St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-07-01
Perplexing Discrepancies APP
parant in ALMOST Every
Statement.
Taxpayers Assessed for the
Sixth Street Bridge Kick
Vigorously.
Mr.. Miller Attempts to EX-
plain By Unfolding a
Queer plan"

tempt VII lnS part Ol NhIN lIedo-
urer Miller to divert moneys. collect
ed on assessments to funds other
than the proper ones. held a meeting
yesterday. Assemblyman Reard0n was
chosen chairman, and all members Of
the committee with the exception of
Aid. Copeland were present. The
property owners, several of whom were
in attendance, were represented by A.
E. Boyesen, of the law firm of Mnrnp
Boyesen d Thygeson. "a 7
The first matter considered by the
committee was a COMMUNICATION adj
dressed to the committee which, called
attention to the fact that money collect
ed on account of the Sixth street bridge
assessment since June 6. 1892. had not
been credited to the proper fund. LII
speaking of the annual report Of City
Treasurer Miller, the communication
stated that all statements of the status
of collected and uncOllected assessments
and amounts paid on contracts, as re-
quired by charter, had been entirely
omitted from the report. The balances,
the communication said, did not agree.
Some were left out entirely, while 9TH
ers showed great discrepancies. Pages
), and Of the treasurer'S report pur-
ported to show fund balances of every
fund in the treasury correctly given TO
correspond with the proper account.
This, however, was not the case, and
the communication went on at length
to show some of
The More GiarIng Errors.
Something like 5000, which should
have been credited to assessment funds.
are omitted in the reports. the reading
Of the communication had not proceeded
far before Aid. Zimmerman. who had
desired the same read, objected and
said this was matter inwhich; the COM
nittee had no authority, and he sugges-
ted that the criticisms oIr.the inanlier
in which City Treasurer Miller had
kept the books be laid over TO some
other time. This was agreed to and
the petition of property owners regard
ing the sale of property assessed for
the bridge on which judgment costs had
not been paid was taken up.
Assistant Corporation Attorney Phil
lips, when asked TO make a statement
of the muddle, inquired us to how much
of statement the committee wanted.
He was told the desire of the commit
tee was to get at the facts in the case,
nothing more and nothing less.
MI. Phillips said the assessment for
the bridge was made at time when the
| Legislature was in session. and bonds
| were issued TO cover two-thirdS of the
| cost. The contract for the substructure
was paid out of the bonds and all but
| 100000 of the cost of the SuperStructure
in the same way. This $4,000 was as
sessed against the property owners ben
Gifted and as there were sixty lots, the
assessment was about 81, 900 q lot. The
DVnnprtV fnnk tine nf
SeSsment INTO the courts and Judgment
was ordered against the lots. AS the
owners talked about all appeal it was
understood that in case no appeal was
taken the owners could pay the face of
the assessment and the judgment,
costs and penalties would not be EN-
forced. By some mistake
Judgment Was Entered Up
| in the clerk of the courts Office before
| the owners, relying on the agreement,
| paid in the amount Of the original as
| sessment Mr.. Phillips, in reply to Ques-
| lions of the members, said, while there
was no written agreement it was under
stood that by nos appealing the case the
| original amount of the assessment
would be accepted i'll full payment
| without the additional costs and penal
| ties. At the time, however, neither the
nent knew the judgment had been en-
tered.
Mr.. Boyeson interrupted Mr.. Phillips
to say that, although there had been no
agreement in writing, it was distinctly
understood the judgment, costs and
penalties would not he enforced in case
the appeal to the supreme court was not
taken. Mr.. Phillips admitted to the
committee that if there mad been an ap-
peal the city would have certainly lost
the case, and a re-aSSeSSment would
have had to be made, which would have
kept the city out of the money for from
six to twelve months, and then no pen
alties or costs could have been col
lected.
Guy Treasurer Miller. who, owing to
| his efforts to make political capital for
| himself, is ready at all times TO charge
eX-1reasurer Refs with criminal intent,
| commenced statement about what the
! city treasurer should have done in the
case. Mr.. BoyeSon, however,
Called VIZ. Miller Down,
| and said the best thing for the COM
mittee to do was to keep the fight be-
tween Miller and Refs out of the affair,
| and to conline the investigation to the
! rights of the property owners in this
particular case.
The question was raised as to whether
| the city could refund to the property
! owners the amount which has been
| paid in for the penalties and interest in
| The case. To this, Mr.. Phillips replied
| that when more than the cost of the i'm
| proYemeut had been paid in, the city
| council could, if it saw tit, refund the
surplus to the property owners.
ms brought TO the front again the
| charge of the property owners that City
| Treasurer Miller has diverted the
amount paid in during the last year to
| some fund other than the proper one,
| and by so doing had prevented any sur
| plus from accommodating.
| 1t WAS suggested that the city treas
urer submit report showing how the
| fund stood, and if there was any sur
! plus. To this Terrence Kenny, who is
| one of the property owners interested,
| objected, and said Mr.. Miller was not Il
| nj man to make the statement, "fer,"
| he added, "any man who will take
money which should be credited to one
| fund and credit it to another, thus
cheating the taxpayers in order to make
| political capital, is not lit one to make
such report"
4 Queer Littie ssEoIan.o
Mr.. Miller explained that he and the
| comptroller had plan by which all
penalties and interest paid on any as
Sessment was not credited to the fund,
but to the interest and sinking fund.
and by this means there would not be a
surplus in the Sixth street bridge fund
or any other fund.
Mr.. Boyesen asked il this was the
case what would be done with the
money now due Oh the assessment when
paid In.
Mr.. Phillips came to the rescue of the
city treasurer, and explained that any
surplus would go into the general fund.
Assemblyman Sandell wanted to
know if there was any money ever re-
turned 10 property owners owing To
there neing surplus in any fund.
TO this Mr.. Phillips said not that he
ever heard of.
| A resolution was finally passed direct
ing the city attorney TO report TO the
commitree what surplus there was. il
! any. in the fund, and what steps should