Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-05-19
How the Money Goes.

Tie gentlemen who compose the City Council
OF Wilmington, unsssumng, plain and caTetLA
in theiT dealings, aud of them patrons foI
neatness, economy and fIugshiy. This much
might certainly truthfully lie SAID OF the Finance
Committee, not excepting the Chairman, who Is
wlthal somewhat OF politician il not an asPrant
to Z j Ter position OF this others accuse him,
we will not at present, although his love for the
dark side OF lis party. susceptible CT such an i'll
terpret.:.o. 4u.lI lac proves the contrary by some
real demonstration lAat W.. show he feels as well
as utters his affinity ior his "co.ored bretareu.'
We are told this part Of population Lave
lately began to doubt his sincerity very much
However, we have No desire TO question his right
to coquet in The direction lac has chosen.
The matter under our view at present concerns
the pockets of our people directly, Aswe said be-
fore it seems strange tha; those who are so COM
mendably careful OF their own funds, should be 50
lavish Of the funds Of others with which they are
trusted.
The city charter provides for tho selection OF
certain officers under a salary named and appro-
prla:ed by the City Council. Among the regu-
larly elected officers is City Solicitor who is Sc
lected from the legal fraternity because of his
knowledge, ability ana supposed influence on
questions of law and doubtful expediency. AT
this time the city has solicitor in the person of
gentleman of acknowledged ability whose legal
opinion is looked TO sy all parties. One would
think it was his special duty TO to the drawing
and managing Of such laws as were needed to be
passed by the Legislature, and yet we see the
Finance committee step into his shoes and 60 of
,-1,.l.r f. 90
transpires stops, and we hear no more Of the
matter, though 1t is whispered about that some
arrangement had been made at Dover and the
bill giving the Mayor authority TO appoint three
policemen had been passed and other bills which
the Democrats desired passed had been rejected
and those which the Radicals desired passed.
We come now to the point at Issue. And 1t
concerns every citizen of the State At a meet
ing Of the City Council about two weeks after the
adjournment OF the Legislature, the Chairman OF
the Finance committee, Mr.. IL. F. Pickles, pre-
sented bill purporting TO be from Geo. V. Mas
sey Esq, OF Dover, against the city, for $11j for
services rendered. Against the protestations OF
the Democrats the bill was allowed aud an order
directed to be drawn payable to his order and
sent to Mr. Massey for this amount of money
his was dCCOTulDBiy uOuG anu IN huc Allhts
But to the aStonishment of every one Mr. Mas
sey very soon had the drait returned. Mr.. Massey
evidently believed some one desired TO cut his
political prospects or wound his sensibties in
some way not In accord with his ideas of honoTa-
ble business transactions. For he declares lac
is not entitled TO the money and win not have IT,
1t is even said he knew nothing of the matter
until the drait was sent to him. IT is evident he
did not wish TO be bought in that secret way for he
will not take fee unless lie Is permitted TO pay
$G75 of this money 10 some one else their names
10 be kept secret. This strange mode Of doing
public business, was again objected to ny the
Democrats in the City Council. But the gentle
men on the other side agree to the proposition
and Mr.. Massey is directed TO disburse the SG75
IN the dark 10 whom he knew best.
Here was a poser-this paying money away
without knowing who 10, was more than the
Democrats could bear; for services too, they
knew nothing Of except from assertions that the
regularly elected City Solicitor could have per
formed all the service the city needed for little
above his expenses additional TO his salary.
But Mr.. Massey grows uneasy in his position
even when given the privilege to do as he pleases
with the money, and he determines not to hold
the position OF 'pliant, willing toor' any
longer. He therefore sends vouchers for the dis
tribution of the money signed by the Gourgentlc-
msn 10 whom he gave It, which vouchers each
distinctly say the sisncrs had agreed with Mr.. II
F.Pickels, for the SUM stipulated Here the secret
service money and its lso, its Whereabouts and ali
is exposed in spite Of the efforts of the political
ring, who manage the affairs Of the city.
But the most cheeky Part of all this business
is that the real plotter thereof should get up in
his place in Council; and deliberately as
John Rudolph ever said anything, point At mem
bers Of the Dover Bar and utter the speech he
did wheTsin hc charges that they had been made
"wiIling, plant TOOLS" had been bought for Q
price, and the price paid, while some were being
paid by his vote that very evening Who had lui
himself made gentlemen "willing, plant tools:'
This was moro than even Mr. Massey
could bear, who Is proud no doubt that he
belongs to legal profession, that = thus low in
the estimation of the speaker aud sotght 20 b'
made lower in the estimation of the public
Such utteranccs by one who had bought and paid
men Of his own party too was 10 say the least
unLCnd. To make "WlliDg, plant tOOls" Of men