Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-19
GRAVE ACCUSATIONS.
A Claim That Mayor Wyman Has Not
Paid Licenses Due the City.
AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT $4,000
On Fees Said to Be Due by the Mayors
~ Excavating Company.
LIVELY COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT

One of the most startling charges to be
brought against Mayor Wyman will be that,
as chief officer of the city, he did not collect
vehicle licenses on his own wagons and did
not pay the required license for conducting
the business in which he is engaged. While
intrusted with the enforcement of ordi-
nances it is claimed he violated the one
providing for the licensing of parties en-
gagged in the business of cleaning cess
pools and the levying of fee of $40 on each
wagon in use.
The j. G. Wyman Odorless Excavating
Company has been in business in Allegheny
for IL years and at present has in use ten
wagons. A vehicle license of $40 per year
and sanitary license of $40 per year should
be paid for each wagon. The report of the
auditors to the sub-Auditing Committee
some time ago stated that $50 was all that
could be found on the records as having
been paid for license during the last ten
years by Mr.. Wyman, or the company of
which he is the principal member. The
ordinance providing for licensing of sani-
tary companies is as follows:
The Law Is Very Clear.
Be it ordained and enacted by the Select
and Common Councils of the city of Allie
gheny, and it is hereby ordained and enacted
by the same: That a license fee shall be i'm
the business of cleaning cess pools in the
city; said license shall be $40 for each vehicle
or apparatus employed for each year, and
shall be issued by the City Treasurer.
If any person or firm shall engage in such
business without license, OF shall refuse to
exhibit the license when called for, such
person or firm shall forfeit and pay sum Of
not less than S. nor more than $50 for each
offense, to be recovered summarily.
1t is estimated that the Mayor is back
$1,000 on vehicle and 81 800 on sanitary Ii
censes. An effort was made to get members
of the Auditing Committee to state what
steps would be taken to collect this money,
but they would express no opinion. claim
ing that the matter was not yet properly
before them. The excavating company is
said to make from $4,000 to $4,000 per
year. Part of the wagons work at night
and the rest in day time. 1t is the duty of
policemen to report wagons for which
vehicle license has not been paid.
Wyman Must Have Known.
The ordinance providing for sanitary IL
censes was passed August 20, 1878, and, as
Mr. Wyman has been in continual business
since then, it is considered hardly possible
that he was not aware of its provisions.
The Council meeting tonight will proba-
bly, be the liveliest in the city's history.
Besides the resolution from the Audit
ing Committee recommending that the
City Solicitor be instructed to proceed
against Mayor Wyman and ex-Mavor
Pearson, it is said another resolution will
be introduced making the instructions
definite that criminal proceedings be en-
foro 10 A,,1i aos,
resolution. The nature Of the proceedings is
left to the City Solicitor and it is thought
he might bring nothing but civil action.
The adoption of this paper may be difficult
Common Council is believed to be with the
reformers, but Select, which contains only
IS members, is doubtful. On call for ayes
and nays, if public opinion was cast aside,
it would probably be eight for Wyman and
five with the reformers. Allegheny citizens
are taking great interest in the investiga-
tion. however, and the representatives will
be influenced by what their constituents
say. The situation has just enough doubt
about it to make it interesting.
Are Not Pulling Together.
Chief Murphy's line of action has not
been discovered From the fact that he de-
clared his willingness to appear before the
Auditing Committee just after Mayor
Wyman's attorney denied its jurisdiction
the conclusion has been reached by many
that the accused officials have cut loose
from each other, and will make their own
fights. The delay of Chief Murphy's hear
ing will separate his case from the Mayors,
and it is thought that this will benefit
Murphy.
A movement was on foot yesterday, how
ever, to introduce resolution in Councils
tonight providing that the City Solicitor
be instructed to proceed against Chief Muir
ply also. If it is thought enough votes
can be secured to get the resolution
through, there is no doubt about its being
brought up. Select Council would hardly
pass it at present.