St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-03-06
A GENERAL DENIAL.
City Officials say the Charges OF
Irregularity Are False.

City Officials say the Charges of
Irreguiarity Are False.
The war between the council and the
city comptroller is still "On," and sew
eral of the city fathers have declared
that Mr.. Caiderwood must be trapped
across the knuckles." Aid. Sterling,
who is regarded as one Of the cOnserva-
tive aldermen, yesterday said: ''The
idea that the council had any notion of
max ing rules for the government of the
cOmptrOller's office which would be OBJ
nOXl0uS enough to cause his resignation
is all boSh. There is not now, nor never
was, anything of the kind contemplated.
The comptroller, so some OF US think,
has Overrated his own Importance, and
on several occasions he has Overstepped
the mark 10 get rap at the aldermen
when there was no OccaSi IN for il. The
committee was appointed to make rules
for the government of his Office, but in
reality Mr.. Calderwood has been MAX
ing rules to govern the council"
Comptroller Calderw0od was angry
when lie read the letter published in
morning paper 10y Col. w. s. King, in
which it was charged that through his
cOnnivance the Dual City Collection
agency, through A. G. NimockS. had
been enabled to secure considerable
business and to collect large sums of
money from taxpayers for rebates
which had been allowed by the council.
"Ihe statement that | had or have amy
connection with the work of the Dual
City Collective agency is false" he said.
''aS is also the statement that the check
Ing up Of the books In the auditors
Office cost 81 900, and the city gets no
return for it. The council, by resoiu-
ton. employed the Dnal City Collective
agency to check the accounts, and as a
result the city has recovered about
$4,000 which is due from the county.
The cost of this Work is about $1,4O0.
So the city is considerably ahead i'll that
transaction.
1.-The statement that the Dual City
Collective agency were the only parties
who had access TO the books showing
rebates of assessment Is false. Any
citizen who is interested in the matter
can find out all he wants to know In five
minutes without applying to a cOlec-
ton agency. Why. last year there were
sent out from the Office of the city en-
gineer 5000 notices to taxpayers OF re-
bates of assessment. That doesn't look
as if any attempt had been made 10
keep the matter quiet in the interest of
Mr.. Nimm0cks. Every move that |
have made since | assumed charge of
this Office has been done with the full
sanction OF law, and no arbitrary
rules have been made by
me and have been careful
to keep within the duties of my office as
laid down in the city charter and as [
understand them. That | may have
made mistakes | will not deny, for to
err is human, and if | have made any
mistakes they have simply been errors
of Judgment"
"HOw about the statement published
that when you called the attention of
the city clerk to the fact that the type
writer bought for your Office cost 50, rs
less than his he turned that amount into
the city treasury" was asked.
"rhat's all right, and Mr.. Haney can
easily explain that. 1t was a mistake
OH the part of the company that sold
the machines and the city clerk was not
to blame for that"
"Have you ever had any understand
ing with the Dual City or any person,
that you were to receive part of the
commission they received for collecting
rebates on assessments for the privilege
of examining the records of your
Office?'
No, sir; emphatcally not. wouldn't
listen to such proposition, and would
kick man out of the Office who made
it. The whole trouble with the people
who are making the kick is that they
are sore over something they don't
understand and they have started out
without first making an investigation.
am satisfied that have done every
thing legally, and the fact that Mr..
Nimocks has collected some OF the re-
bates has nothing at all to do with me
or this Office"
RCity Clerk Haney laughed when his at
tentiOn was called to 1.-THE boodle''
amounting to 1915 which was returned
to the city treasury. ut was mistake
made by the company which sold the
machines" he SAID, 81 bought the ma
chine last April and everybody supposed
it was bought at the lowest market
price. The committee on printing
which has charge of the supplies passed
the bill and so did the committee on
claims. When the comptroller bought
his the company supposed that his was
the fourth machine bought by the city
and according to their rule they allowed
him discount of 10 per cent. The city,
however, had already purchased ma.
chimes for the city attorney, the health
department, the mayors Office, the
water department, and when called
their attention to it they allowed the re-