Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-07
CITY LOSES s3S,OSO.
SUCH IS THE REPORT AS TO coLLEc-
TOR WOODSON'S ACCOUNTS.
tho "Missing Ledger" Not Yet Ac-
counted For.

pie to fill the Office for a term Of two years
and entered upon his duties July the 1st
following.
During most Of this time an investiga-
tion has been going on with the view of
determining the liability of Mr.. Woodson
and his sureties. Officially the result was
not known until last night. Unofiicialiy
the people have been aware for many, many
months that Mr. Woodson died greatly in
debt to the city, and that owing to the
nOn-performance of the requirements Of the
law with regard TO the examination of the
Collectors accounts at stated periods, any
considerable recovery from the bOndsmen
is improbable if not impossible.
TO SUE THE ESTATE.
At the meeting Of the Common Council
last night Slr. Steel, sub-chairman of the
Finance Committee, presented the follow
ing:
RICHMOND, January G. 1890.
To The Council Of he city Of Richmond:
Gentlemen. We herewith submitareport
of w. Hall Crew, employed by the Finance
Committee 10 examine the accounts OF the
late Collector A. Il. Woodson. showing
deficit of S3S 0s0. 16. with a communication
from J. Aston Cabell, attorney at law, as
sociated with G. V. Meredith, City Attor-
ney, advising that suit be brought against
tho estate Of A. X. WOOdson and his sure
ties, and recommend the adoption of the
following resolution
BE resoired by ne Council Of The city II
RichmOnd the Board of Aldermen concur
ring). That the City Attorney be, and he IS
hereby. instructed 10 institute suit against
the estate OF the late A. II. WOOdson and
his bondsmen 10 recover the deficiencies
due by the said A. r. WoOdson to the city,
and in the prosecution Of this suIt he is
authorized 10 associate with him-J. A. Ca
bell. the said Cabell to receive 2per centum
on the amount recovered for the city.
The following is Mr.. Crews report;
ME. CREWS REPORT.
Y. D. HGrTore, Es9., Chairman Gf Finance
COmn0'ee:
Sir,-As instructed by your committee |
have carefully examined the desk books
Of the late A. r. Woodson, late City Col
lector, for the years 1S76'S7 inclusive. to-
gether with such other books rs conld be
found in the office showing collections
made for the city by said collector.
From the pOsting-marks on number OF
the desk-books il was evident that there
was or had been in existence n ledcer TO
which the various amounts collected was
posted, and from which most of the settle
ments were made. On inquiry ] found
Sutn Dook udu Dccu htpb 'u "a" vhi.,'
aud that since the death OF Mr.. A. Il.
Woodson the late William III. Talman car
RED the book away, and have not been
able 60 find il. / believe this book. If
found, would explain many entries now on
the desk-bOoks that certainly do not look
right
The paving bills from 1882 were irregu-
larly kept, and from 1884 to February !,
1887, listing them was discontinued. The
book in which the bills Of February /, 1887,
are listed has been mutilated, and the first
forty-eisht pages cut out. February ],
1887, list commences on page 40.
Gas bills-No book containing the list of
delinquent gas bills or collections for the
years 1881 and 1855 can be found, cOnse-
quently am unable TO make any report Of
that account for those years. The main
deficit is in the collection of taxes and the
desk books for the years 1893, Sl, 'S5, 'SG,
and 'S7 contain very many systematic er-
rOrs in addition" which are invariably Tor
round amounts against the city, and the
figures Of such systematic errors" arc all
in one handwriting. There are another
class of errors on the same books. II Is
where parties have paid their taxes with
bank checks. and for some reason at the
close of the davis work the amount of the
check is deducted from the gross collec-
tiOns, and MANY of these checks are never
put back TO the account. As previously
stated t. your committee the amount de-
felt does not include any amounts collect
ed but not entered on the desk-bOOks.
The collections made for the years 1876
and 1877 were settled by the Auditor in
1880. consequently have omitted any state
ment of collections made those years.
Accompanying this report please find
tabulated statement of the amounts en-
tered on the cash-bOoks Tor the various
years as collected and the amounts paid
over to the city after deducting commits
sions. leaving a total balance thus acknow-
ledGed Of S3s ,0SO.l6.
Respectfully submitted.
W. HALL CREW.
Richmond, Va, November %, 1889.
ASSOCIATE COUNSEL.
The resolution from the Finance Com
mittee was taken up and considered.
Mr.. StrattOn wanted to know why 1t was
necessary TO employ associate counsel for
Mr.. Meredith. If the whole amount is re-
covered the city will have topay $780, which
he thought auseless outlay when the City
Attorney is able TO attend to the matter
himself.
Mr.. Steel explained that Mr.. J. Preston
Cooke. Mr.. Meredith's partner, has for
several years been counsel for one of Mr..
Woodson's bOndsmen, and he feels deli
cacy in taking the case against his partner.
Mr.. Courtney said in this case Alr. Mere
dith should pay the counsel and the city
should not spend one cent when she has
her own lawyer.
Mr.. Higgins was in favor of allowing the
City Attorney to have associate counsel in
tins case. Mr.. Meredith. he said. las made
an excellent officer and in this embarrass-
mentdhe city should relieve him.
Mr8Burke suggested that if the City At
torney cannot attend to the matters of tho
city lie be given an assistant. He was OPP
posed to allowing the City Attorney asso-
ciate counsel at every meeting of the COun-
Gil Az the last meeting be was granted
help in the bank-share cases.
Mr.. Anderson said the fee to Mr.. Cabell
would be a small one. If he doesn't gain
the suit he won't get cent. and if he gets
the whole amount he Will receive only
SEQ. Mr.. Meredith, Mr.. Anderson said.
viii nav Mr.. Cabell the cash fee which every
attorney requires before taking a case.
The resolution was lost, requiring two
thirds vote TO pass.
The vote was as follows:
AYRs.-Messrs. Anderson, Bodeker, Brauer,
Christian, Courtney, Gurus, Ferriter. Grimes,
Higeins, Moore, Mussen, Pleassnts, steel, STRAIT
ton, Royal White, and Campbell-l6
NOES-Messrs. Burke, Isaac w. Carter. Glover,
Gum. Hayes, Mitchell, Philips, j. W. Whlle W.
l.. White, and Wingneld-lO
The resolution was reconsidered on mo-
ton Of Mr.. Stratton and amended so as to
strike out that portion of the paper which
refers to paying j. A. Cabell a fee for his
services.
Mr.. Bowden. who came in at this point,
moved to lay the whole matter on tho Ia
bile. The City Council, he said, was re-
sponsible for the deficit in Mr.. Woodson's
accounts. The law requires that the books
of the Collector shall be examined once
year, and this was not done in the twelve
wears Mr. Woodson was Collector. He dld
not believe one cent could be made out ot
MIR. Woodson's bondsmen, and the whole
deficit had Just as well be put down to
profit and loss.
The Council refused to table. and the
resolution as amended was adopted.
THE WEST-END CLUB.
EJection of Officers Yesterday Evening