Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-05-09
ATTENTION, TAXPAYERS.

Henry w. French Is Drawing n Salary
 to Which He Is Not Entitled He Buys
 Safe and the City Pays the Bill.
 At Thursday nights meeting of the sented by Henry w. French, for safe. The article in question was bought by Mir French ten days ago and placed in his office in the City hall building. The bill was ordered paid by the committee, notwithstanding a vigorous protest by Alderman Reilly.
 This is the last straw and will prob- ably open the eyes of the council to the fact that Mir French has outlived his usefulness as public servant. He re- ceives a larger salary than any other municipal officer and does no work to speak of. For about a year he has fed at the public pap, receiving a salary of $50 month, with extras, most of the time doing nothing that a $10 a week clerk would consider anything but a snap. It is time his official head was Topped off.
 When Mir French was first appointed bad debt collector the books of the city showed that there were many unpaid assessments for streets and sewers, some of them dating back a number of years. Owing to somebody's neglect they had been allowed to drag along and MT French was employed to look up the history of the cases and collect what he could This he did and, although it was clearly the duty of the city attorney and col lector to do this work, no one found fault. When, however, he investigated the old cases and reported them his use fulness ceased and he should have been discharged. Instead of that he has been kept on the pension list and o-day has the fattest office in the city.
 The books of the auditor show that the history of all the so-called bad cases is known, and there are marginal notes showing just what the interested party in each case proposes to do and when payment may be expected. Of really bad debts there are but few. Most of the bills are as good as wheat and re- quire no expert to collect them. For several months past MT French has taken upon himself the responsibility of collecting the current assessments, or at least of sitting in his office and receipt ing for the same. In this way he has received large amount of city money. The city attorney has heretofore re- ceived these assessments and is willing to do so in the future. Then why should a new office be created?
 Mir French's claim that he has re- ceived only seven or eight per cent for his collections is calculated to deceive. Of the whole amount received by him he has been paid probably 10 per cent for his work. But for collecting the old debts, for which work he was hired, he has received for his services fully twenty-f five per cent, as the municipal register will show.
 Nearly every month for a year he has sent in a bill for extras, his method being to pay for his supplies out of his personal account and see that his bill is accepted at the end of each month. That he never had the right to contract these bills is shown by section 60 of the charter which says:
 "The auditors shall examine all ac- counts against the city, as provided in section 2S, countersign all orders upon the treasurer, and keep the city ac- counts in such manner as the court of common council may direct. He shall contract for and provide the necessary fuel, furniture, stationery, and inciden- tai articles and services required for the different offices and departments, sub- ject to the approval of the mayor"
 The city auditor has never been con- suited by Mir French, not even in regard to the purchase of the safe above re- ferred to. At the meeting of the matters and argued that the bill should not be approved. The bill is paid, how ever, and unless the council takes some action it will not be surprising to see Mir French purchase horse and car riage with city money for use in chasing up his victims.
 MT French gives no bonds for the faithful performance of his duty and may go and come when he pleases. He evidenly believes in making public office a private snap.