of Amos W. Har-
rison, chairman of the finance COM
mittee. AS one of the attaches of the
office expressed 1t, 1.-The bills are
either in Uncle Amos's' pocket or on
his safe at Livingston. They are not
in the Office"
Original Appropriation Paid.
In the meantime the original appro-
priation Of $1,000 has been paid to the
three experts, and they now seek
So, ,0QQ additional. The original reso-
ltioii authorizing the audit does not
specify any amount that was to have
been paid for it. but it was the gen
eral understanding among those who
were familiar with the appointment
of the experts that the IS 600 appro-
priation was meant to cover the en-
tire cost Of the audit and survey.
No one in the auditors Office today
seemed to know whether a final re-
port had been submitted by the three
experts or not. Shortly before last
election day the experts made a re-
port on the financial condition Of the
county's books, stating that they
were found correct.
But statement containing recon-
mendations as to changes in the sys-
tenn of keeping the county books,
which, it was supposed, would be
made by the experts. has not been
forthcoming. 1t is understood that
the experts themselves cannot agree
on the recommendations to be made,
and that a minority and majority
report has been prepared, neither of
which has yet been officially handed
in to the finance committee. 1t is
understood the reports are being held
back to give the experts a chance
to get together on their recommen-
dat.ons.
But the bills for 5000 for doing
the work have been presented and
the experts are looking for their
money, while the finance committee
members are drawing lines for fight
against the payment of the bills.
Freeholder Fred II. Steck, the Demo-
cratic member of the finance COM
mittee, is known to be opposed TO
the payment of any money to the ex-
perts otherwise than the $1,000 orig
lnally appropriated. Freeholder Rich
ard F. Malta has declared himself
against a payment of more than
$1,000 for the work.
William Cardwell and Mr.. Harri-
son, the other members of the finance
committee, could not be reached to-
day to learn how they stood on the
proposition. In any event the finance
committee has a fight on its hands,
as several of the members are averse
to handing out an additional $1,000
to the experts, and the experts are
equally averse to having the $4,000
cut from their bills.