St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-09-17
TURN ON THE SEARCH LIGHT

TURN ON THE SEARCH LIGHT.
There are indications that our erudite
mayor has never heard of the foolish
ostrich which endeavored to conceal It's
I! corpulency By thrusting its head in the
sand.
Ii this historical circumstance had
ever been called to the attention of the
mayor, we feel quite sure that the city
salesman of WRIGHT, BARRETT &
STILLwEIL, Mr.. r. j. MAYBELL, would
not have recently put in bid for fur
nishing the city departments with sta
tionery during the next six months.
To those who are not personally ac-
Quainted with the chief executive Of the
city, we may explain that Mayor
WRIGHT and the senior member of the
wholesale stationery house doing bust
ness under the firm name of WRIGHT,
BARRETT q STILLWELL are one and
the same.
1t was certainly peculiar that Mr..
MAYBELL should have secured con-
tract for the stationery, and it is very
questionable whether an offense was
| not committed when he was permitted
to bid.
The city charter seems to be very
clear relative to having city official
directly or indirectly a party to any city
contract. That the public may under
stand exactly what it says. we quote The
following:
That no alderman, member of the
board of public works or other officer of
the city of st. Paul while acting as
such shall directly or indirectly be
party (to) or interested or concerned in
| any contract or job with said city. or in
any work prosecuted by its authority.
or in the compensation to be received
| therefor. or in the furnishing of sup
| plies. Iuel or other Article purchasable
| for the public use; and any contract or
transaction prohibited as aforesaid shall
| be void, and all moneys which may be
| paid thereon by said city may be recov-
cred back, and the Office OF such city
officer so offending snail become thereby
vacant upon conviction thereof, as pro-
vided in section 3 chapter 2 OF the
| Laws of 1874.
1t Is due the mayor to say that he
| disclaims being a party to the contract.
Per contra. these are the facts.
Ri. MAYBEI.L. the bidder who secured
the contract. is and has been for some
time the city salesman of the firm of
WRIGHT. BARRETT IL STILLwEIL.
lie is not in business for himself, is
not in the habit of purchasing stationery
from any one to sell. but is employed
by the firm of which the mayor is the
head. to sell goods to other people.
The first delivery Of goods under his
contract vas made by delivery wagon
from the house of WRIGHT, BARRETT
| & STILLWELL.
The book upon which the goods were
receipted was WRIGHT, BARRETT &
STILLwELL receipt book.
While Mayor WRIGHT may felicitate
himself that the ostrich act deceives the
| public, it seems much more likely that
the star performer in this contract
drama Is only deceiving himself.
1t would be we'll for the authorities to
| at least institute an investigation before
any money is paid to Mr.. MAYBEI.L on
this contract, and it will, undoubtedly,
| give the mayor pleasure to have such
! an investigation conducted. He will
court ali opportunity tc explain.
The investigation should be search
Ing, even going SD far as to ascertain
whether Mr.. MAYBELL found it ueces-
sary to send the junior partner of the
firm of which Mayor WRIGHT is the
head to Chicago to purchase portion
Of his (MAYBELL's supplies.
As bit of history, it might be men
toned that bids for school supplies
were due TO be awarded prior to the sta
tionery contract. Mr.. MAYBEIL was
also on hand to bid for those supplies,
| but, coming in twenty minutes late,
the mayors private secretary, not know
ing his connection with the mayors
house. refused to receive his bid. The
mayor was absent. and Mr.. HICKMAN,
| president of the board of aldermen; Mr.
WOLTERsToRFF, president Of the as
sembly, and City Treasurer MILLER
| formed the committee to handle the
/ bids. Mr.. MAYBELL (haying been shut
OUT and, some others raised the question
of irregnarity in the advertisement, and
all bids were rejected and new ones
called for. Upon the second bidding
the mayor and Messrs. WoLTERsToRFF
| aud MILLER handled the bids,
If the mayor should desire to enter
the plea of the First offense" Oh the sta
tionery contract, the proper authorities
might continue the inquiry to ascertain
which one of the second bids submitted
for furnishing school supplies a few
days subsequent to the stationery award
was made 10y Mr.. MAYBELI, Though
submitted in another name
nh otS no Tn
whether City Treasurer MILLER did not
object to MIR. MAYBELL putting in bid
Oh the 18th inst. for furnishing the sup
plies to the school board, and whether
the mayor, who was one of the commit
tee to open the bids, did not refer the
matter 10 the third member of the COM
mittee, Mr.. WoLTERsToRFF. OH the OBJ
lection of Mr. MILLER
1t might he well to inquire (Mr. VOL
TERsToRFF not replying to Mr..
WkIGHT's querles) whether the mayor
did not say we VIII throw out our bid.
There is slang saying relative to a
person having "lead pipe cinch" upon
something desired. Ii man can be at
the head of the city government and
| thus eX-Officio chairman of the commit
tee having the award Of contracts for
supplies, aud conduct business which
enables him 10 furnish the supplies
through employes,he has a kind Of '.jeD-
lot crnch" on the public purse.
We are sure the mayor will feel under
obligation TO the GLOBE for suggesting
the turning Oh OF the search light.
| There is u0Ihing innocence SO much
| de-ires as Investigation and viidica-
tien.