The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-08-14
MN. ARTHUR BRoWSE.


Chairman ReeVes In Regard to Him
They Want 20 suppress the Facts 10
"Let ue Old Man Down Easy"
We yesterday announced the fact that
Arthur Browne had resignedthe position
Of Superintendent Of the City Gas Works
and at the same time published the com.
~munication Of the Special Committee Of
Investigation inregard to the affair. This
communication was remarkable only for
It's brevity aud is ~yagueness. The com.
mittee, evidently aware Of this fact, and
OF the gabsence of essentials, had pre-.
pared a second, and from what we have
been able to learn q very volnminOus re.
port, minute in It's details and explicit in
produced in case there would be demand
for 1t by Council, and would clearly show
not only to that body but to the people
whom they represent the exact status OF
affairs in regard to the Browne resignation
and the causes leading thereto. Thisreport
one or two Of the special committee were
very anxious TO suppress for the time be.
ing at least, and as Council was deeply
absorbed In the consideration Of other
business Of the time Of It's presentation,
this object was easily attained. In.
deed, the Chairman OF the Special Com.
mittee seconded the motion referring the
first paper 10 the Committee on Lights,
which was done. The contents Of the an
read communication however were ihdi.
Gated by some one, and they were known
to quite q number Of spectators at the
meeting OF Council, who went there to
hear them at lenght and 10 see the action
Of Council in the matter, and to say the
least they were disappointed ct the %
appearance OF thepaper, especially after 1t
had been demanded by one OF the
members. The motive for this could
not be understood, and yesterday we called
upon several members Of the tnvestigat-
ing Committee to learn the object OF the
suppression, and they were unqualiiedly
down" on the whole matter. One Of them
In particular was more pointed than ele-
CANT in his remarks toward their Chair
man.
DR.. Reeves was called upon in the even
ing, aud stated that they wanted to let the
old man down "as easy as possible" and
they had done II, He utterly refused to
divulge the contents Of the document in
his possession, or TO indicate its contents
in any particular.
Another member said that .the COM
mittee was ready on Tuesday evening TO
report, aud the public was expecting 1t.
The body Of the report, he said, was
mainly from Brownies own book, and
could not be controversial" Another one
told us that In not eyan o Cursory
examination OF Brownies book eighteen or
twenty instances OF gross neglect or favori-
tism were found, and the very trustees
were assured that Brownies ~lnCapacity
and unGtness for the position on account
OF these gross Irregularities apparent up
on his books. Numerous instances were
found Of Gavoritism, as for instance the
Fruit House" meters three were put in
in 1873, We think this sthe time stated,
these were new, but in his book they were
charged as only reset, and the entry for
cost Is as such. Similar instances occur
red frequently, as in the cases Of John
Doer, j. q. Smith, John Maxwell, Andy
King, and others. II they were not al
ways for resetting they were for meter
servicesand other matters, ThediscoYeryof
these Irregularities was the occasion
Of last Friday afternoon and Satur.
day nights meeting. On that even
ing the committee invited the Gas
Trustees to meet with them In order
that the latter might see the true state Of
affairs and also understand the run OF
things at the Gas Works for the last sew.
eral years. From the evidence adduced
at that meeting and the cumulative and
corrobOrative evidence that was presented,
On informal meeting Of the Board Of Trus.
tees was held on Monday morning, and
alter a thorough canVasS Of the situation,
it was determined that the President
should go to Mr.. Arthur Browne and ask
him to tender his resignation at once, and
also 10 indicate the alternative in case OF
refusal. The resignation was hand.
ed in that evening, at another
meeting; whereupon Mr.. Geo. X. Wheat
moved that it be accepted and Mr.. Filing
ham seconded it, and Immediately moved
the suspension OF all further proceedings
for the present.
A meeting was held at the Office last
night. at which final action was taken,
and Mr. Browne relieved from duty.
We were, however, told that nothing in.
dictated either in Brownies book or in any
oil the books the fact that Browne had
ever received a cent Of money, or had in
his possession a cent unlawfully or fraud.
ulently obtained. "The charge against
him, said one OF the committee, lis his
neglect OF duty and irregular way OF
doing business; nothing more"
John Doer was before the committee
on Friday last, and made affidavit that he
had been C0gnizant OF these facts before,
and had refused to answer the questions
then put him, and explained that tho roa.
son was that it was a matter OF bread
and butter with him." He also made a
statement in regard to the gas used by him
at his house and for which he had not
paid. Such in fine is the information we
have been able to obtain in the matter,
and, by the greatest eSertions, gathered
from one and another Of the committee,
But We believe it will serve to indicate the
substance Of the report that will probably
be submitted tomorrow evening at the
meeting OF Council.