Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-10-01

Ex.MayoF Polk owes the city a
deficiency Of $1,000 Chas he paid
L p ex-MayOr swit owes, II is re-
ported, SI,sS6; ex-Whsrf and Har-
Dor Master, Walker, has slealages
to the amount of $1,000, aud there
is an effort to draw in Mike DOnO-
van, TO the tune Of a thousand or
so. swift's and Folks deficiencies
are reported 10 be clerical errors,
and DOnovan's seems 10 be the e
suit Of an interregnum or an i'm
brogliO OF some kind but Walkers
seems to be nothing more nor less
than an out and out case Of theft
and embszzlement.
The action Of the Board of Alder
men In this matter Of the ex.city
officials deficiencies looks exceed
iDgly strange, timid and vacillat-
ing.
First, the report Of the Finance
Committee Is made up by a clerk
employed for that special purpose.
This report is (Of cOurse) examined
and approved by the committee
who adopt II as their own, and Of
fer It to the Board as the fulfil
ment Of their duties. The publica-
ton Of the report causes a lutter.
Ing in their 'Ioyal' ranks, and the
committee are AfTrighted at the
premOnitiOps Of a storm.
They take an early opportunity
to recant-to retract they "take
1t all back" and pour out their vials
Of wrath upon the poor foolish
clerk who allowed himself to be
made q tool for radical manipula-
ton. He catches the d. ickens
on all sides, but finally (perhaps by
threatening 10 make some disclo.
sures Of radical rascality) his perse-
cutOrs are forced lit seems) to "let
up" aud they then turn about and
exonerate their clerk from any err
rors In his figures, but leave the de-
auctions drawn therefrom, which
appeared in their report, upon the
shoulders of-whom2
The whole action had in this
matter looks more as If the object
was to screen defaulters and throw
the shield Of innocence over party
officials, than to expose corruption
and protect the City's treasury from
depreciation.
1t is just as certain as that the
sun shines, that r. II. Walker has
embezzled city money.
Then tDhy don't those who have
charge Of the matter go to work
properly aud with an honest sense
of duty, to expose this ex-oflcial'G
knaveryi
We think we know why this
affair Of Walkers is kept quiet; It
Is that he may have time to make
everything correct; to get the
funds and pay the amount collect.
ed and not reported.
The intention lie, It appears, to
whitewash this Walker. Since oul
first exposition of his knavery, hC
has hunted up thirty of the missing
boats, not reported, but froU
which be collected wharfage (him
self or deputy and acknowledge
doesn't pay It over q further in
debtedness 10 the city Of $500
This much good has been don,
at any rate, and If the Finance com
; mittee do their duty they will fore
l Walker to a full settlement, and |
g the charges against him are proved
as we think they eau be, the prope
place thereafter for the said Wake
will be the penitentiary.
AS to the cases Of Polk, Swim
i, aud Donovan, we have no reason
as yet, to suppose there is any frau,
connected with their deficiencies
. But let the Board of Aldermen 10
sist on q full settlement from al
parties.
The city has not dollar of mone.
hardly, and is nearly 100000 debt
The authorities are about to issu
! city bonds asa pecunlary basis. W.
suppose this must and will be done
and could we know that the none,
raised would be judiciousiy ex
pended we might submit graceful.
to the burden ofincreased taxation
Judging the present city officer
by the conduct of their party ant
we fear the money from these bond
is mostly to go into Radical pocket
without ever beneftting our city.
We sincerely hope to be mistaken
Let the city fathers do their duty
by the city-force delinquents t
make payments-reduce unneces
sary expenses-make the police
toroo naafnl and nronLahla-df