The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-03-19
THE GAS GASES.
Continuation of John L. Maxwell's Ex.


animation.
The hearing Of John L. Maxwell, ex.
Secretary at the Gas Works, on 4 charge
OF embezElement, was resumed before
Justice Caldwell at 0 o'clock yesterday
morning. The examination was held in
the Municipal Court room, in the City
Building.
The tirst witness called was Mr.. Harry
Caldwell, Clerk Of the Council Inyes.
tlsatins Committee, who was request
ed to take the Gas Register for No.
vember, 1878, and show the separate
and aggregate footings for the three
sections into which the city Is divided;
also the sales OF coke and Tar. Witness
thought there should be q proportion OF
Is TO between the number OF feet OF gas
and money. Had examined the register
for this month and found the footinSs in.
correct to the amount OF S843 IS. Eigh.
teen pages are enormously footed. For
the month OF October, the iootings were
also incorrect to the amount OF 1901 4S.
Nineteen pages were enormously footed
in this month. Witness then explained
that certain entries were burned and part.
tally obliterated at the time the books
were burned In the Gas Office.
Mr.. Caldwell then proceeded 10 the
month OF September, and found that the
columns Of the register for that month
were incorrectly footed, the errors apVre.
eating Sl7S %, He also found an error OF
81 cents In favor OF the city for this
month.
The month Of December, 1878, then
claimed his attention, and he reported
errors in the footings to the amonnt Of
S8Ol ~. In section 1t was found neces.
sary to supply deficiencies from the sec.
ton book from reason oil the burnt leaves.
Witness was asked how he found the foot.
ings for October, 1871, and replied that he
found :them correct, Also In 1873. He
examined August and September and
found the tootings substantially correct.
As to the sales OF coke It appeared that
$40 IS received for coke in the month
Of October, 1878, had not been accounted
for.
1t does not appear that money so receiy.
ed Is charged TO the collection account,
For the month OF October S. 80 was receiy.
ed; for December So SO; December soI 25.
For the year 1870 there were no entries.
Witnesshad examined what the cash sales
at the works were. In the journals and
cash books there was only one hand.
writing. In the Registers, collection
books and section books there are two
handwritirgs.
Mr.. Joseph Lawson, Secretary OF the
Wheeling & Belmont Bridge Company,
was tho next witness. Mr.. Lawson ex.
hibited the bills Of the Company for the
quarter ending January /, 1878, and the
preceding quarters as lar back as July l,
1877. >
Mr.. Harry Caldwell was recalled. and
testified that he did not find upon the
books any record Of $50 40 paid by the
Wheeling < Belmont Bridge Company for
the quarter ending September S0th, 1877,
or the quarter ending June, 1873. Il Is
on the collection book for lighting, ex.
hngulshing and keeping clean ten lamps.
For the quarter ending March 3lst, 1878,
1t does not appear intlle Register, but in
pencil on the collection books. For the
quarter ending September 30, 1878. the
entry is not on the Register. 1t appears
on the collection book, bot not on the Reg.
lister.
Cross-examined by Mr.. Russell.
you say there are erroneous entries
for October, 1873, amounting to 81 20?"
Are there such entries in the follow.
ing month";"
eYes, SIR"
Question by Mr.. ALI. Caldwell: How
does the bill ofthe Labelle Iron works ap.
pear for November, 1878?
A.-The section books show differently
from the entry on the register This oc-
Cured in several months. Witness then
referred to the cash collection book for the
month Of November, 1873, and showed
thatthe Company had paid 81. IA instead
OF $04, a discrepancy OF S72.
Andrew King was called BY the State
and sworn. In answer to a question by
Mr.. ALI. Caldwell, witness said:
II have been collector at the Gas Office
for the last five years. Am acquainted
with Maxwell's handwriting"
A specimen Of Mr.. Maxwell's writing
was here presented for Identification,
when, by tho advice Of his ATTORNEYS, the
witness refused to testify. He was then
toldto Withdraw.
MIR. W: u. Simpson, who has been Gas
Commissioner since 1871, was called, and
identified Maxwell's handwriting. The
receipts Of money handed over by The
Trustees to the Commissioners, was then
exhibi ed to witness, Mr.. Simpson ident.
flied his own signature TO the receipts for
the months Of December, November, DC.
tober and September. The receipts for
several months were signed BY Mr..
Cliswell, book keeper for Simpson 4
Hoge, who hal authority from Mr. Simp.
son TO do so. These began with sapteIh,
Dor and ran back to June, 1879. There
were also one or more receipted BY Mr..
Criswell. These receipts should represent
all the income Of the works and Office.
These monies were generally paid by
checks. Specimens OF the checks were
here shown to witness and identified by
him.
At this point the State rested, and In
order 70 allow the stenographer time 10
transcribe the testimony taken, the hear.
ing was adjourned over to Fride;; morn.
ing at 8 O'CLOCK. '"