Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-04-22
THE GRYMES DEFICIT
Shortage in the Treasurer's Office
Found to Be $2,496.79.
,,rssAGE OF THE MAYOR
Z, transmits 10 The Council The Result Of
His Investigation.
TREASURER AND AUDITOR.
o.sipaocos Violated by Them, But Not
vn:nlIy or with Design of Gain
Released on bail.
uEssAGE OF THE MAYOR
TREASURER AND AUDITOR

9,C.tv Council held a special joint ses-
.'.r..- nicht to receive the report of the
ron the investigation of the offices
'..,. Treasurer and Auditor recently
4 ..s. br Nr. II. h. Boudsr, by order and
-. ,Ar direction OF his Honor.
usrapcr. which is printed in full below,
....a the most interesting that has en-
s.-.i tie attention Of the Council in re-
t'.r,srs. The result of the investigation,
4 ,t..t has been IN progress more than a
I'll has been looked forward 30 with
l-.'.-,.-s and some degree Of impatience
~ .arrrt Of the public.
..-sr O'clock was tho hour named for
-, council 10 meet, but as some little
.-.V.,lost IN waiting for quorum of
~, lower branch 1t was twenty minutes
. chat time before any business was
considered
~. Mann was the fifteenth councilman
...-.vc. and his appearance completed
,a. quorum.
Mayor Eiiyson's Report.
r..srsrt Dickcrsor, Of the Board Of
rrs-u.n. presided, and after stating the
.t.... = The meeting handed the Clerk a
s...s- which he opened and at once began
rIsa1.
MAYoR's OFFICE
ErcHvoSD. Va. April q, 1891.
NJ rs Uu.orqIf the Members Of city
lrHH.t
h ,.r.rrwcn.-In furtherance OF my
;.,.r.,.o 10 thoroughly inquire into
49,, condition Of the different de-
4 -,rr.,ts Df the city government
t,yr for several weeks been en-
A -.-r5 rr Examining the books of the Trea-
~. Office both for the purpose of de
,--u,rir, the extent of any loss the city
,,.r have sustained bv the irregularities Of
\ H. L B.. Grymes. late clerk To the Irea-
NV and Of asccrtaining whether the
f. q,.,s,,r,rs Office had been conducted IN q
l.srss,.hkp and faithful manner and in
4 ,.rf.rH.rty with the ordinances ordained
ty,fa government Of that department.
d Ifrrr0t vet completed my inquiry, but
4 Isr.-,.t for vour information partial re-
r.r.uf the results thus far obtained.
,IavG-royT1SUED COURSE OF CRIME.
reports submitted TO me by Mr.. II.
p E.-i5r. who has been employed by me
4 =, ,r. examination Of the books of the
4 T-....r.r'- Office. indicate that Mr.. L. h.
\ t--re- rgs been guilty Of a lOng-cOntinued
..gr-. af crime. resOrtng To almost eyerv
known method 10y which accounts could
D. manipulated for purposes OF fraud.
Hundreds Of errors and irregularities have
4 ,..r discovered and which have been
.ss.,F.l III separate schedules. herewith
..t..-ted. in order 70 show the extent to
which receipts from the departments OF
r.- water, and markets have been re-
4 t..rsl.llV affected.
The pErCsITs TOO SMALL.
Ir order that YOU may the more intelli-
Gently understand the nature OF these
f.rrauaucie- | will explain that 1t Is the
. ...fun Of the IreaSurrr's office TO enter
4 r. daily receipts from gas, water, and
/. r.rk,is on what are known as desk-bOoks.
