Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-31

Drahuer, bfnuer. Christian, Courtney. Diacont,
tefguseon, Glover, Houston, jackson, Iayne'
Page. stratton, Thompson, Trower. and Roynl
White--1a.
Mr.. mosicy's Statement.
Mr.. Stratton presented the following
ana asked that II be considered by the
committee along with the other testl-
moDy:
RIcHxoSp. Va. March Is, 1891.
TO 0'e Honorable Board Of Aldermen and
Council Of ne City Of Richmond:
Gentlemen, II submit to your considera-
tion an explanation of my official conduct
as Clerk of tho Second market, OF which
the honorable Mayor in the exercise of his
duty has seen ft TO complain to You in bis
message Of March %, 1891. was elected
Clerk of the Second market in July, 1883.
and Immediately entered upon the dis
charge Of my duties as such. | found no
books, accounts, or papers of any kind TO
guide me IL the performance of my duties
or to give me the most remote idea of the
condition of affairs in said market. | went
at once TO Mr.. Turpin. the Auditor OF
Public Accounts, and explained 70
HIM my embarrassment. He was una
bic to give me the names of the
stall-renters or any other information
concerning the Office except az to the man.
ner in which my predecessor had conduct
Il
ferfed to the late clerk, Mr.. Catlett. | went
at once TO Mr.. Catlett. who was sick at the
time and unable to give me the desired in
formation. / called afterwards on him
several times. and as An explanation of his
failure 10 give me any information he in-
formed me that he had never kept any
books or accounts Of his Office. at once
proceeded to obtain the names Of the rent
ers IN the only manner lett for me to do
t..r al nolI ..ft hor.
After | had been in Office one month Mrs.
Catlett kindly sent me bill-book with the
names Of the renters, which greatly as
sisted me. This was all the assistance
ever obtained.
HOW ACCOUNTS WERE KEPT.
When ] entered upon the discharge of
my duties | was furnished by the Auditor
with O printed rent-book, ont Of which !
was expected TO make out bill for each
OF the monthly renters, and on the stub
thereof to record the date, name. stall,
and the amount Of said bill. The bills so
male ont by mo amounted TO warrant
authorizing the Treasurer TO receive said
amounts and give the Second market credit
therefor. Thestubs to this book returned
to the Auditors Office before the 10th of
each month, and as this book contained the
names of every stall-renter | never sup
posed that j was required TO furnish any
other list. and was never requested or re-
quired so 10 do by the Auditor or any Of
his clerks. When these bills. which | made
out and presented TO the renters, were paid
at the Ireasurers Office they were entered
on his books and checked as paid on the
stub Of the book last mentioned by the
Auditor or one Of his deputies. The daily
renters were not entered upon this book.
but were required to purchase from me n
license-ticket for one day at the price OF
ten cents each. These tickets / obtained
from the Auditors Office in any number
desired. giving my receipt therefor and
having to account for the same.
CAUSE OF THE WHOLE TROUBLE.
The names on the stub of the book be-
fore mentioned not checked by the Audi-
tor az paid constitute the delinquent-list,
a complete list Of which, as appearing from
said stubs, the Auditor is required by the
ordinance to furnish the Clerk with on
the first weekday after the 10th Of each
month. For some reason this ordi-
nance has never been complied with in the
Auditors Office during my lncumbency. IL
is true that / was furnished with q list of
delinquents for the preceding month, but
there the list stopped; and if the delin-
quency existed prior TO the beginning OF
the preceding month it was notput on this
list, and had no notification whatever OF
Judgment this omission TO furnish COM
plete list of delinquents is the cause of the
whole trouble.
have frequently asked for this list. but
was never able to get it, Mr.. Turpin con-
tending that the list he furnished me was
all that the ordinance required. This,
however, cannot be the correct lnterpreta-
ton, because If it was made to appear to
the Clerk that renter continued delln-
toe
powered TO declare the stall vacant, and
the Clerk is required to proceed by war
rant or otherwise" to recover the same as
soon az practicable. II can easily be per-
ceiyed from the above that had no accu-
rate official information of delnquents ex-
cept for the immediate preceding months.
NOT WE'LL POSTED AS TO DELNQUENTs.
was not even furnished with duplicate
lists of delinguents, and the single
list furnished me was very soon
torn down or dishgured. as may
well be imagined when posted in
a place M public az the market. l brought
this matter TO the attention of the Market
Committee more than once, and endeavored
to Get the committee of the two markets
together so az to remedy what saw WAS a
constant source Of loss to the city. BY the
failure TO keep the Clerk posted as to the
delinouents in his market many renters
left the market with their stall-rent un-
paid and the Clerk none the wiser, and for
that same reason am now confronted
with dozens of affidavits, the practical eff
feet of which il to put upon me now, after
great lapse of time the burden OF proving
that they were never paid, and which IN
formation comes to me for the first time,
not from the Auditors office, as II should
come. whom matters were fresh In every
ones mind, but from eJ-pdrte at1dayits a.
ter n lapse of time which would make 1T
unreasonable to expect information or ex-
plantations from one having such a multi
plicity of transactions as the Clerk OF the
Market.
PAID AZ CITIZENS BILLS ARE.
One of the chief complaints OF my Off
cial conduct rests upon the fact that re-
ceiyed rent from the renters in violation
of section of chapter 2G, which provides
that all bills are to be- payable TO the Trea-
surer. Gas-bills and waterfalls are also
PAYABLE to the Treasurer, but have never
heard il contended that any citiz0n could
not send friend of his to the Ireasurer's
Office to pay his bills. l had never con-
ceiyed that the market stood upon any
other footing and respectfully submit to
the taxpayers of Richmond whether IL
could possibly make any difference by
whom the bills were paid into the Ireasu-
rer8 once IL tuc DDOhS VI thub ohN eAN
Auditors Office were properly kept.
The ordinance requires all rents TO oepald
on or before the 10th of each month. After
being in Office for some months began to
notice that the delinquent list was, un-
usually and unnecessarily large, and so
started the practice of going 10 each OF the
renters on the 10th of the month IN ordert 10
remind them that it was. the last day for
them To settle if they wished TO escape the
penalty. Some of them would be very
busy and would request me, as l had
to 90 to the City Hall anyhow, please TO
take their money down to the Treasurer,
which, as matter purely Of accommoda-
tion. L would do. II proved great con-
yenienee TO the market-men. and III conse-
ouence 1t became quite general practice
for them to ask this favor Of me. and the
more this practice grew the smaller the de-
linquent fist became, and never dreamt
but what 1 was doing the best thing posi-
bic for the interests of the city. When
paid these bills for them l would return
the Treasurer's receipt forthe money gwen
me in every instance.
MARKET ACCOUNTS COMPARED.
IL is o well-known fact that the estab-
lishment of the Armour and Swift agen-
cies for the sale of fresh meat III this city
have led tothe growth of the green-grocery