The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-09-26

4
by Mr.. Melton: 10 you remember that I
| made any reply when Mr.. White said we
were all in the same boat ?
Answer Well, I think you said, How
Is that! How Is It possible, when 1 don't
owe the city a cents -
BY Dir. Kelley: DO YOU know. Mr.. Pryde,
! how many metres there mt the Dauyille depot?
Answer: Four; think -
/. No BILL AGAINST Mr.. CRuTCHFIELD.
Mr.. George X. Crutchfield being present.
said that there was an error Id the pro-
| ceedings Of the Investigation that 1t was not
| himself that was alluded to yesterday, but that
| the Auditor had furnished him the name of
Mr.. j. Il. Crutchfield, on Second street,
whose name it should have been in the in
vestigJton yesterday in place OF his own.
Mr.. LAUBE TEsTlFIEs.
Mr.. F. Laube, being sworn, said in re.
| gard to his bill, that Mr.. Pryde haG run
up considerable bill for bi5 family with
| him. and that when the bill was presented
| hr. Prydc said that 1t would be an accolu-
! modation to him to wait. Some time in
! August Dir. Pryde owed him SIT. Under
| stood from Mr. Pryde that he would settle
| his gas bill. MIR. Schaffer had told him that
if the gas bill wasn't paid the g.is would be
cut off. | saw Mr.. Melton afterwards, and
| told him that Mr. Schalfer had intimated that
| the gas would he cut of if the bill wasn't
| paid. Thought Melton said he would see
! Mr.. Prydc, after being told that Pryde owed
him Il bill. never have given Mr. Pryde
| any money 10 pay my gas bills. I do not
| rccollcct any such conversation as is reported
| in the papers this morning.
MORE ABOUT Mr.. LArBE's BILL.
Mr.. W. H. Page was next examined.
Since the examination commenced, said Mr..
Page, was passing MIR. Laube's house with
Mr. Pryde, when he called him (Pryde). We
stopped and had conversation with Mr..
Laube, who said that lie had been before the
Mayor that morning. and that he Uaubc)
had said that Mr.. Pryde had never offered to
assume any gus bill of his. This was said to
| Mr, Kelley in the examination.
| What did Mr.. Pryde say?
| Answer: don't recollect exactly what he
said. though he talked at considerable length.
When heard the above statement ! stepped
oil'-one side. They had good deal to say,
but it was all in friendly way. heard no
remark to the effect that MIR. Lauhe had
given money to Dir. Pryde to pay his bills.
| Mr.. Laube's wife was in the porch or near
| bv. was in hurry and walked of, but
afterwards waited for him. didn't care to
hear the conversation, as didn't consider
myself Interested in it. have never had a
conversation with Mr.. Pryde about it until
within the last day or two. | think it was
yesterday.
BY Mr.. Pryde: Did you hear me, during
that conversation, tell Mr.. lSaubc that owed
him bill:
! Answer: No, sir.
| TESTIMONY or THE LATE INSPECTOR.
MIR. james NJ. Melton was next sworn.
Bv Mr.. Kelley: Did you ever have any
conversation with Mr.. Luube about bis bill I
Answer: Probably did, hut don't dis
tnctly know. had All impression, and it
seemed TO me that it was an understood
thing that as Mr.. Lallbc's bills became due
MIR. Prydc would pay them. j had an i'll
distinct idea.
Do YOU rccollcct conversation about MI.
tauhr'S delinquent hi!lr
Answer: | rprollpct that in looking over
some old bills ] found Mr.. laube's. and !
gave orders to have his gas turned OIL.
Was it turned of?
Answer: 1T seems not.
Why?
| Answer: Well. | don't exactly know. |
instructed either Dcnegri or Schat1er to turn
il of. have an indistinct idea that when
| Mr.. schatiicr brought hack the first bills re-
ccirted, hc (Laube) said he would pay tue
rest
Did you know that Laube WAS constantly
in arrears?
Answer: I did not know the extent. ]
trusted the lists to the parties who had been
appointed to this duty. ] don't remember
what period.I saw his name last
BY Mr. Kelley: 1t turns out. that Mr.
Lalbe's name was about the only one out of
THREE THOUSAND NAMES
whose hill ;tas month after month unpaid.
Can you account for this:
| Answer: Well. no. sir; | was pot aware
of the extent of his delinquences-tho
| knew he WIS behind.
| Did YOU ever assume to allow Mr. Laubc
to receive gas for any other reason than that
Mr.. Pryde owed him debt?
Answer: No, sir.
By Mr.. Wnllock Did you make an ar
rangcnent with Mr.. Prydc by which Mr.
Laubc's gas was not to be turned otff
Answer: Well. no, sir; there was no
agreement, but it was an understood thing.
BY Mr. Star kei Did Mr.. Pryde say any
thing to you about his bill which he owed to
Alr. Laube!
Answer: can't remember that he did.
By Mr.. Kelley: Are you familiar with the
handwriting aud figuring of the employees in
the Office?
| Answer: leS, sir.
l. this figuring yours? [Shows witness;
| figures in book
Answer: No, sir.
Whose is it?
Answer 1t looks like Mr.. Pryde's or Mr..
Emmett Knowles. There Is similarity in
their figuring, and am sure that / r0uld
tell either of their handwritingS. | don't
think TINT either Mr.. White, MIR. Badkins, OF
Nir. Denegr, made the figures.
BY Mr.. Whitock: DO you remember any
thing about Mr.. Perkinson's delinquency
Answer: No, sir; heard something about
it this morning.
| . MR.. JoNES's FIFTY DOLLARS.
BY Mr.. Kelley: Mr.. Melton, do you know
anything about the fifty dollars which Mr..
Jones paid to AIr. Alderdicc when he was
| Auditor? =
Answer: Well, think that Mr.. Jones saw
the Auditor and either paid him $50 or made
Il deposit of that amount, aud then got an
order from the Auditor, and had the gas
turned on ut the Academy Of Music.
| THE aETRE-BOoK e..
was here produced. Mr.. Melton examined It
critically, and said that the punvii,o derut
Was only charged With two nle,res. He
never knew anything about the other metres
at this depot until to-day. Dir. Otis Deane
sees to tue laying of the seryice-pipes and
the setting of metres, afterwards reporting to
the Inspectors Office. Have no recollection
of the setting of q third metre at the Danyille
derot during my term OF Office.
BY Mr.. Stirke: | understand that one of