4. the close Of each day these receipts are
.tEgd up and their sum-tOtal, together
with the receipts from any other source,
entered on what Is known as the cash
i s.,.I.weut book, which also contained. an
.,arrgnl memorandum of the money on
hand to balance same which amount
.L.rl have been turned into the treasury
\ ...v.E.rrel hv the deposit in bank on
4 ,.a following day, but in each case
enumerated IN the schedules the deposit
was '.--. being made to correspond with
h,r.uIt 90 the Au9i itor and with the
,',r.- ou the general cash-book. The
reports 90 the Auditor, entries on general
.I..-h..., and deposits were made up by
Dr. Grymes on the dates given in
,a.. holules. Ii was here that
r.r frauds were committed, the amount
entered I'D the general cash-book and re-
rr.,I o. tha Auditor being different from
..ra.tu.Ily received, as Indicated by the
..'..- .r the dc~k-boOks and the amounts
crr.s .a-u-srttlcmcut book of the same
d...
HUNDREDS or DISCREPANCIES.
nS.a,lule Ayou will find noted eighty
.-a i.,rrguaucIc., amounting in the ag-
srer.ta 90 -l8t42. Wherever the error ap-
V.ar- with uu, few exceptions the difference
..-.r-at hv the omission of the receipts
'r.4 some one of the districts, ana very
.-.g..t'y tho amount omitted appears on
Clerk Grrauhow's Cash-settlement book,
W. shows that the money had been
'-u3 over boy him as per receipt gwen
.-t. Treasurer or his clerk.
Schedule b contains list of hfty-nlne
r,rapucius. amounting to S46i.6l.
N..g ut thr,care caused by the omission
receipts from water from some one
.. o.. books.
Schedule G. shows two hundred (200) dis
r,.lo.as, amounting to S1,05S.19. most OF
t.s. being ~ tho nature of omissions OF
O.. entire market, gas, or stall-rent for one
market and sometimes for both markets,
N...l.laD shows eighteen discrepancies,
a- --a'uc Sl7.43. for which Mr.. Grymes
Eag't..i 70 a credit, as his deposits IN
t...r cases were more than they should
l4y, been.
TOTAL loss TO THE CITY g. 436.79.
TIE Joss 20 the city as mentioned in the
1 above schedules amounts 10 -, ,436.79.
w. Hrular reports that there are many
o'.er errors, which IN his opinion will con-
9.1al.y increase the shortage OF Mr..
6ryr.s report Of which will be subse-
.l-''.y submitted.
la order that YOU may understand what
check, the Council had provided In order
:. .lTeyrut the commission of such acts as
tyse above described, and 90 assure the
- Keeping of the moneys received by the
Wv treasurer, | here refer you 70 certain
ClHlucss and inform you as 10 the du-
tg' pertaining respectively TO the Urea
'l'g' AID the Auditor.
Ca AND WAITE BILLS TO BE PAID TO THE
TREASURER.
hy section Il of chapter 10 il Is provided
'aa' t.iis for gas and water shall be PAID
directly 90 the Treasurer, who shall keep
a. a.cruat thereof. and make daily re-
t''s oi accurate copies Of such receipts
% me Auditor In order that the Audi
@s' See that such reports are accurate,
u Auditor 10 require that each evening
;4e treasurer should send in his desk
(, along with his report for that day,
".'H such books Of the Treasurer III his
''f-sYn and the said report, the AUDI
w N enabled see what amounts are daily
t'-i hy the Treasurer, and as he pas
go % hIs possession the gas and wafer
't' kept by the clerks of those two de-
l1'meuts, he is enabled 10 see whethe,
,-' consumers Of gas and water have pald
'ti oils IN proper time, and whether
'' have paid the proper amounts.
lop are well aware of the provision OF
.-. ordnance that requires that 10 an
ts' oil no, paid within i've days penaity
VI per cent. shall be added. MT.
Dy-laT ascertained that there were large
el-"bgf of bills entered as paid on the day
ever The limit allowed for prompt payment,
" which no penalty had been added. ana
: smaller, though considerable number
t4.l several days after. TO which the pen
~ had not been added.
4i. BOudar further reported that no
iolad large number OF cases IN when
SS,iQf, we're noted by the Auditor. on the
eaA-bo0ks of the Treasurer and whlch
~1l never been corrected.
11FltNATIoSs or THE TREASURER, AUDITORS
ASD CLERKS.