St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-08
THE CITY HALL JOB.
A Very Culpable, If Not Criminal
State OF Affairs Shown.
Papers and Vouchers Strangely Miss
ing--General Looseness.

AT last nights meeting Of the city coun-
Gil the special committee to whom had been
relegated the peculiar duty Of investigating
the alleged steal connected with the city
hall, conducted by S. c. Cutter, submitted
their report.
The first portion of the report was de-
voted to reciting the causes which led
to the investigation, and the connec-
ton Of ex-Ald. S. G. Cutter with
the job, by virtue of his position as chair
man Of the committee on public grounds
and buildings. The report then said that
S. S. Beynton had been in direct charge of
the work at So per day. The committee
finds that Boynton purchased the materials
and furnished the labor. He purchased the
materials from Aid. S. c. Gutter at cost
of 50, S34. He alss bought the hardware
at the store OF Janney, Semple & Co., and
what he did not pay for at the time he bought
it, which wac probably very small portion
claims to have hired the workmsn as cheap
as he could. and to have furnished them to
the city at the ''going" rates, and in doing
SO he admits that he
MADE so CENTS PER DAY
OGuGI
words, he charged the city SO cents day
ON the average for each man more than
what he paid tho men.
MIR. Boynton testified that he made out
all the bills fer materials furnished by
him OF Janney, Semple & Co.,
where the hardware purchased was
charged to S. G. Cutter. The committee
was unable to procure the original bills re-
garding these purchases. BoyAten offered
as an excuse that he had recently moved.
and that the book in which the items had
been entered had been Mislaid. This was
also true respecting the materials fer which
Boynten claimed to have paid the cash.
The committee alss found that Beynton
produced before the committee on public
grounds and buildings ne original bills what
ever as vouchers for the bills which he made
out against the city, and which
were allowed and paid, and the committee
has no further proof than Beynton's word
that the materials and labor furnished was
furnished in accordance with the charges
made.
The committee found that Aid. Cutter
allowed the materials purchased to be
charged directly to him, and that Aid. Gut
ter testified that he had no means Of know
ing just what materials were used in the
repairs Of the city hall building, or at other
places where he was doing work, except
Cutter testified, also, that he
charged all bills purchased of Janney,
Semple & Co., to Roynten, while Beynton,
on the ether hand, testified that Gutter
gave him the neasy to pay for materials
for which he paid the cash.
The committee found that of all the hard
ware purchased and charged there was no
available means Of knowing either from
bills or Beynton's book, or any other way,
except Boynten's werd, that he charged
the same prices for either hardware or
lumber that were charged to him.
From an examination of the pay rolls
rendered by Beynton for the work done and
by his admission that he charged the city
on all average of SO cents day fer each
man mere than the men were paid by him,
the committee found that tho city had paid
Beynton more than Beynten paid the men,
$7S6.a2. This conclusion was arrived at
solely from the admission Of Beyntan.
Boynt0n testified that he furnished tools
for the workmen, but the werkmen SUBJ
posnsed by the committee testified that they
furnished their own tools as rule, Boyn-
ton furnishing such things as iackscreWs,
tackle, ropes, etc.
The committee found that Boynton had
no right to perpetrate such Irregularities,
and held that some one was culpabIe for
the same.
The committee had no positive evidence
that AID. Cutler shared with Boynton the
profits made on Workmen or upon materials
purchased by BoyRton.
The committee did not think it was right
for Aid. Cutler to charge the city or MI.
RnUnfOn fuIl rafait rafQ no linn o,. bo
furnished, and seriously considers whether
or not tho city should bring action against
BOynton for the recovery Of differences in
the pay roll.
The committee thought it of doubtful
propriety that Gutter, as an alderman.
should have allowed BOynton to have pur-
chased the lumber at Cutters yards. and
especially at the high prices named. and
thought the city should have been allowed
a liberal discount on the bill.
The report particularly criticised the
careless manner in which the committee on
public grounds and buildings passed the
Beynteh bills without seeing an original
bill, and suggested that the council instruct
the committee hereafter to conduct such
work In systematic and business-Iike
way.
Aid. Swenson followed the report with
verbal explanation. The differences in the
pay roll were the only differences that
could be proved, owing to the absence of
original books. Yet owing to the fact that
building had cost $4,000 more than the
estimate it is quite apparent that the city
has been defrauded out of a great deal more
money than was included in the pay roll.
The sum Of $685. 800 is an outrageous price
for the work really done.
Aid. Pratt moved that the report be re-
ferred back fer an itemised statement He
said he did this in justice to Aid. Cutter.
Aid. Swenssn informed the alderman
that the statement is at the disposal OF the
council.
The committee further reported that they
found no Irregularities in the Workhouse
job.
Aid. Swenson reported the following: