Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-04-10
A MUNICIPAL BREEZE.
The Alleged Deficit Of $lO,O72 Is
In the City Treasury Com.
mittee at Work.
A Very sprightIy Document from
Mayor LORgue.

A special committee was appointed at
the last meeting Of the General Council
to look into an alleged deficit Of $l0,-
O72 10 in the City T~reasurer's Office.
This amount, it was stated by the
Finance Committee, had been diverted
from the interest fund and other special
funds, required to be kept on hand, to
other purposes upon order Of the Mayor.
The committee consisted of Councilmen
Hewitt, Fisher and Ryan and Aldermen
Dent and MORT, and proceeded yester-
day promptly to business, An interview
with Mr.. Martin Kelly, the City Treas
urer, elected the admission hat he
simply pays money on the Mayors war
rants, and that these are paid from the
general fund on hand, even if it H.
fringes on a special fund; also the
further fact that Mr.. Kelly has not com.
piled with the suggestions and requests
Of the Finance Committee to deposit
certain moneys in certain banks. He
said he thought the amount alluded to
came out Of the Mississippi river rail
road and wharfage funds, and candidly
said: But / don't know from which
funds" This looks "sorter loose" to
say the least,
Comptroller Newsom gave it as his
opinion hat the withdrawal Of the
funds would infringe on other funds.
Mayor League, when called upon,
wouldn't interview very copiously, as he
had, in anticipation Of the call, prepared
a statement covering over two columns
in the morning papers. Mr.. Fisher
stated to him that no charge Of misap-
plying money was made, but that cer,
tain funds set aside by ordinance for
specific purposes had been infringed
upon, which is perhaps the pith OF the
whole matter. The Mayor read his state.
ment; he began by expressing surprise
at the report of the Finance Committee
stating that he had been authorized tC
borrow $4,000, and had only borrowed
$4,000, and that his " salary of 5000
was still due. That be had not though.
fit to draw it whilst the city was crippleC
and its employees suffering. The salar!
had not been his ambition in aspiring Il
be Mayor Of Memphis. His ambitiol
was of a higher and loftier nature. Hi
veto of the resolution employing assist
ant counsel had brought this seeming
trouble on him. His appointment on
committee sometimes where he would b,
out-numbered could not tie his hands o
seal his lips. He gave a long statemen
from the books of the Treasures Office
intended to show that the Treasurer haC
not loaned him any money. He charged
that he had not been recognized as
member of the Finance Committee, al
though he was a member, and that seere
caucuses had been held, etc. The com
mittee had been privy to tn,
fact on the 22d of last Decembe
of his borrowing $4,000 to pay Of
the policemen and fremen just on tn,
eve of an election. He had used hi
individual credit to repair the street
that the cotton crop might be moved
the general fund had been drawn upol
in times Of epidemic and no complain
made. They had simply said to him
"Mr. Mayor, go ahead and do the bes
you can; we will stand by you" Il
felt hurt that a clever act just before al
election should now be construed int
o%ffense. The Treasurer seldom ha
money on hand, as the funds are usual
anticipated before collected and paid in
The mandamus tax disbursements, whic.
involve the whole controversy, are show
to be greater than the receipts b,
1929 IA. Altogether the statement wa
an ingenious and able document.
A few questions by DR.. Hewitt close,
the interview, and here the matter rests
A report will be made in a few days. l
will be seen that the alleged deficit, if i
exists, was caused in specially designa
ted funds by overdrawing in favor o
other departments of the city.