Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-15
HASTINGS LAID OFF.
Chief Ehlers Will Suspend the Market
Clerk This Morning.
ALLEGHENY FINANCES UNVEILED.
The Vehicle and Amusement License Books
Are Demanded.
MFMBERS HAVE A VERY LIVELY FIGHT

! Market Clerk Hastings, of Allegheny,
will be suspended to-day by Chief Ehlers,
! pending the action of Councils on the
| Auditing Committees report. This is the
result of the meeting of the Auditing Com.
mittee last night, at which the report
of the sub-Auditing Committee was
received and recommended to Councils.
His report, which shows shortage OF
S32,647 65 in Hastings accounts, has al,
ready been published, but Chairman Hen.
ricks read supplementary report at the
subcommittee meeting Yesterday morning
giving fuller details and figures, but not
changing the total amount.
The finding of the auditors for the year
1890 was read in detail as an example of the
methods pursued by the market clerk and
as proof that money had been collected,
of which no return had been made to the
city.
For the month of January, 1890, the re-
ceipt stubs show that S562 12 were collect
ed. Of this amount $50 was reported as a
part of the February receipts, and remain
der, S512 12, was never reported to the Con-
troller. The April receipts were $500 so,
and $3.50 SO were reported as the entire
April receipts. The balance left, S343 13,
was held over and added to S63 75 of the
May receipts, the remainder of the
money collected for May was car
ried over to the credit of June and
so reported, while the June receipts,
1894 II, were not reported at all. This sys-
TEN was worked all through the year till
December, when. after making report of
10, O49 38, the market clerk still had bal
ance unaccounted for of S432 80. The
total of these receipts, which are for garden
truck alone, for the year was $6,337 30, and
the entire deficit for the year was 81, 573 %.
HOW THE SHORTAGE is CAUSED.
To further explain the manner in which
their work was done and to show that no
mistake was made, the supplementary re-
1--WE begin with the first payment we find on
each STALL and when rents have not been paid after
this beginning we have charged up such rent as de-
linquent. hut In no case have we made such charge
until the records show the stall was occupied For
tober j. 1875, ana we find this stall still occu-
pied as may be seen by reference to the
year We find no payments on this stall from the
six months ending April l. 1882, to july !, 1891.
same tenant occupies another stall on which there
is due s24 We find that the Clerk of Markets has
which indicates that either the rents have been
paid and no record made or else the rents have not
been collected In any case the money Is due the
city and should be paid.
Clerk Hastings and his attorney J. D.
Ramsey were present. When asked II he
had any statement or explanation to make,
Mr.. Hastings said that he had not taken any
of the money himself, nor could he account
in any way for the shortage. He said that
he would like to have more time in which
to prepare statement, and that
he had been denied access to
the books and documents which we're in the
hands of the auditors.
DR.. Clifford said that he had written him
a letter inviting him to come to the Con-
trolIer's office at any time and examine the
work of the auditors. Hastings said that he
had misunderstood the letter. Attorney
Ramsey requested permission to take
the books over to the market house and
make a careful examination of them,
bnt this was refused, DR.. Clifford saying:
"You are at liberty to examine the books,
possession of the auditors. How do we
know those books would not be consigned
to the garbage furnace rs the others were"
BoNDsMEN WILL BE SUED.
Resolutions were drawn up instructing
Chief Ehers to suspend Hastings from
office, and recommending that criminal pro-
ceedings be commenced against him for
embezzlement and perjury, also that suit
be entered against the bondsmen, George
W. Day and W. b. Moore to recover the
amount of the deficit.
Clerk Hastings said last hight: 81 have
done no wrong, although may have been
careless, l never stole cent OF money, and
have nothing to-day but. the house in which
1 live"
At the meeting last night Chairman Hen
ricks read from paper statement by
Charles Neeb in which he was reported as
saying, 81 believe i'll an audit of the city
books, but it ought to be done by impartial
men," He then said: 81 consider that to be
an imputation on the honor of every men,
Der of this committee and ask Mr.. Neeb if
he is correctly reported, and, $50, to make an
explanation" Mr.. Neeb replied that he had
general way and not meaning to cast any
reflections on that particular committee.
His language had been twisted so as to con-
vey an entirely wrong impression.
This explanation did not satisfy DR.. Gilli-
ford, and spirited discussion followed.
Neeb said that he had no reference to any
member of the committee, but If the shoe
fitted any of them, they could put 1t on.
The Auditors having wound up the market
department, will next tackle the Mayors
office. II was decided last night to direct
the Mayor to hand over the witness fee
book to the Auditing Committee. This was
Solicitor on this subject. The vehicle license
and amusement license books will also be
demanded. These books have formerly
been withheld from the Auditing Commit
tee, but the decision of the City Solicitor
settles that point.