The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-01-28
,,.wEpNEspAy. JANUARY ss. 1891.


The revelations disclosed last night
in the Board of Health will hardly
prove a very healthy boom for William
ii. Lee, secretary of the Board Of
Health, In his aspirations to be made
Comptroller of New Castle County
under the Five County Commissioner
bill, unless the Legislature or Governor
Reynolds think that Lee has peculiar
and fit qualification to fill such n pc
culiar Office. Mr.. Lee was very foolish
fow days ago in giving authority to
report that one of the executive OFF,
GERS OF the Board of Health had a pc
euniary interest in the awarding of
some contracts for the removal of
garbage TO other than the lowest bid
der. He has found out to his sorrow
that that gun was heavily charged,
and did more execution at the breech
thnh at the muzzle. The executive
officer whose integrity was aspersed
came before the Board of Health last
night. armed with affldavits from the
parties charged with bribing him,
stating that Mr.. Mcconnell was not
only clear OF accepting bride in any
manner, but Mr.. Pagan in his straight
forward, honest manner told how he
gave Mr.. Lee $50 for his influence in
1890, that influence to be exerted in the
way of securing to Mr.. Pagan certain
contracts for removing garbage at a
higher bid than others. -..
We are not charging Mr.. Lee with
this offence, but it is Mr.. Pagan that
Is doing 1t and from present appear.
nnces Mr.. Lee will have some trouble
to refute the charge. Under the cir
cumstances the best thing Mr.. Lee car
do is to resign his Office of Clerk Of
the Board OF Health, and if Ire hest
tates to do so the City Council who
elected him should Immediately assist
him out Of the office. He never wa:
the choice of the Board for the Office
and there has never been any bond Of
sympathy or Union between the Boart
and Mr.. Lee. The reason why 80 many
complaints from the citizens for tht
non-removal of their garbage ever
after such complaints had been lodgoC
at the Office In the hands of the secre
tary, has now come to the surface. Tn,
secretary having sold himself to tn,
contractor who had one half of tn,
city to look after for fifty dollars
could be depended upon to shield that
contractor. 5000.
It would have been dangerous a
least for him to have insisted upon tn
49, contractor doing his whole duty 70
fear of exposure, and 50 the Board ha
been crippled in its operations and In
been subjected to blame and unfai
criticism on account of, not their sec
rotary, but the City Councils secre
tary, that has been foistei upon tn
Board for partisan motives. Will
: the Board has been doing all in II
power and the executive officers hay
, been working in sympathy with til
Board, the secretary who, from tn
position he occupies, is really the mo-
ing, active spirit OF the Board has bee
under $50 bride obligation to shiel
the gorbage contractor for one ha
Of the city. II the City Council wi
do its duty it will Immediately at il
next meeting, remove this uniui
steward of the city so far as he is mao
the secretary of the Board of Healtl
and permit that body to elect seer
tary more in spirit aud sympathy wit
it-one especially who is not weightc
down with a 80 bride, and it is sal
other brides from the garbage col
tractors.