The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-02-11
a coMPRoAlIsEw WANTED
BY The suretles on ths Bonds Of George O
Black.

Black.
Messrs. William Erskine and Williar
P. Hubbard presented the following
} Council last evening:
GENTLEMEN: AT the request Of Mr.. Bar
we herewith submit communicate
from him in behalf OF the sureties on Til
bonds OF George @. Black as City ColleC
tor. Those sureties are, for the year 1874
r. A. McCabe, Adams Dodson, (now de
ceased), B. NJ. Eolf and Thomas II. Reed
For the years 1856 the sureties are
John P. Gilchrist, William II. Woodward
r. A. McCabe, B. n. Eof and Thomas Il
Reed. For the year 1877 the sureties are
John T. Gilchrist, Joseph D. Dubois, An
drew Wilson, (now deceased, and r. A.
McCabe.
In the absence Of any request for oul
opinion upon the propriety Of the compro.
mise suggested, we do motif called upon
to volunteer any statement, but we are
ready to furnish any information in ou.
power which the Council may desire.
The communication from Mr.. Baer re.
ferredto by the city's attorneys in the
Black case lis as follows: 4
"The undersigned representing thesure.
ties on the several bonds given by George
@. Black as Collector, begs leave respect
fully, TO presentthe following:
The sutetieso OF Mr.. Black have, from the
first, had no other opportunities than were
open to the general public OF being in
formed OF the validity Of the various items
Of claims psade by the city against him.
Being unwilling to undertake to decide for
themselves the controversies between the
city and Mr.. Black they have waited until
the courts have settled some,, at least, OF
the questions involved. Now, however,
It is their desiresto make a settlemehtSof
the suits pending against them. in such
manner as to avoid further litigation.
They have carefully examined such Of the
claims made by the oity as they could ex-
anime with tho facilities at their COM
mand, and they believe that the sum OF
Sl5, 900 would be us large sum as the
city oughtto exact ON these bonds.
While the sum is considerably less than
the amounts claimed in the three suits,
yet an examination al the. items OF claim
will readily show that some OF the items
would probably not be recovered, and
that It would be extremely harsh to re-
quire the payment OF other OF the items
by the suretics, who are themselves no.
wise in fault in this matter,
Owing to complications In the situation
Of the sureties among themselves, grow
ing out Of propidential causes which will
readily suggest themselves to you, it is
impossible TO make specific offer OF
compromise.untila an amonntis Is agreed! up.
on which the city would accept. Without
now being able to make specific propo-
sition am authorized, however, TO say
that II tho city will accept the sum OF Sl5,-
600 In satisfaction OF the three suits, two
OF which are now, and one of which was
lately pending in tho Circuit Courts, and
of the bonds therein sued on, the payment
OF that sum a can. aud will - be
arranged for. The complications among
the sureties are believed to be- purely
technical In their character, and can prob.
ably be readily removed. / deem II proper
10 say that this communication Is intended
TO be taken as made in an effort to com.
promise this matter, and in the event OF a
failure to compromise, 1t ia not 10 be used
against the parties In this suit"
This matter was the first considered by
the Second Branch and considerable time
was consumed by the discussion that 1t
occasioned, The amount that the sureties
desire 10 pay to the city in order to effect
compromise is several thousand dollars
less than the city's claims. Messrs. Els.
kline and Hubbard addressed the Council
briefly on the matter, and the tenor OF.
their romarks was against compromise
onthe basis proposed.
Some Of the members proposed sending
this Important matter 70 the Committee on
Claims, a. body of men unacquainted
with the cases.
A resolution offered by Mr.. Hearne was
howeveradopted .eisrTingthematter to;the
city's attorneys, ,siio have had this case
in hand ever since the suits were brought,
and who know all about them, with in.
structions to report to Council any COM
promise proposition or arrangement which
can be effected and tho acceptance OF
which they would recommend.