The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-09-18
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of looking up the evidence against L. D.
Ross.
The citizens committee will meet again
tonight al the rooms of the Merchants
and Manufacturers Association. and IL is
probable that much more decided action
viii De agreed upon and that request will
be made for session of the grand jury.
The finance committee will meet this
morning at the city hall, and il is pro-
posed TO appoint an expert accountant to
aid in the examination OF the accounts and
the securities.
The citizens generally, apt in their APP
plication of appropriate denominations.
now summarize ali those engaged with
Krug in his nefarious transactions as the
City Hall Ring" ana the reform adj
ministratlon will long be remembered by
that name. There never was time in the
history of the city when il had so many
righteous men at Its head bent on the
self-imposed task of hunting up rascals,
or so many men with large salaries, gem
erously voted by the people for the pur-
pose of having honest men TO devote their
entire time to the city's affairs. The re-
form administration spent hundreds of
dollars for expert accountants to dig up
the misdeeds of their predecessors. no
stone was left unturned, yet not cent of
deficiency could be found.
The presence of John B. Hart in Vic
toria has given rise TO reports that his
brother and partner, Lee Il. Hart is attor-
ney for krug, and is so well acquainted
with his whereabouts as to be in COM
munication with him. L. B. Hart was
asked about the matter yesterday, but de-
MED that he was Krug's attorney, al
though he admitted that he had
done legal business for him. In re-
ply to a number of questions he said:
Il did not have consultation with krug
last Monday, nor on Tuesday morning be-
fore he went away. / met him on the
street on Monday, but did not talk to him
except TO say How do you do?' to him. /
have not heard from him since he left here
and do not know where he is. Ny brother
has gone TO Victoria on legal business con-
nected with this Krug matter, but has
not gone to look for Krug, and will be
back tonight. He did not go with Mr.
Ross, though ne went on the same
steamer"
Robert Moran, mayor of Seattle during
two terms and business man, was in
terviewed by q observation-disclosures re-
porter yesterday on the subject of a pre-
vention in future of the evils the city is
now suffering from. He said:
1.-THE citizens of this city have ma
tional reputation for standing together
and working as unit on all matters that
concern the welfare of Seattle. and it oc-
ours to me that the time has come TO
show the world that the same courage and
indomitable will that built city on ashes
and carried it through one of the severest
financial crises the world has ever seen
will rise and meet the emergency that con-
fronts US at the present time. The citi-
zens have misplaced their confidence and
the city's treasury has been robbed I'M
der the cloak of reform in the admins
tration of municipal business, which is a
sufficient explanation of that part for the
present purpose.
"As view the present situation, we are
IN q condition similar to that of the stock
holders in a private corporation whose
treasurer has cleaned out the cash box
and left for parts unknown. Under such
conditions We don't sit down and resolve
and talk of grand juries. The first thing
is TO put the officers of the law on the
track OF the absconder: next make an ex-
animation of the remains to determine
how badly We have been fieeced and en-
deavor to recover our property. This the
stockholders of this city must do now.
II have the greatest confidence in the
ability and integrity of our present cor
~
resentatiye who is not tied by the city
charter and subject to the orders of the
city council, man who will follow the
thief or thieves until the last one has re-
ceived his Just punishment. We want an
expert accountant with assistants who has
no interests, politically or otherwise, IN
shielding criminals, to make a thorough
examination of the financial and auditing
departments of the city's business, that we
may know their true condition.
This Investigation must be made thor
ough and independent of the assistance of
the present city officials. The expense
necessary to carry this on viii have to be
borne by public subscription, which l am
sure vii! be willingly made. We have
voted the issue of bonds on top of bonds,
We have been taxed and robbed. aud now
let US spend some money to find out lin
the language of the street) where we
are at
This, believe, should be our line of
action. and can be carried out under the
direction of a committee of say not 10 ex-
coed five reputable citizens, and the money
so spent will yield larger returns than anv
like amount of tax levied and collected in
this city during the past year.
Incidental to this IL may not be out of
place TO say that this city has got to have
reform pure and simple, In the conduct
OF its business. We aspire to become a
great manufacturing and commercial GEN.
ter. but how can this be sooner accom-
plished than when we can show
srch interests small bonded
debt and low taxation? Our
present city charter rob Us beyond our
ability 70 pay. the business can't stand
the strain; cut head, a few arms and
some legs OIL the monster. We want
change from system which allows such
bold, clumsy robbery TO go undetected
until the treasury has been emptied.
As%tOn the issue of cIty warrants IL ia a
cursed system; pay cash; do business on
business principles and let US live within
our income. To accomplish this it will be
necessary for non-voting citizens to visit
the polls once in two years. Do this and
our future is assured"