San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-08-15
A SUDDEN SUMMONS.
THE MAYOR SECRETLY SUMMONS
THE SOLONS.
Bottoms Light Article an impeach-
ment That Must be Met.

| IL was known that sudden and secret session
| of the council had been called. The session
was held at $50. All present except kalteyer
| and Guerguin who are out of town. The
| MAYOR called the council to order and laid be-
| fore them the article in the LIGHT of August
| 10th, setting forth in an interview with Alder
/ man Bolton his statements on city finances.
After reading the article Alderman Lockwood
| v az called to the chair, his honor took seat
below the gangway, Bolton took the floor and
affirmed the correctness of the article in tn 9
LIGHT, save that she $4,000 should have read
His honor then declared that only two things
were admissible, either there was shortage
| in the city treasure or there was not he
wanted an immediate Investigation, not py
single committee but by the entire council,
for if there was shortage and the city was In
the soup he had stolen the money; either
that or the person who said the city was In the
soup had told an untruth. The Mayor then
moved that the council meet Thursday, Au-
gust 18th, 1889, at p. m, to make thorough
Investigation of the finances of the city Tor
the past fifteen years and that the session De
continued from day to day until the investiga-
ton was concluded that an expert account
ant be employed during the investigation and
that $500 be appropriated for that purpose.
The motion was seconded and carried and the
council adjourned.
In an after conversation Alderman Bolton
said that the article IN the LIGHT was correct,
save the $4,000 amount which should be
Sl53 900 that he had prepared art Gle in an.
swer to newspaper articles by Lockwood and
others, aud the substance OF which statement
is as follows:
.'The particular friends (?) of the present
city administration, especially Alderman
Lockwood, have so persistently Demuddied
DIRT on me and my actions, by trying to re-
fleet upon my stand relative TO the issue OF
city bonds, whereas, they are endeavorlng 10
draw the general public's attention OIL OF the
trai nlAtIV
finances. 1t is but just to my many friends
that should throw some light on the true
inwardness of the subject matter 1t is only
reasonable to presume that wnen an alder
man observing due decorum arises to address
the members of the city council, in open ses'
sion, that proper respect should be shown
him by listening to his remarks ana giving
the same proper intelligent construction, es-
pccaly is it to be expected in the case, men u
fair and honorable criticism is being made up
on the financial condition OF the city tunos,
receipts and expenditures. On July l, 1852. the
council being in regular session, the report or
the city treasurer, in accordance WI my reso.
luton of June l1th calling for statement OF
the sii king fund On hand, ETC., was read, and
the report showed a def ,iancy of about Sl5,-
Co., the city treasurer reporting that this short
age had existed ever since he had been In
office, i. e.. since February. 1888. Strange, is
it not, four and a half years carrying snort
age on the books of only Sl5 900, and belong
ing to fund that is strictly termed Dy some
| of my wOIhd-ba critics as sacred 1unu. DUR
! office when only $4,000 per year could be Dor
| rowed for public improvements, by issue OF
bonds by note of the council, the taxes were
| so hal d TO c)llect, not because Ihey weTe 81
high as | am informed by Alderman LocB.
| wood they being Sl25 per SlOO, ~ Genus Oh
| which was special for the High school Dul q
| ing. but on account OF general haTu
| times, it WIS the custom for the mayor
| TO draw warrants o the general tnnd ana no
general funds being on hand. presume that
the city treasurer paid said warrants from
to the city and perhaps pertaining TO spe-
| cial fund i. e., sinking fund ana Bexar
county hospital fund, with the under
standing that when the taxes were collect
| I'd the special funds should be properly re-
| placed. The treasurer having TO transfer MS
| office and books etc, over to his success
| sOr prior to the end of the fiscal year IN rep
| ruary, 1885, was one reason perhaps thesc
| special funds were not IN the treasury when
| the present incumbent came into olhce AT
least that is what the finance committee,
composed o. Aldermen Aug. Belknap, John
H. Bolton and a. L. Lockwood, found upon
their examination into the finances OF the
city and showed in the report they
presented to the city council STor, at "a a
1885, that there was due to the city lOr
taxes uncOlected for the fiscal year iS'i-5
about 800 and the general tund had Deel
| Uverdrawn about $4,000. That the amount
overheard was due to the sPe ;ial fund,
leaving about $4,000 for the new admlnlsLra
ton to work on, and so that the incoming
administration SnOuld not Oe ndHlpeIeu VI e,
quired to interfere with the aforesaid special
funds. the finance committee rec mmended
that his honor the mayor be authorized 10
| issue and dispose of his note, as mayor OF
the city, to the amount of $4,000 per month
to meet current expenses, pleCglng me
revenue of the city for taxes collected for the
fiscal year 1885 6. 1t should be OBJ
served that the new administration
was authorized to draw per month al
amour equal to what Mayor French was
allowed for one whole year, and in addition
had $4,000 in bonds per year under the char
ter of 1885 for street improvements. mis-
late nent is from memory, but | refer to city
| council proceedings of March p, 1885 re
| Qucsted that the report referred to and th(
| record of the meeting be produced to substan
| tate my statement, but was told it wOulC
take some time TO hunt them up. was the
money received from taxes for lSoi-j p aced
To tie credit of the sinking fund, etc, as
| directed by the council? 1t appears not from
the official report of the treasurer OF July |
1889: was it reasonable to expect that the
direction of the council should be carried out
Yes, for have in my possession Statement
Dade out in the handwriting OF the presen
: city clerk. Mr.. Claudon, showing thai up u
August |, 1888, there had been received 10
, taxes from February |, 1885, collected for the
fiscal year ending February Is, 1852 SSO,369
| Further Comment on this point is unneceS
: Sary, except TO say that if the directions o
tie city council had been carried out, tn
.inkirg fund might not have been short TO
day On July !, 1889, the chairman of the On
,uce committee, Alderman Rogers, presented
. 4 statement of the city treasurer. dated Apr
: | -. 1889, which he stated had been examine
and found correct. and recommended be filed
with this -tartiing recapitulatiOn Due tn
| city account of special fund. public improve
| menL fund, refunding fund, city hal
tic, fund, $l6l,945 40 school fund, 81
..&2 ga total of SlS2, III - cash o
= nand, SlO3,S6SI5 deficient, S783uS go
| a reading of the rpDOr