St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-04-18
POLITICAL CAPITAL.
Is That What Treasurer Miller
Is Making a "Speel'
At?
Kenyon Working by Proxy
on the Books at Sc
Per Day.
Claim That Ex-Treasurer
Refs Played FaVoriteS
on Rebates,
But Miller Is Ignorant as to
Whether the Council
Allowed Them.

Public Examiner Kenyon and City
Treasurer Miller came before the COM
mittee on claims of the board OF alder
men yesterday afternoon. MIR. Keny on
for the last four months has had couple
of deputies, acting as assistant public
examiners, going over the books in the
city treaSurer'S Office. This eXamina-
ton was ordered by resolution OF the
council passed Dec. s, last year. The
resolution directed the public examiner
to go through the books in the treas
urer's Office for period of ten years
prior to the reform incumbent, Conrad
W. Miller, taking charge. Before the
resolution had been approved confer
ence was had with Mayor Wright,
Controller McCardy, City Treasurer
Miller and several Of the reform alder
men and aSSemOlymen. 1t was under
stood at the conference, at which Mr..
Kenyon was present, that the eOmpen-
Sation of the public examiner should
be at the rate OF 81 pei day while
he was doing the work. This appeared
to be satisfactory, for the first bill
put in by the examiner was for eighteen
days work at 81 per day. About this
time Mr.. Kenyon. who, like other per-
sons, is not working solely for the good
OF tie grand old party or his health,
discovered that there was a law passed
by the legislature in 1891 which allowed
the public examiner TO collect So per
day for this kind of work. The as
sistant who was doing the work for 81
per day, of course, under the super
vision of Mr.. Kenyon, Immediately on
notification of this chance to get more
paw made out the next bill for sixteen
and half days work at So per day.
There was no objection on the part of
the council, and. what is more strange.
Comptroller McCardy, who is endeavor-
Ing to be watch dog of the treasury,
made no election to the second bill OF
50 per day. Since that time Mr.. Kenyon,
or rather his deputy, Harry Griswold,
has been examining the books at the
rate provided by the law, and the $500
which the law says can only be APP
propriated III any one year is about
exhausted. This was the cause OF
the visit made by Mr. Kenyon and the
city treasurer to the committee yeSter-
day. Mr.. Kenyon said ne had been au-
thOrized by 4 resolution OF the council
last December to proceed with the eX-
animation of the books. Some matters
had been called to his attention which
made him think there had been some
neglect to collect charges against prop
erty assessed for street improvements.
He had determined TO 90 on with the
investigation to the extent of the
amount allowed by law. which was $500
per year. This amount was now nearly
gone, and what he desired to know was
whether the council would direct him TO
proceed and guarantee him the payment
of his claim
After the Work Was Done.
He said the state of affairs which he
found in December last was such that
in his official capacity as public exam
liner he would continue the examination
il it had been in a county office. lie
had examined the books. commencing
at the close of Mr.. REFS term, as far
back as 1888. If the council de-
manded the investigation continued
some arrangement would have to be
! made SO he could pay his assistant
who was doing the work. The eXamln-
alton had, he said. resulted in the dis
coyery of S26, 000 uneOllected on assess
mentS. the total being made up OF yari-
Gus sums which he could not give in
detail at the present 1time. This, he
said, did not include the Sixth street
assessment. The work of checking up
| the books was a difficult task. and
Harry GrisWOld, who was doing it, he
considered an efficient man for the
work. What was left of the $500 would
| be eaten up in preparing the details of
the work as far as it has progressed.
| The resolution which the council had
passed was all right, but he wanted to
| be doubly assured of his pay before he
went any farther. Mr.. Miller cut in
| frequently during Mr.. KenyOn'S talk,
| and made his statements so strong that
| it was evident he had already COM
menced his campaign for reelection.
Mr.. Miller said he had been informed
| that the eX-city treasurer could be held
| for all amounts which it was shown he
! bad failed to collect, but that his bon dS-
J men could only be held for six months.
| He further stated that the books showed
| AIr. Refs had only been in Office four
| months when certain parties had been
| allowed TO pay assessments without adj
| dltiunal interests and costs. Aid. Zim-
| norman thought it was very serious
matter. and. as there were only three
| members of the committee present, it
would he better to submit the matter OF
| further investigation TO the council. He
was of the opinion that the corporation
| attorney was the best one to say wheth-
er the council had the right to pay any
more than 5000 in any one year for the
| examination of the books. Mr. Miller
| told the committee the attorney had
given a written opinion that the council
| had the right to order the continuance
of the investigation and pay for it aside
| from the amount mentioned in the Spe-
| ciai law. With the air of martyr Mr..
| Miller startled the members by saying
the investigation would be continued
| even if he had to go out on the
street and ask for private subscriptions.
This was tritle too strong even for the
| public examiner and Mr.. Kenyon said III
his official capacity ne had not the righ
| to 90 III the private employ of Mr..
! Miller. Some one suggested that per
haps Alr. GriSWOld who was doing the
work would be able to continue under
the terms sugge sted by Mr.. Miller, but
| whatever Mr.. Kenyon in his official
capacity thought of this he
Didn't Say Word.
Aid. Zimmerman said when he drew
| up Tic lCSOluAiOll iOl btlO lilNSSll9dliOl
it was not known Just what would be
found out and it might be necessary to
amend it. Mr.. Kenyon explained he
didn't care to work on or have his as.
sIstant work for nothing. If the work
was to be continued under his super
vision he wanted it understood there
was TO be settlement after il was COM
pleted. Aid. Montgomery inquired il
the work had been done at ST per day al
the outset why the price had been raised
to ST per day. Mr.. Kenyon explained
that the law allowed the aforementioned
price. Mr.. Montgomery appeared to be
very obluse aud couldn't Just see why
Mr.. Kenyon had not pursued the
investigation under the council reSo-
luton at 81 per day instead of So
Mr.. Kenyon seemed to be in deep study
at this particular time, and if he heard
the question of Mr. Montgomery he gave
no sign and failed to answer it. Mr.
Kenyon, to make the talk of himself
and Mr.. Miller stronger. said both Mayor
Wright and Comptroller McCafdJ
thought the investigation should not be
curtailed. He was anxious that after the
of hax Z