Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-11
THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
MR.. MEREDITH g. THE MAYOR.


Board Of Aldermen was held last eve
ming at 7 o'clock. Present, Mr.. l.. l.
Bass, president, and the following
members: Messrs. Adams, Csbell
Chaffir. Crenshaw, Glasgow, Page
Randolph, Rose, Stokes, Taylor, anC
Williams.
The clerk read the minutes OF thu
last meeting, and they were approved
by the president.
DETECTIVE wREN's BILL.
The Finance Committee reported
favorably upon the bill of Detective
Wren for services rendered in the Clu
yerius case. The bill was for sl,569
Mr.. Page asked that Mr.. c. V. Mere
ditb, who acted as Commonwealth
attorney, be heard in the case.
Mr.. Meredith said that he had heard
that Mayor Darlington had been in
vited to make statement in contro
versy of the brief which he had pub
lished. He said he would like to heal
what the Mayor had to say in the mat
ter. Mr.. Meredith then stated that be
fore hs employed Wren he visited tht
Mayor, and that the latter said that ht
would endorse anything that he Mere
dith) did. lie also cited further testi
mony to prove that Wren wss author
lied to act. but that the Mayor haC
told him frankly that he (Wren) would
have to look to the Council for pay.
Mr.. Meredith told how he came t
take hold Of the case after it had rur
on for two weeks. He complimentet
the work done by Police-Justice Rich
ardson and Sergeant Hulce. He sale
there was doubt that he could manage
the case, as he had up to that time haC
but little experience in criminal mat
tiers. Under these circumstances, wha
was he to do? If the condition of tht
public mind and heart at that time bC
considered, and there was any mar
who thought he did wrong, let hin
vote against the bill. Not only
this, was it honest not to pay
this bill? As to the power Of the city
to pay the claim, he had never doubted
it. A policeman was a State officer, and
yet the city paid him. Year after yeaI
the chairman of the Finance Committee
put into his budget a fund for secret
service, and within his own experience
he had seen the city pay for detective
service. The State ought to pay the
jurors in the coupon cases-her OWL
cases-yet the jurors were paid by the
city. 1t was useless to talk about what
the State ought to do, and what she does.
Mr.. Meredith said he felt about the
matter as if it were a personal claim,
If man did work for him he would
not refuse to pay for it. Did any mar
suppose that he was thinking about the
interest of the State When he undertook
the case? BY no means; he was
thinking Of the good order, peace. and
security ofRichmond, which the city had
and felt moro interest in the detection
and punishment ofthe perpetrator of thi:
crime than any other part of the State
If, as a citizen, he had undertaken the
responsibility of the case, he thought
that TIE Council, in behalf Of all other
citizens of the city, should pay this bill
Mr.. Meredith said it was impossible tC
tell the benefit of Detective Wren's
services. For twU mouths he had sur
rendered his Office to him. He worked
faithfully and refused cases while this
was pending. The Common wealth
would not have had half as strong {
case but for Wren.
Talk of paying me-" said Mr.
Meredith. Would be an honest mar
if | were to accept one cent and Wren'i
bill be left urpaid?"
He explained the onorous nature o
the work Wren had done, and ex
planned how valuable it was in making
up case for the Commonwealth. Ill
did not think the bill excessive.
Speaking in the light of things now
Mr.. Meredith said, that with all hi
friendship for Mr.. Witt, that he woulC
not undertake another such case. HI
felt deeply the modification Of coming
before the Council begging for worl
done for the benefit of other mem
families, as well as his own, and for tn
good of our city. He asked that tn
bill be paid.
Mr.. Glasgow said that there was no
a city or town that had not felt tn,
highest admiration for the manner il
which Mr.. Meredith had conducted tn
case referred to. Mr.. Glasgow said h
had remarked that his vote on the ques
tion Of this bill would be very much in
fuenced by what Mr.. Meredith woul'
say. The first thing that occurred t
him was that the city should have al
expression of opiriOn from lega
standpo;n.-rot that he doubted il
the slighest the integrity of Mr.. Mere
dith, but that Mr.. Meredith had EN-
ployed Mr.. Wren, and he thought
advisable to get at least an outsid
opinion. This caused him to see Mr.
Cannon. In the mean time he neye
intended to say that Judge Christia
he'd thrust his opinion upon tn
committee. What Mr.. Meredith ha
said in his brief about this matter wa
correct, but he Glasgow had no
gone far enough, and he wished nov
to say that he did not intend to say tina
Judge George Christian had force
himself forward. When lawyers dii
fered there certainly was doubt, ali
he would be forced to vote against tn
bill.
Mr.. Glasgow said he took Mr.. Mere
dith's brief to the Mayor, and that tn
statement made to him by the Mayo
did not concur with that made in tn
brief.
"Mr. Glasgow, l took the printe,
brief to the Mayor and read it before
published it, and he said it was cor
rect" said Mr.. Meredith.
"That is the reason | invited tn
Mayor here, that he might be heard,
said Mr.. Glasgow.
On motion Of DR.. Cabell the Mayo
addressed the Board.
TIE Mayor said he had never appear
ed voluntarily to make any statement
He did not fancy Mr.. Meredith's argu
ment. He rather thought this unkin,
in Mr.. Meredith.