The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-23
$2,5s5,27o FOUND;
YES, AND BY The CITY
Prendergast, Digging in Musty
Ledgers, Uncovers Long
Lost Surplus.
GOES BACK TO TWEED DAYS
Big Steals Revealed in Build
ing Of the "Tweed'
Court House.
GOES BACK TO TWEED DAYS

The city OF New York has in its pock-
cts s2.535.270.s3 that II didn't know
about. or at least was not sure Of So
Comptroller Prendersast reports 70 the
Board Of Estimate. after blowing the dust
OF the musty books known as the ledeers
and analyxing the figures Of old transac-
uons, some forgotten. some not. dating
back as far as fifty years ago.
For long time there has been talk OF
peering into these volumes TO see lust
what they revealed and to clear the ac-
counts. but Mr.. Prendergast is the only
man who has kept at them TO the last
page.
Adding up the suipluses that bobbed
up here and there ne found the total to be
S3,s0S. 596.ss. against which stand deficits
of s1.271.32615. leaving the net surplus
S2,535,27OS3
or the deficit revealed by the investi-
CATION s10O.0s7 was in the fund set aside
for building the Tweed" Court House
IL represents money spent without au-
thorization. In excess Of county bonds is
sued for Court House construction Part
of the deficit. sl65.350, was due to the
failure Of the Marine National Bank. and
e7.49s.6l WAS due to the failure Of the
North River Bank, both these banks be-
Ing repositories Of city money. The Ma
rine Bank went UP part Of the con,mo-
ton attending the failure OF ex-President
Ulysses Grants flrm Grant 4 Ward, In
1854
Mr.. Prendergast says OF the Court
House deficit:
The examination indicates that It was
merely the amount expended from this
particular county bond fund IN excess OF
the proceeds OF the bonds issued. which
amounted To $3.sb3.o19.07. In addition to
this amount there was included in the
budget for several years appropriations
for the Court House aggregating sl,150.-
600. all OF which was expended.
in 1871 a subcommittee OF the Joint
investigating committee OF Supervisors
and associated citizens estimated the cost
OF buildings and furnishings OF the County
Court House up 10 that time at between
$1,000, 900 and $4,000, 900. These mon
eys were drawn from several funds OK
listing at the time without regard to tho
specific purpose Of the funds. The sub
committee also submitted an estimate of
the value OF the interior fittings and fur
niture Of the building, as compared with
the cost which gave the cost AS S7.e6?,-
t66. 81 and the value as $62tlS04O
The Board OF Supervisors OF 1873
pronounced the County Court House a
gigantic fraud. In the report OF their
proceedings we also md a statement that
four commissioners were appointed in
1870 custodians OF 5000. 200 for the pur-
pose OF completing the Court House. but
instead OF applying the money for the use
for which II was designated they appyo-
priated II to their own use and that the
sum OF s432.9I8s4 had been traced 10 the
private deposit OF one OF the commission
ers."
Ordinarily the s2.535.27O.S3 surplus
verified by the Comptroller would be
transferred TO the general fund for the
reduction Of taxation, but IL will stay In
the suspense account until analysis OF old
accounts Of the city OF Brooklyn Is COM
pleted. 1t 10 believed that q book deficit
will be found In Brooklyn