The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-19
,.r,, ar THE GRYMEs CASE.


,,,.ao tho verdict and the sentence IN the
case Of Puford Grymes has called ior'n nm ~,
o,,,re. sions Of sympathy from ms irlehuS 'N'
oercr.l nnblic fully acauiesce IN us Justice
cr,,,oes was a man popular soclauy "N1
'i,..ool,y IN such an extent that ne was
atIo tocommand from the Council lucrative
'a,,1,,.r,oot in the Office Of the City
I.eae,,rer and even when he yieideo
., .I,o ten,nfation Of proving false TO the
trust reposed IN him. his frlehds nopeu
AGAINST hope TO the last that he woulo oe
ohio TO clear himself OF the charges against
him Now chat he has failed to 90 SO,
and larry Of his peers have declared
him guilty. the universal sentiment
i irrespective of personal feeling that
the sentence is decidedly on the side OF
mercy Without imposing too great pun
isbmont on the offender, IL means mat
the way OF the transgressor Is hard ana that
no man. Whatever his following OF influence
can violate the law with mpunity.
But the result Of the Grymes' case teaches
other very important lessons. not the least OF
which is that our city officials will be watched
with eagle eyes hereafter, and will be- at
least. required to obey the city ordinances.
According to the recent report OIL
MAYOR Ellys0n. if the ordinance requiring
the books of the City Treasurer and Auditor
10 be daily compared and corrected had been
comulied with. such defalcation as that OF
Mr. Grymes could not have occurred at all
and certainly could not have been carried on
SO LONG as it WAS without having been dis
covered. The Mayor, as chief executive OF
the city. will. no doubt, see TO 1t IN future
that no such careessness in the management
of oDr municipal Affairs IS permitted, and the
of NJ Grymes will, therefore, GER
tainly prove beneficial to that extent.
A further benefit likely to result from It,
however. Will be the adoption Of suggestion
heretofore made in TIE TIMES, for the APP
pointment Of an official expert accountant
whose duty it shall be to examine the books
of all our city officials, through whose hands
Tie city's money passes, and see that they are
properly balanced. Whether such an ofhcial
shan be the appointee Of the Mayor or
the Council. or whether he shall make
is done by United States National Bank inspec-
tors) without warning. is a secondary matter.
What is needed is trustworthy expert. who
will carefully examine and honestly report
lust such an official as was contemplated IN
the ordinance providing for such an appoint
ment which was offered in the Council some
years ago. and smothered in committee.
out of evil goodoitenco comes. and while there
is much regret that Mr.. Grymes should have
gone wrong. there is every indication that ms
conviction will lead 10 the proper observance
hereafter Of the city ordinances by the Treas
urer and other officials, and TO the appoint
ment of such an expert as we.suggest. And IN
this connection it should be remembered that
although the people of Richmond are very
conservative and exceedingly long-sufiering,
when they do once become convinced that
municipal affairs are rotten they are likely
to assert themselves with force equal to that
of al earthquake.