The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-03-15
TIA INVESTIGATION.
What Is the Duty Of an Alderman?

| lh' ldNtNNGhIIoh uI lhc cnHlStn against MA.
Shnlcr chairman Of the committee on fire de.
Iparm"nt from thr' city council, took place at
! the City HALL on last Saturday evening It
amounted q about rs much as such invcstlga.
tiou> usually do, Why an investigation was nee
ca>ary does not appear, the charges bearing on
their face the whole OF the affair; and it ended
just where It began. In Tie "laugudgc" of the
Ipomc,"
III II was so quickly done for
What in blank was IL begun fur:'
The charges were: ~ recommending the pay.
mcnt by the city of private hill; - paying
some 20 recent more for an invoice of rubber
boots for the fire department than was necessary;
CD buying of himself for The fire department
oats at profit of some 2j per cent. over the
street price.
The uyestiS cation was carried ON BY the com
m!tec, acting rs counsel for both sides, Judge
and jury! Shulcr and his partncr in business
and the tcamstcr were the only witnesses. They
were examined like the peers of England, ION
their honor" aud without system, every man
talking rs he chose Mr. Logan said first that
hi. appointment ON the committee was anoma.
!ous unparlamcntary, unprecedented; it was
putting pltStNNllH8 ATTORNEY pH bllt INI III IL
case he was about to try.
The first charge taken up was the
PAYMENT or \ PRIVATE BILL
on his recommendation. Logan repeated the
charge made, saying, Shulcr could take either
horn Of the dilemma. that he knew it was q
private bill; or, if he did not examine it, why
did he recommend its payment? Hun said he
IN, .i.f nl iptnN,i,p ~ do q,
but both Shuler ana council were to blame for
its payment, If the bill had been read 1t could
not have passed. He moved that the matter be
dropped. Logan admitted the council was at
fault, but said it had always been customary TO
pay bills when approved by the committee chair
man, as this had been. The particulars of the
payment were then repeated rs published last
week Shuler said DR.. Sheppard never spoke TO
him about it and that he knew nothing OF the
bill till Logan made his charges. Il got it, he
said. Tout Of the post otii.c two weeks before
the meeting and gave it unopened to Bartcls who
brought il to the council, | thought II was
bill against the city" Barte, said he did not
bring the bill to the council but did bring an
other for DR.. s. some time before. Logan to
Shulcr; Didn't you say DR.. Sheppard handed
YOU the bill that night" Shulcr, "No" Hos
sack said he thought Shuler ccnsurahlc for re-
commencing the payment of a bill of which he
had no knowledge, and the council the same for
paying it. This was agreed upon as the report.
THE RUBBER BOOTS.
Logan said the next charge was that $500 per
pair had been paid in Chicago Tor rubber boots
that can be bought in Ottawa for s255. Shulcr;
BET YOU 100 to } you can't" lIossack said that
he had sent to several houses for prices and
found prices quoted at $500, $500 SEQ, $344
Shuler said he had run aroEnd Chicago and
found prices higher, but after hard work he got
the boots for $500. Hull said he didn't feel like
censuring man for going to Chicago and doing
the best he could, and he didn't that very
much more had been paid Logan: Bear in
mind that there is a great difference in quality;
purc gum boots cost $500. The boots purchas-
ed are imitation and can be laid down here for
81 30 Why go to Chicago and pay 80 cents more
than here? | am opposed to going away to buy
goods. 1t makes II difference Of $50 to the
city. Hull: DO ! understand that Shucr has
pocketed the difference? Logan: will show
that there has been the aim on the part of Shulcr
to make it pay. He has not done anything with
out profit. What would the people think if
you or | should buy lumber for the city and tack
on per centagc for buying? or if you, Mr.. Hull,
buying of yourself for the city, and adding per
centagc for your trouble! will show that in
selling