The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-05
MR.. E. BUFORD GRIMES.
HE'S CH1RGFD WITH EMBEZzLING
MONEY FROM THE CITY.
Particulars of the Anair-Taken Before
Mayor EIlyson-Their Conversation-smaii
Amounts-Four Warrants Issued-The Ac-
cused Refuses to Talk.

longing 10 the city of Richmond.
Mr.. Grymes was employed in the Office as one
of the clerks. and every one watched with pain
fnl interest as TO whether he would explain sat
isfactorily the entries charged against him.
Every ear was strained 10 hear what defense
Mr.. Grymcs would make TO the accusation.
Nothing of an explanatory nature was given
| and Mr.. Grymes, accompanied by Mr. John n.
| Childrey, the City Treasurer, az once leit the
| room 10 see MAYOR lllyson. The latter was
found in his Office. and greeted cordially the
| two men as they entered lit
II do not think you would greet me 50 cordially
if You knew the object OF our visit SAID Mr.
YES. think / would" said the Mayor, and
! then Mr.. Childrey stated the facts IN the case.
Did you receipt those bills!' asked Nr. Ely
Yes, sir; did, " replied Mr.. Grymes.
Was your cash over al night? .,,
Mr. Grymes said nothing: Mr.. Childrey re-
| Piled it was not; that, on the contrary it was
| short.
ibid you make those entries in the Auditors
| book?' was asked Mr. Grymes 10y the Mayor.
! Il have no recollection Of making the entries.
II dId so. dil so when was asleep.
Mr.. Grymcs,' said the Mayor can't you give
| me the benefit of some explanation? Is tneIt
any way that you can explain this matter The
| whole matter Is IN my hands, and wish 10 give
you the benefit OF any explanation.
UNDER ARREST
No explanation was forthcoming. Mr.. Grvmes
| offered none. lie salt. however noultlHlHr
| about wanting TO go somewhere IN the Guy, ana
then IL was that Mayor Ellyson informed him he
was under arrest And then II was. SAYS per
| son present. that Mr.. Grymes, Tor the nrst
time realized the gravity Of the situation
! City Attorney Meredith was summoned, and a
| conference was held between HIM and Mayor
! EllysOn. After which. Mr. Grymes was talktd
| 10, bat before any questioning was done Nj
| LllysOn told Mr.. GrymcS that whatever ne SAID
| would bee used against him III court. That nc
| Nirymcsl had the privilege to talk. or say nQth-
! TIfIiH send
/ friends. and anything that could De done Woull
/ b. done for him. Mr.. Grymcs, after this AN
/ swercd but fcw questions
/ Mayor IllysOn's next move was 70 telephone
for Justice j. j. trutchiig III. OF the Police Court
! and warrants were issued against Nj; Orymes.
! There are four warrants. charging him with
each particular ENLIGHTENMENT. ana one warrant
| charging him with all four false entries. Colo
| mel MuscOc l.. SpOtswoOd was sent Tor. ana rep,
| resented Mr.. Grymes' ana the latteT was balltu
/ IN the sum of 500, with Mr.. John i. Branch IN
/ surety.
CHARGES OF EMBEzzLEMENr.
! The warrant was sworn ont by Mayor Ellyson.
and there are four charges Of embcI/l emtnt, the
] following being the amount; s23s5, pad by
| lhalhimcr Brothers on me go Jay OF february,
! lsal; Sob, paid boy g. T.. Schaefler on telruary
/ 18th: s2l, paid hy The Watkins Hardware Com
pany on February 18th, and sl8sD paid by }. l..
! Levy. on February 18th. There are four separate
! and distinct warrants IN the case. The case VIII
! have hearing before Justice Crutchheld Sat,
/ urlay morning az the Police Court ana
| the witnesses will be- Mcssrs. j. Taylor Elly-
son. Mile, Turpin John X. Childrcy. Joseph VI.
shelton. h. l.. Williams. }. J.. Levy, l.. Schaof-
fer, Ihalhimcr, Watkins aud Oihcers hobins
/ and Tallcy
For two days and nights past lIr. Joseph shell
ton and Mr.. William Knowles have been AZ
work on the books. All gas bills arg made out
from the gas inspectors books by hr. shelton
/ clerk IN the Auditor Office After the hiils are
/ made ont they are copied IN book. something
/ after this style: John Smith. 30O cast Tenth
street state of metre 40 last report;
state of meter az TINS time. amount due,. ms
j. all on one line an d az the end isa little place
on the line. IN which rs written the date the Dill
j. paid. that I-. NJ hc bill is paid. ms ledger
}. kept lu the Audltors Office.
