Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1885-09-27
Justice sIason,s Letter.


to the court.
Justice Mason's Letter.
To the Honorable County Court ofShelby County:
GENTLEMEN-On the 10 b instaLt the
grand jury made and caused to be pp|
lished IN the APPEAL and other ~ -
OF wide circulation, rep"- Ihs 1SDIs ;ndas
of the Criminal Coz abo,.t oSssbait Sue sIpee es
which is devote. 70 rsa 1S %o5t- Honse 9ai, rU Ol
oei my -..eFVlssoh, and, as if in generous
>.sorstien OF its sweeping dsnaAciations
IL nay conduct as superintendent, arraigns
also the members of the County Court as
being largely responsible for my misman-
agemesst In their failure to supervise and
ipengurate a system that would protect
the interests of tax 1-payers.
The said report, equally damaging to
you as a court and to me Rs en- officer
elected by you, has become so prominent
as the sensation Of the week, and with the
large circulation Of city papers has gone
sc far and damaged you and me 80 much
that feel justified in hastening response,
which may follow said report of the grand
jury, and reach the public through the
same medium adopted for its publication.
L must be allowed in the outset to protest
most solemnly that depcecate the neces-
slty that is laid upon me to reply in any
manner OF even apparent criticism of the
official conduct of so august and authorits-
tive body as that of the & and jury, for l
have ever considered it part OF good citi-
zenship, as well as good taste, to exalt and
honor the Judiciary. But am now get
ting old, and duty to myself, my children
anu to the County Court demand that l
snail not silently acquiesce in an unjust
verdict, alike damaging to me as a man
and officer, elected to my position by your
votes. TIE report Of the grand iury con-
tains the language following. 'In the
opinion Of this Jury, Justice Mason is
either incompetent or is neglectful 10 an
extent that totally disqualifies him to hold
the position of Superintendent Of the
Work-House."
In our opinion the present irregulari-
t es, want of system, and proper applica.
ton of business principles at the Work
| House are largely charseable to the mem
bers of the County Court.
The picture is intensified by the force of
| contrast-where the report recommends
you TO practice the principles of our city
| government, the best managed municipal
| ity IN the world.
l will very briefly rep'y to said report
| in its principal detail S, as far as they relate
TO matt ars under my supervision, and OF
which l have personal knowledge, and
should there be those who doubt either
| every statement l herein make by the
strongest evidences of which such matters
are suscep;ible-sHch as bills, purchase
| book (Which the committee say have not)
book accounts, receipts and estimates
under oath.
Now, to make matters plain, will take
the charges in the report in the order in
| which they are written.
The report says my purchases were al
| extravagant rates and made part OF one
! firm at the request of Justice p NJ. Win
1 ters, and dry goods, etc, Of two other
| firms at the request OF Chairman Smith
! The inference naturally enough follow.
ing this statement would be- that Justices
! Winters and Smith in some way partici.
psted in the offenee | committed in max.
ing such purchases, and might be various.
| ly interpreted by some as evidencing theil
| having personal interest in the metter
! 10y Others, that they we're willing to bene-
| tiS friend at the expense of the county
| Now, the fact is that in both cases both
Winters and Smith, in reply to my in.
quiries on the subject, recommended each
| a particular firm, out in both cases with
the reservation that the purchases should
be made OF them only on condition that
they would sell as low as others, and on
I'd good terms. The report recommends
that the chairman should advertise fol
7 bids ')r supplies, and instances another
| strong contrast, the usage of DR.
Duncan at the Poor-House. But
the fact is, DR.. Duncan, whom they
pronounce the right man in the
right place, makes all purchases Just
IS do, and of the same firm, save, per.
maps, one or tWo items; among them
| bread.
The repc.rt SAYS Bills rendered for one
! 80 As less than warrants Issued at July
term. This significant and suspicious fscI
is left to become, in the minds of the sus.
picious or in the hands of an enemy, evil
dtnce of an overissue of warrants. Bu.
this is explained by the fact that the over.
issue of warrants was to pay bills allowed
at previous term. hen follows line o.
statistics of startling ignifcance.
First coRPs emounts of lard, butter, etc.
| purchased lad amounts issued, showing
in each case that the amount purchaseC
ttxceeds the amounts issued. This state
ment has no value or significance what
ever, unless it means that the excess Q
purchase over issue is not honestly sc
! counted for. But The fact IS that, as nedrl
as such matters can tally IN practice, III
amount on hand, if It had beea estimated
lcould hare balanced that account.
Purchases for the Work House are mad
at ninety days, and payable then in count,
warrants at par.
Now an inspection of the account of d
Scbloss recommended as ab1te explaiue'
by Chairman Smith shows total of $274 sc
running from January to Septembe
lst, and can produce his statement un
der oath that his total profit on the who'll
account has been but SAG OF in wal
rautH, worth in small amounts abou
ninety cents to the dollar. With regar
to sheeting. l tried both MenSen's AM
, Lowenstein's, and bought of Schloss a
!, one-quarter OF cent less per yard thai
their offer. With regard to purchases Q
groceries, ETC., l frequently inquired price
, | at various houses, and never found an
> willing to sell lower than Walsh & Bro, Q
| whom l made such purchas s.
a Their account of $l7SO, running iron
! April Goth to September lst, for grocerie
and feed, were payable at ninety days il
, county warrants at par, and upon compal
, ison with cas- terms, will be found to b
at the lowest market rate. The item G
coal oil referred to in the report as siXt
per cent. above cash cost was sold at a
advance of only two cents per gallon il
actual cost in ons case and three in tn
osher, and was sold payable,las usual, i
warrants deliverable in ninety days. Thes
facts l am prepared to verify by the swor
T. statement of ]. L. Walsh & Bro.
I The most startling charge in the rspol
S is that the cost OF feeding mules has bee
@ So so pei head per month, and that {
, feeding, clothing and guarding prisoner
60 cents per cspita per day. How th
t honorable chairman of the committee OK
4 tained this result is explicable only on
n supposition that he charged to these a
counts all purchases, such as mule
/ wagons, ETC, including supplit s. How
e ever this may be, the facts are the folloV
> ing, as shown by the records and the bill
- for supplies from the date of my first pu
chase 10 September let:
y Total amount OF groceries from Apl
10 goth to September LIST, Sl0S0 SO. Tot
n number of men fed one day, 9049; ave
= age cost of supplies per capita per day,
, cents. Now include in cost The item
II wages paid superintendent, oversee
re guards, ETC., taking the jury report for Il
,s amount thereof, then the account stan
thus: Supplies, April Goth to Saptemb
u LIST, Sl0S0 SO; wages $3.50 per month
'e Sl526 90. Total, S2607 90. This max
E. an average per capita per day OF 2S4 cen
he The items OF clothing and bedding a
ct not embraced in this estimate, for {
is reason that clothing is sold to the CO
ID victs and worked ouG at 40 cents per dG
b. while bedding is permanent investme
ne not properly chargeable to current boa
is account.
n With respect to provender for mul
the bills show total April Goth TO Septe