Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1889-12-16

for poor Judgment, misappropriatiOn OF
city funds, and willful betrayal OF trusts,
this transaction cannot be surpassed, uu-
less il be by the Purchase Of Hydraulic
Canal Rights, Fan account Of which appears
elsewhere in this report
We here desire TO state that owing 70
the fact that the city auditors ledger was
not posted to a later date than October 81,
IS.4, our duties were rendered very ardu-
Gus, but through the courtesy Of Mr.. H
VI. Wells, recorder, who was always ready
and willing 10 render any assistance desir-
ed we think the examination has been as
thorough as could be made with the limited
time given Us. We attach hereto, marked
Exhibit b. statement OF the entire
cost TO June -, 1883, Of the water supply Of
the city, including Parlcy's creek canal
and the Hydraulic canal purchases, the
aggregate amount being Ss5s.6ss-ys; also
costs Of sewers, including mains and later
ais. TO October l, lsSg, 80, SsS.62-
We also call your attention TO exhibit Z,
showing the amounts paid by the city 70
Taylor, Romney * Armstrong Tor
LUMBER AND WORK
from April. 1855, 10 October. 1859, showing
a total Of Sl.642.9O, the prices paid being
from 10 20 Is per cent in excess OF the
market price.
Mayor Armstrong, when questioned on
this matter, said that he had no connection
with this firm, other than as partner;
that he owns about one third Of the entire
stock Of that company. He also states that
he knows nothing about what prices were
charged FOR lumber. whether wholesale or
retail; that he never ordered lumber from
this firm himself, but that the heads Of the
different departments ordered il and that
he did not object 10 their doing IL for the
reason that he had no objection TO the city
dealing with any firm Of which he, the
mayor Of the city, was a member. This
matter Of city officers dealing directly or
indirectly with themselves seems 70 be
common and favorite practice, and we
think cannot be too strongly censured nor
prohibited any too soon IL is in open VIC
latiOn OF law. that they be allowed thus 10
deal with themselves 20 the exclusion Of
other firms, and we believe in all cases
without contract, 10 saw the least, a very
loose manner Of conducting business and
cannot but result in great waste OF city
funds. There seems 20 be no case
where bids 10 furnish these supplies,
which amount 70 many thousands Of dollars
annually, have been advertised for as they
should De, IL those having charge Of these
matters had the best interests Of the tax
payers al heart
In the examination Of the department Of
CITY MARSHAL AND POLICE,
we find very loose methods in conducting
the business relating thereto. There are
two matters 10 which we wish 70 call par
ticular attention.
First-The supply Of shoes, etc. 70 the
prisoners For illustration we copy one
item:
April Il, isso spair s'osa shoes, g :s----srs9 90
l.. 5brushes @ soc-------------- / CO
Total 81 60
We lind invoices Of a similar nature to
the above from Solomon Bros. * Gold, Of
which firm City Marshal solomon is a
member. in amounts from SIS % so per
month, covering various descriptions Of
merchandise, all apparently without any
agreement As TO price Of articles furnished
IL is a matter worthy Of note, that although
Mayor Armstrong and Chief Of Police
Solomon clam not 70 have ordered any
supplies themselves, that the bulk OF sup
plies furnished to the several departments
under their management, are invariably
obtained from firms Of which they are
members As before stated, this method
Of city officers dealing with themselves can
not. in our opinion. be too strongly cen
sured Such supplies should be furnished
By contract, by the lowest responsible bid
der and no contract should be let until
notice for bids had been given by publica
tion in at least two Of the leading papers Of
the city. That
THE PURCHASE or SUPPLIES
necessary 70 carry on the city business
should be- managed in a manner wholly for
eigu 70 the rules followed in conducting
private enterprises or public business else
where than in Utah, is, 70 say the least, not
calculated 20 inspire confidence in the sin
cerity OF those governing and controlling
Salt Lake city.
Secoud-Exhibit d. constitutes a list OF
vouchers for Detective Services" given
from March 18th, lss6, 10 May 3Oth, i>sJ, a
period Of three years, amounting % 81,
1850 Of this amount S3,3t3, are Alfred
SOlOmOn's individual receipts. These
vouchers as "A rule read ''fOr Detective
Services" with nothing 70 show who per
formed the services or what was done,
We were at first informed by Mayor Arm
strong and Chief Of Police solomon. that
they considered it the best plan not TO keep
a record Of any kind, as % who performed
such work nor Of what work was done and
that that no record had been kept in this
department Of the city government That
Mr. Solomon, after consultation with the
mayor, employed such detectives as ne
thought proper. That usually the party
so employed, again employed such person
or persons as he wished, and who were
not known TO Mr. Solomon In connection
with the matter. The first employee re
ported 20 MIR. Solomon and gave him a
receipt Tor tue money ne tLAAuAtu 70 nave
expended; that upon this voucher Mr. Sol
onion paid out the city funds. At the end
Of the quarter Mr.. Solomon turned In with
his quarterly report his own individual
vouchers for the amount so expended and
that the original vouchers were seen by
no one but himself and the mayor, and
that as soon as his quarterly report was ap-
proved By the mayor, all such original
VOUCHERS WE'RE DESTROYED.
Upon further investigation, however. we
found this state OF facts:
That the principal portion Of the q, is
50 paid out for detective sevices dur
ring the threc'years covered by exhibit II. -
was between the months Of February and
October Of this year; that in February
last the city marshal, in connection with
the mayor, hired party by the name Of Il.
COltrin TO spot" liquor dealers, houses Of
IN. fame and street walkers, COltrin 10 have
4OtO - per cent. OF the fines imposed In
each case, the money to be paid out Of the
marshais contingent fund on the marshals
personal voucher. the voucher Of
the ''spetter" never being presented 20
any one but the mar shall and the mayor, as
hereinbefOre stated II is proper 10 speak
here that the police justice was not made
aware OF the arrangement, he did not
know that the witnesses upon whose testi-
mony he was entering up fines and costs,
was party IN interest IN having these
fines made as sure and as high as possible,
and we believe him 20 De free from any con
tact with this perniCiOus business.
In the month Of April COltrin refused 10
continue to run in the houses OF i'll fame
and their occupants on the - per cent. diyi-
dend basis, for the reason, as he stated, that
IL cost a good deal Of money % procure the
necessary evidence in this class Of cases.
ThereupOu the marshal and the mayor held
conference upon the subject and agreed that
IL Brother COltrin would continue in the
house Of ill-fame business they would pay
him
THE WHOLLY AMOUNT oFFISEs
imposed in such cases
The amounts paid by the city marshal 10
Coltriu, as near as we can ascertain, were
as follows;
February q. is,9- 500
March O. lo-9-------------------- -
March n, 100
MaFch - - ----- -------=.--- -
March - l,-s -
March 81, l-,+- --------------- -
April l. 80
April 3 i--4 -.------- lOu
April lu lSrt- =
April "a 80
April - i--4 ------.-------- -
April o. Do
80
go
Up 20 this date COltriu had 80 per cent
Of the fines in prostitution cases. but there
after, intending the following dates aud
payments, he had all Of such fines;
May %. 1870 ------------------------ o
H.