The bills are paid IN The lrcasurers ONCE en-
tered on ledger. added mp al the close of each
day and turned IN 10 the Auditor. That oihccr
then checks all names on Mr.. Sheltons book as
having been paid. putting IN tho little place ar
the end Of the line the date Of the day on when
Ten days after the bills are delivered in each
district Alr. Shelton goes over ms book and
makes ont list of persons who have not phid
their bills. This IS given 10 the gas Inspector
and after the latter notifies the person. II the
bin still remains unpaid, the gas Is turned OF.
DISCOVERED LAST MONDAY.
On lat Monday, in making up the delinquent
list for the Second district. when Mr.. Shelton
reached hill NJ. $50 each bill has number as
/ well q, the name OF the person indebted for
same hc saw that It had been checked as paid
hy some one who wrote different hand from
/ Mr. Williams. whose duty II is 20 check the
| book
The hin was marked as having been paid on
| February oath Mr.. Shelton made his delin-
| qucnt list and then consulted Mr.. W. l.. knowles
Tho gas Inspector, IN reference 70 the Ihalhimer
during the day theyeyamincd the Treasurer
| book and n was found that the bill had not
/ been entered as PAID.
I'm fact. there was no entry for Thalhimer for
| ms February bills. Mr Knowles then went 20
| 1halhlmcr Brothers, and asked To be shown the
| gas bills for February.
Mr.. 1halhimcr produced his bills receipted
and dated February 2ith by L. J.. Grymes. Mr..
knowles then went back 20 Nj. Shelton, anu
/ they examined carefully the lreasurers book
from the day the bills were issued mp 10 March
"a. No entry of the balls having been paid could
bc found.
on the 18th Of February Mr. Grymes went into
! the Auditors Office with The Treasurer book IN
TAI, hand. This book is the one IN which he had
that day entered the gas bills paid by citizens.
Mr. Greenhow has a book similar 20 Nlr.
Grymcs, and when the latter entered the Audi
tors office llr. Williams was checking Mr..
Grcenhows book. Mr.. Grymes asked Mr. vii
llams 20 Jet him take his place in checking while
he Williams added his .Grymes) book
Mr.. Williams naturally consented 10 do this,
snd Gryme. checked about page, the Auditor
Grymes checking Mr.. Shclton's book.
LISTED THE BILLS CHECKED
Mr.. shelton, after the Thalhimcr error. re-
memhcrcd that MIR. Grymcs had aided the Audi
tor IN checking the Ircasurers books on the
25th. and paid no attention to the checks for
that date. But after discovering the error, he
and Mr.. knowles went over the Auditors book
ana made q list or every Dill checked by Mr..
Grymcs on the 25th. The Treasurers books
were then examined. AZ night OF course. and
they found that All bills that had been checked
10y Mr. Grymes had been entered paid except
the following
No. ~. Watkins Hardware Company. 1877
east Nam. s2i. No. liza J. l. Levy. i8 north
Sixth. $3.50 No l223. l.. Schacfer. lO2 south
Eighth s6l5 After these had been discovered
more minute examination was gone through
with and 10 was found that bill No. i.sS. J. l..
Levy. los east Marshall, appearing as checked
on the Auditors book as having been paid on
the 9th Of February, did not appear on the Treas
urcr's book for that day.
Applications were at once made 70 the above
persons Tor their receipts. and all were pro-
duced except in the case of Mr.. Levy. lie
promised 20 produce them to-day
These facts were learned Tuesday hight and
on yesterday morning Me-srs knowles and
shelton made them known 20 Mr.. Iurpin the
Auiiior, ANA Mr.. Chlldroy the Treasurer. Then
lollQWci tht result. as stated above.
All blame as 20 having Mr. Grynes ar
rested j. taken from the shoulders OF the
ihc matter more than those intimately con-
nectcd with n. but a. public servants they were
forced 10 pursue thl, course.
Tho false entry had been made on Mr. Shell
tons book. lie was forced either 10 let the hg-
urcs remain unnouced. or send 20 the gas IN
spcctOr the names opposite the false entries as
delnQucnt,. Mr.. Knowles the Inspector would
have then easily found that the bills had been
PAID. IL the bills bad not been checked in the
books the same course would have been pur-
sued. and again the inspector would have found
Inc Tccclpicd bills.
PUBLIC SERVANT.