Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-06-11

A meeting Of the Legislative Com
mittee OF City Council was held yester-
day afternoon, for the purpose OF hear
ing testimony relating to the rider, which
was tackled on the G street bill, and
passed through the Legislature just be-
lore the close OF the session. The iAves-
tigation is being conducted privately,
and none but interested parties are ad-
mitted.
William T. Lyman Of this city, and r.
r. Kenuey, Esqs., of Dover, are attor.
neys for the committee, and Merits Tay-
Tor lie acting as secretary. AT the pre-
vious meeting William II. Lee, registrar
OF births, deaths and marriages, testified
that he enrolled the bills concerning the
city, among them being the @ street bill.
After this bill was passed 1t was handed
to him to enroll, and although he noticed
the rider to the bill he did not think any
bling strange of 1t, as he had frequently
teen sections added to other bills
Lewis U. Vandegrlft, Esq, and Joseph
L. Carpenter, Jr., were summoned to
appear before the committee, but they
failed to respond. Mr.. Carpenter sent
the following letter to Merits Taylor,
which created quite q breeze when read
WILMINGTON, Del, June s, 1883.
Merris Taylor, Esq.
DEAR Sir: Yours OF June request
ing me TO appear before the Legislative
Committee of City Council and tell what
know OF the passage Of bill vacating
| certain lands In the city of Wilmington,
received. ] decline to appear before the
said committee and my reasons for SO
doing are as follows;
First, the charter Of the city of VIII
minRton gives said committee no
power to examine me or any one else IN
such case, and the attempt to do 80 is
In violation OF law.
Second, the matter said committee ia
seeking to inquire about In no wise
touches the functions or the rights OF the
Council and does not In any way concern
said body, but relates entirely TO the
affairs Of the Street and Sewer Depart.
ment and Is said departments business
solely. ..
Third, II should have chosen to APP
pear, ! could not tell you anything OF my
own knowledge, as the matters referred
to were in the hands of counsel employed
by NE. Yours truly,
JOSEPH L. CARPENTER, JR.
Mr.. Vandegriit Also sent u similar let
ter.
State Senator John P. Donahoe was ex.
amined and testified that an act to repeal
chapter 1889, volume IS, Laws of Della
ware, was introduced into the Senate
April 9Th. This bill gave the Street and
Sewer Comm ssion the right 10 designate
where the funds OF that department shall
be deposited. The witness opposed the
| bill, and after II was read second time
1t was referred to the Committee on Re-
vised Statutes. 1t was afterwards re.
| ported uniavorably and killed.
| On April %, bill entitled can ACT
vacating certain lands IN the city donated
for public uses" passed the Senate, aud
the next day City Solicitor Turner asked
Mr. Donahoe concerning this bill, as he
supposed 1t was still In his possession
aud seemed surprised when MIR. Donahot
informed him that II had passed. Turner
said that he wanted to add Au amend
ment which had been suggested by Mr.
L obdell. The amendment was added
aLd when the bill came back the Senator
supposed that 1t was all right, and the
first information that he had concern ng
the rider was when he was told OF it by
Patrick Neary. 1t was the opinion OF
the witness that the rider had never been
| passed.
Walter II. Hayes, ESQ.,, testified that
i
bill was brought from the Senate to the
House, and after being read twice, was
referred to the Committee Oh Municipal
Corporations.
The next morning the reading clerk OIL
the House was engaged in making VI
the transfer journal. and the witness
acted in his place. He read quite a mum
Der of bills and was called out several
times, one time being told that MIR. Van
dearift wished to see him on some bust
ness. While he was In the lobby talking
to Mr.. Medill about the commissioners
bill he saw Mr.. Vandegriit, and he ask ed
the witne to assist him In having a bill
passed to allow the Street and Sewer
Commission to deposit their funds wher,
they pleased. The witness Informed him
that he was opposed to the bill, and aitei
talking few minutes returned to thu
House. He thought the bill was passed
during one of the-times that he was alb
seIt
Willard Salisbury, Jr., and Represen
tative Armstrong also testified, and thu
committee alter hearing their evidence
adjourned.
|