The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-09-26
FURTHER INQUIRIES ENTO THE
GAS TROUBLES.
More lirns from she Inspectors oaaee
FIGURES ERASED SINCE TUESDAY.
SECOND DAYS PROCEEDINGS.

tnony of witnesses examined yesterday Is
published in Substance below. The most
startling discovery consisted in the fact that
some fresh forgeries had been perpetrated
since the last session of the commission.
Mr.. ". II. Aiderdicc, late Auditor, was
the first witness examined. He deposed us
follows in relation to the fifty dollars which
Mr. Jones, of the Academy OF Music. said he
paid him: Thomas Jones deposited with
,ne so on account of his several bills (some
eight or nine months ago). The money was
kept in the safe. 1t remained there until
lei, the office.
IrAlD 1T OVER THIS MORNING.
| left no memoranda with my successor
Jones said he would bring up the balance
and pay the bills. don't think | spoke to
the Auditor on the sul i@ct. l regarded il as
Il deposit aud not II payment, and did moi
give any receipt for it. | kept it in the
original package until to-day, when | went
to tic office. Charley Bigger owed soiue
$500 for gas ut the ST. Charles Hotel, aud q
similar arrangement was made with him to
receive so per month, to br deducted from
his rav, and there We're also several other
cases. Thought the business was conducted
in Il very
loose WAY N THE INSPECTORS OFFICE.
| knew Of no special Delinquency, except one
case (Alr While's), where he assumed to pay
a d"rt for gas, but did not pay it. haH
10 i,lca who made the figures opposite MIR
\. G. Franklin's name. They are not mine
nor are they Mr.. Winn'S. [ have no knowl
c,lXc whatever who made them.
John a. Tyrce. ASsiStan: Inspector OF tIaS
for i've months in 1870, appointed 10y tht
military authorities, testified: 1T was m!
business To- take the state of the metres.
went to the houses of Mr.. Melton, Mr.. JohI
Knowles. and Mr.. Pryde, TO take The statt
OF the metres, but | didn't take thcln be
cQli>G
THE HANDS WERE KNOCKED OFF.
In the case of Mr.. John Knowles two o
the hands were of. and in the case Of Mr.
Prydc. also, two of the hands were of thu
dial, and in Mr.. Mcton's case one OF thu
hands was gone. | reported all the cascs tt
the Inspector. and there were orders ISSUED
for new metres. DO not distinctly remcm
Der he month. ii WAS the first time | wcn
around. 1t might have heen in February
March. or April but am certain 81 was TIN
first time that went around.
Hy Mr.. Kelley: Mr. Tyrcc, could you ii,
a metre 80 rs to only partially register th'
amount ul gas consumed!
Answer: Yes, sir, might.
Question: Do you know of any OF the ell
ploiG> whose metres were so arranged, o.
whose metrcS only partially registered tht
ga>
Answer: Well, no SIT; but, by the way.
do remember one more metre which
rIp not REGISTER AT ALL.
Question Whose metre was itI
Answer: Ii was Mr.. Bells metre. | thinl
il was so for four months. | spoke 10 hin
about il, and he said that it probably wantct
water or something. remember one metre
on Franklin street; perhaps it was Mr.. W
\. Mauv', house. This metre did not lc
"iStcr: hit they told me at the house that tn,
amount nr gas consumed had been approyi
mated when il WAS time for the state Of th'
lictrr to be taken.
l., Mr. WhlIuck: DO you know wheI
auy nrw metres were put in, in any of th'
'i,>cs YOU have spoken OF?
Answer: Well, sir. think that they wer.
put in before lett. | was there about tiyt
months.
Mr.. Melton Mr. Tyree, are YOU positive
iiiat there wa, hand OIL my mctrei
Answer: Yes. sir !; am positive. thnl
i; WAS a "nr-h,mdrcd feet hand, but tha
hand would not have made any difference /
the mctr. had registered the gss consumed.
Ey Mr.. Kelley: Do you know the mean
rn@ of that mark above Nh. Knowles bii
uolutng to the maine in book)S
Answer: Well, sir, that is his location
Mr.. Prydc Qntcrrup'ng): | was not il
the vIfcc then.
Nlr. Melton: would like to state JUS
here that the metre in my house was pu
there during the latter part of the war. |
registered very we'll ut first, but atterward
stopped from some unknown reason, AM
the III, which consumed was then approx
mated.
Mr. Higgins inquired Of MIR. Mccarthy
he received amy Instructions from him il
reference to delinquent gas bills. de replie.
in the affirmative, and produced the iulowin;
letter OF Instructions:
"RIcHMoND, August 20, 1872.
d" NJ. Nc CarLhy:
"Sir,--l will thank YOU to furnish MT
with full aud complete list to date of tlI
delinquent gas bills with the amounts due b.
each person or consumer.
Iour,obcdent servant,
JOHN NJ. HIGGINS, Chairman"
Mr.. McCsrrthy explained how he hear,
about the broken hands from the metres, AM
said that he never took tire state Of the me
tres on Canal street; never worked Oh tfa
street; but of his own knowledge he knew
nothing about it. Believed that new metre
had been put in in such cases and the ga
registered on the old ones and charged up il
each c:,S,', SO that there could bc 40 loss t
the city. lie exhibited receipted bill
against his father for S2.S5. The account /
dated in December, 1870, and is receiptet
September, 1872. Heard Mr.. Denegri sa,
once that the hands Oh Mr.. Pryde'S metr
We're broken or
BY Mr.. Starke :: Are you familiar with th
handwriting OF the gentlemen in the office
Answer: les, sir, and the figures, too.
WITNESS is here shown figures in one O
the gas-books.]
DO you know whose figures these are?
Answer: | can't say that do; but to tn
best of my opinion they are either Nj
Pryde's Or MIR. Emmett knowles's.--at th
salir tilan can't swear to it.
BY Mr.. Whitlosk: Do you think II any
body had u design to turn to special nam
that an inexperienced person could do itr
Answer; No, sir.
ANY PERSON IN THR OFFICE
could have made those figures, but an mex
perienced hand would hardly know how e
do it. 1t would take somebody i'll the ofic'
to know it.
BY MIR. Pryde: Have you ever seen Mr.
White in the Office since he was discharged
Answer: Yes, sir; think have.
BY Mr. Whillock How many times?
Answer: don't reepllect, but he wa
there ourc for about two hours. dom
think saw him do any writing. Since fht
Investigation the book has been in the pos
session of the Auditor.
MIR. Pryde: Have you seen other EN-
p!oyGs handling these check-books since th,