Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-12-04
HOSPITAL PROBE
BY EXPERTS IS
- - Il AA NfHHahsA u Ns55a
PROVIDED FOR
Committee to Have Account
ants Straighten Out Tangled
Affairs at Institution.
CHANCE FOR WRoN0DoINc,
BUT NONE is CHARGED
Assurance Given That Politics
VIII Not Interfere-Atten-
ton for Medical Side.

Declaring that it is absolutely fool
ish. from a business standpoint the
way the City Hospital is. conducted
and that 'if thereai is no leakage at
the hospital and no waste that 1t Is
an extraordinary situation, for there
Is lots of room for it." the hospital
committee of the Board OF Health, in
continuation of its probe into af-
fairs of the institution last night
voted in favor of having the affairs
of the institution gone over by ex-
pert accountants. This recommended
tion win be made to the board with
the request that the necessary au-
thority be given the committee to pro-
ceed with the work.
The hospital committee. decided to
engage Allen & McQuade, account
ants, of 1851 Broadway. New York, to
install new system of accounting in
the hospital by January l. providing
authority is given 1t. The expense
will be about $500 and the selection
of the firm was made after hearing
representatives of six concerns
Messrs. Allen & McQuade are we'll
known In Newark. as Mr., w. AZ Ailen,i
the senior member of the Arm, has
done other city work. including the
lis t1AAattOAl IOl d ltW BY 6LtkL VI AC-t
counting In the city. water depart
ment. John McQuade, the Junior
member, Is a Newarker, formerly
employed by the Public Service Com
pany and active in the affairs of the
Young Mems Catholic Institute.
Conditions at the hospital. which
have been told Of from time to time
In the columns of the Evening Star.
are said to be of the most slip-shod
order 1t is declared that there is
big chance for wrongdoing, although
nobody has been charged with any
thing improper. 1t is asserted that
the payroll checks are made out for
too much. for more than the employees
get. and that the onlN reason the
board gets the balance back. Is that
the employees don't pocket II; that 1t
would be easy for a dishonest man to
have goods delivered to himself AT
hospital expense: that there is no
reliable system of timekeeping, and
favorites could be absent whole
week and it would not appear: that
the institution lis absolutely foolish
in the way 1t Is rum and that be-
cause Of the Imperfect system there
have been times when the hospital
has been cur o4 mdielnes and at other
times out OF foodsfuffs
Politics Doesh't cut Any Fisprs.
After hearing all this. the commit
tee. through DR. c. F. Webner. chair
man, accosted Mr.. Allen and said: II
want you to understand at the outset
that politics does not enter ino this
at all. You're getting that straight.
We're not out for scafps; but II we
have to get them wen get them-if
we can" DIR. Webner and Mr.. Allen
and DIR. Daniel l.. Mccormick all had
a few words to say about civil service
in this connection. The accountant
termed it the greatest drawback OF
municipal ownership.
"There'll be no washing of dirty
linen, no going back into the past,
Mr.. Allen warned the members. But
that does not mean / wouldn't suE~
gest what members of the staff are
not oapaele.''
would the human element prevent
the carrying out of your system 2"
DR.. Elmer g. Wherry wanted to know
OF Mr.. Allen. DIR. Webner put it.
Have you any suspicion that you
would be blocked?"
'T'll tell you that when I am"
answered Mr.. Allen.
There's evidently a suspicion that
Lu&It - 6OAtlk w NC q pAQIn t-714tAt-
where,' said DIR. Webner, as though
to suggest that Mr.. Allen be explicit
'.Do you mean that you want an
executive session." asked DR.. Nc
Cormick. Mr.. Allen signified that
was Just what he wanted, and all
spectators were excluded from the
room. In half an hour Mr.. Allen
came out of the committee room. It
was almost another half hour before
the doors were opened. The commit.
tee announced it had passed reso-
luton recommending Mr.. Aliens
firm, at per diem rate Of $25, the
expense not to exceed $500.
The reason the full boards approval
must be granted is that to finance
the probe that body must appropriate
committee permission to .expend the
amount out of the slim hospital
funds. Mr.. Webner and Dr. Talbot
believe the hospital has just barely
enough, and perhaps not quite enough
000--to see 1t through the month.
Mr.. Allen is no stranger at the City
Hospital. In 1913 In the course OF
general city work. he visited the hos
pital, but was unable, he said. to-
imore than scratch" He found I'M
two departments-the pathological
and the pharmaceutical disinclina-
ton to keep mathematical records.
Pharmacist A. B. Norcross Old not
manifest any disposition to discuss
the matter he said. Mr., Noreross
was suspended by the committee at
meeting Tuesday.
want Survey by Medical Men.
You need physical survey by
medical men. as weil as change IN
the accounting end" said Mr. Allen
in beginning his description of the