Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-18
MOSLEY NOT CLERK.
THE MAYORS INVESTIGATION RE-
SUITS IN HIS REMOVAL.
Alleged Failure 70 Comply with the Law
Regarding the Collection Of Market
Rents tho Cause.

kHnf9 tho NaueSs
Mr.. william n. Mosley isno longer Clerk
of the Second market.
He has fillod this office for nearly three
years, but this morning viii have 70 turn
over to his deputy, Mr.. J. T. Flourncy' oil
of the property Of the city pertaining 70
that position.
Mr.. Moslev was removed from the ser
vice of the city last night by Mayor Ely
son. who has spent the greater part OF the
past two or three days investigating what
appeared TO be Irregularities in the sc-
counts Of the Clerk.
It was between 0 and 10 o'clock when the
Mayor handed Mr.. Mosley the letter print
ed below, which directs him after sur
rendering his Office and papers to make
settlement with the City Auditor and to
pay over TO that official any money in his
hands belonging to the city.
AvALuABLE PARTY MAN.
There will be very general regret that IN
the discharge Of his official duties the
Mayor has found il necessary to pursue
this course. "Billn Mosley. as he is gen.
orally known. is very popular and has from
early manhood been one Of the most active
political workers in the city. He was
elected to the clerkship of the Second
market in July, 1888. and reelected st the
expiration of two years. term.
He has always been a fearless Democrat
and his courage and energy have made
him valuable aid to his party. especially
at the polls where he was ever ready to de-
fend the rights of Democracy.
Cause OF the Mayors Action.
Mayor Ellyson said last night that he
sincerely regretted that he was forced to
take such action as he had, but he felt IL
his duty to do so. TO representative OF
tho DISPATCH he made the following state
ment:
ION Friday of last week Mr.. Boudar.
who, under my direction is making an
examination of the books in the different
departments of the city government, gave
me list of delinquent bills for stall-rents IN
the Second market aggregating some three
or four hundred dollars. In looking over
the list | found that it contained the
names OF some of the best-known butch
ers, vegetable and fruit-deaiers in the
market, whom I was quite surprised 70
find reported as not having PAID tneir
stall-rents.
TWO DAYS INvEsrrGArrSG.
II at once determined to. investigate
the matter, and all of yesterday and to-day
and until nearly 10 o'clock tonight have
in company with City-Attorney Y. Y. Mere
dith been engaged in the ONCE OF tne Gap
tain of the Second police station In ex-
amining witnesses and hearing. during tins
afternoon and tonight especially, what Mr..
Mosley had to say la his own defence.
Mr.. Mosley, by the way, had with him
| during his examination as counsel Hon.
George ID. Wise.
COLLECTED THE MARKET BILLS.
1.-THE city ordinance provides that bills
| for stall-rent are to be payable TO the
Treasurer Of the city. 1t seems, however.
| that during the last two years or more Mr.
Mosley has been collecting from large
number Of these renters their monthly
rent, although this very ordinance was
| passed in 1886 for the express purpose OF
preventing collection by the Clerk of these
monthly rents, and Mr.. Mosley acknow--
| lodged that no knew of the existence OF
| this ordinance.
| "Of a large number of persons examined
| nearly every one testified that he or she
was in the habit of paying their rent TO
Mr.. Mosley, and that they had paid the
| particular bulls in question to him.
1 WHAT NR. MOSIEY 5AtD.
"Mr. Mosley said as 10 most of these mat
ters that if they paid hum he paid 1t IN at
the Treasurer's Office. The ordinance
concerning markets provides that 1t shall
be the duty of the clerk of each market to
furnish to the Auditor on the first day OF
| each year O list of the renters of their re-
spectlye markets, which list must state
! both the ennual aud monthly rent.
Mr.. Mosley acknowledged that he
had never made ont such list. The ordi-
nance further provides that the City Clerk
shall on the first weekday of each month
thereafter furnish TO tho Auditor similar
lists showing any change in the renters
that may have taken place during the pre-
cedIng month. MIR. Mosley confessed that
he had never rendered any such monthly
list.
THE LETTER OF REMOVAL.
"In view OF these acknowledged disre-
cards OF the laws euacted for his guidance
| and his repeated and knowing violations
| of the ordinances felt it to be my duty TO
remove HIM from Office, so handed him
the following letter:
RICHMOND, March II. 1891.
"Mr. W. IT. MosleU, Clerk Second Marked:
Dear Sir,-In the light Of information
| furnished me and in view OF your own ac-
knowledgment of repeated and knowing
violations of the duties OF your Office feel
| it to be my duty 10 remove you from the
| Office of Clerk Of the Second Market. and
| hereby notify you that you are removed
| from that Office. You will please turn over
| 10 your deputy all the property OF the
city pertaining TO your Office. and you will
please make prompt settlement with the
Auditor of your accounts and any money
or hand. Yours respectfully,
| u. TAyLoR ELLYsoN, Mayor"
L. &t.~A IL \
not kept any books in his office showing
| his receips from rents, and that the only
memorandum he had was in a little book
he carried in his pocket which was lost or
stolen from him last Saturday, and he
added that although he had been clerk of
the market now nearly three years be had
not even so much as read all the ordinances
pertaining to the government and manage
| ment Of the market.
REPORT TO TEE COUNCIL.
"I shall make q full statement to the
Council of the reasons for this action, and
until do would prefer TO say nothing fur
ther on the subject" the Mayor added "a
the scribe was about to withdraw.
says He Has Made Full Returns.
Mr.. Mosley was also seen at the rooms oi
the Powhatan Club. and asked IL he de
sired to make any statement for publica.
tion regarding his case. You may say
that am innocent" exclaimed he, land
that have turned over all of the money
ever collected az Clerk of the Market.
have saved the city more than thousand
dollars each year by my way Of keeping
the accounts. This Is sboutall can say
for the present"