The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-05-14
THE RING TO BUY THE
GAS-WORKS.
MAYOR KELLEY ON THE STAND.
Members of the Council Testify.
MtuH GAS AND LITTLE LIGHT ON
THE SUBJECT.

IItStllt .htS>IS. W ultloCh, AOllltii, Htaihc,
Lipscomh, and Jones.
MAYOR Kelley on TIRE STAND,
Mayor Kelley was the first witness exam
med, aud was questioned by Mr.. Whitlock
a> follows:
q. Viii vou please state to thc committee
ANYTHING you know about the matte" under
our consideration:
\. | received two letters from New York
making many iuqui,i..- Concerning the city
G:ls-W orks. t,lc Writer asking n,c to fur
nish such statistics N | might possess as to
the coal u>rtl. quantity Of gas consumed,
&c, &c. One al these letters was accout.i-
MED bv references TO Il certain party In Rici-
mond and Petersburg. The only other in
tcrvicw or communication v hich have had
was with Mr. Williams. who dropped In ono
day at my office, and we had chat on the
subject.
q. What We're The nlmes OF the plrtics in
New York with whom you corrc>ponded?
\. will give you the name OF one OF the
parties, who was my brother, but | don't
remember the name Of the other.
Q. Did either one Of these parties state
how they had learned that the Gas-Work
were To be sold:
\. No, sir. they did not and. moreover,
they had; and, replying 10 them. expressed
>trh surprise, ana $ald | thought II would
he imprlcticablC.
Q. Have YOU had any conversation with
any member of the Council concerning the
sale of the works.
4. No, sir; not before this investigation.
Q. Do YOU know any one who could give
the committee any information Oh this sub
jicct:
\. No, sir. do not.
q. Have You had any conversation with
Mr. Wynnc on this >uhisstf
y. We'll. sir, perhaps l have; but it wa>
only casual.
=. llar" You any reason to suppose that
any improper influences have been at work
to get possession of the GaS-Work< in or out
Of the Council:
\. Al that i have heard seemed TO me to
have be"n perfectly legitimate.
-. You don't know any fact which would
lead Won to suppose that any such combina-
tivn had been ut work TO set possession OF
Tho wcrk>:
\. No, sir: | have no reason to suspect
any lncm!p"r ot the Council with the pur
clc!>,, ur sale OF the Ga>-W ork> for n corrupt
purpose.
NJ LIGHT VET.
Nj. Wagner wa> the next witness cNanI-
med nN Mr. Whitlurk.
O.. Please tell the committee anything YOU
liav hnuw concerning thr subject under in
Iuiry:
\. Well. sir. know nothing directly con-
upcirti with tie ,llbicrl. but have had cas-
llal conversations wit;l Mr. Williams and Mr..
Halt SonIr.nlr after the previous gaS in
yr>li"atiun ;lr. Williams dropped in aud re-
marked that hc had had IN application from
parties who bad IN idea ui purchasing the
works. | expressed contrary opinion at
the way in which the accounts at IN" works
were rendered. and remarked that it was
hard to tell what hc earnings were. don't
know OF any corrupt combinations being at
work Ior the purchase or possession ot the
works.
9. Have YOU had any conversation with
anv persons outside the Council!
4. No. sir.
-. Have you any reason To suppose that
an, improper iullliearc has been at work ID
th" Council concerning the matter:
a. No. sir, | have not.
PROPOSITION From NEW YORK.
Mr.. Charles l.. Williams followed Mr..
Wagner. uui was also examined by Mr..
Nhitioyk.
9. VIII YOU state everything III your
know ledge bearing upon this subject:
\. shortly after my election to the Coun-
| eli. which was early in November, 49,,
| letter was handed ne. dated New lork, Or-
tobcr -, 1872. with tue request that would
| furnish tie iutorlation 10 enable the part.
10 whom il was addressed to answer certain
| inquiries therein made in reference to the
Gas Works OF the city of Richmond. The
~, nf Npv
| in said letter in reference to the subject
"po YOU think there would be any
chance for a private company TO buy the
Richmond Gas-Works from the city:
understand The city has always owned them,
and carries on the business, which you
n;,uw t4,rn3t he. done to the same advantage
Il, II done by 4 company. do not know
what condition tic works are in, or whether
= propa,iiion TO buy would be cntcrt'lncd,
hut | am inclined 10 think an arrangement
r,,ld be made to return the city the money
she has in them, and that it would not cost
her over five per cent. interest on the money
so returned TO give her all the lamps anu
more than She now has This transfer
vou.d viyc her all the money she coutd
uo><ibIy REQUIRE for completing the Wafer
Wo,k>, and thus save her paying eight per
rru;. Interest on nn increased deDt. Lei llc
know i; there be anything in such an idea
rrhis Ieitor was addressed To Mr.. Isaac
DL>enpori.l
The name of this gentleman. continued
The Witness. and the original letter, Is 1T the
service of the committee whcn they de>lrclt
At.r; receiving this letter, or rather aittr II
,yus referred To me, | made inquiry of scE-
,ral older members of the Council itian my
self. >iGpy in order to inform mIsell, tnat
| ni-ht answer the questions propouhdeu
to me. remember now, IN the course oi
casual conversation. to have qucstionco NJ
Wagner, General Sewbcrrv. Mr. John T..
Bos>icuy, and. think, AR. Joseph tiall,
thcu"h may have mentioned the slll!lecl 10
other prrSoll> within and out of the Councli.
| mentioned the receipt ot tins letter ana
lis reference 10 ne TO The Mayor oi the ti'y,
ant! had intended cunE;issns the subject
with auv or every person from WHOM
tho,lyht il uo>sible or probable to derive The
necessary information to enable lie 10 uetei.
mice Il, !; member OF The Conhril Whelnef IL
was or wss not to the Interest o' tue c'ty 10
make n sale Of these works, oi' haf' peeh
deurrcd from SO doing ny Tue
rRrss,RE OF PRIVATE BUSINESS
don,t remember that any member OF tue
Counril ever expressed in my presence any
o,,,inu IL 10 the expectancy Vi s"'i S"'.
Crr!a u!y none OF them ever l"tliia.eu u" "
willingness TO become parties 10 purtnn", ptn"n,
under any circumstances, ana no one ., ''I", ,,',
ever said or did anything TO lhoi'alo '"',
they were willing to oppose tue l'lrie'se u
taxation or to dv any act whereby '.i'
cRrrlT or TIE CITY NIGHT NJ iAPA'hfp
j., vrucr IL accomplish the sale u! Inc Vas
Works. Had such 4 ap!oro>islon ever oeen