Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-12
WHATWILL BE DONE?
Light Committee to Consider the Cas-
House Report This Afternoon.
BOND OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.
Mr.. Charles II. stokes Surety for
Mr. Adams Through His Entire
scryicc-Wnl Do What Is Right
The AlmshOusc.

/ be held this afternoon for the further
| consideration of the report on the gas
| house investigation Will be very I'M
portant one. and is looked forward to with
| great interest.
The body will assemble In Room No. 8
of the City Hall at o'clock. and the
session will probably continue for several
hours. 1t Is expected that City-Attorney
| Meredith will be present TO advise the
committee on. legal points and help shape
the recommendations 10 be made TO the
| Council
While the Dispatch by its accurate fore
cast had prepared the public to expect
deficit something like that or $25,Oo6Zo
shown by Mr.. Boudar's statement TO ex-
ist. the reports OF the accountant and sub
committee created a profound sensation.
People could hardly believe that such ir-
| reglIlarities and loosene.s of method az
were revealed had existed for 50 many
years without being detected.
WHAT WILL BE DONE.
The question OF. The lips Of nearly every
body one met yesterday was. What VIII
be done in the matter. and what viii the
city recover" Echo answers. What, and
how much?'
The consensus of opinion is that the
! full committee will adopt the suD-com-
mittee's recommendation that action be
brought against the estate and bondsmen
OF the late Superintendent. ". c. Adams
! and that the report published yesterday
will be forwarded to the Council with very
little. If any, alteration. IL is likely that
Foreman Thomas J. Walsh and BOOK
Keeper. John +. Meredith VIII be com
| tinued in their positions until the Whoie
matter has been fully looked into ana
considered.
| when Mr. Adams was elected Superin-
tendent of the Gas-Works in 1886 he gave
bond in the penalty Of $500 VITA MT
| Charles p Stokes as surety. rms Dohu
was renewed four times without any
! change whatever, and Mr.. stokes was
| still surety for the Superintendent wheh
the latter died I'm May. The gas-works
| deficit during the first term of Mr.. Adams
administration was 81 1856 In excess OF
! the $500 bond, the second terms excess
was $I.JG7.f5. and in the third II reached
S2.il249. The discrepancies during the
/ fourth term lacked $i2l.G of reaching
| s.. go and from July l. 1894, to May, 1882
they aggregated but sZ2l.3'.
WILL. DO WHAT Is RIGHT.
Mr.. Charles u. Stokes was seen by n
| Dispatch man last night and asked what
| course he. as Mr.. Adarns's bondsmsn, pro-
posed 10 follow. Il opose." he replied
| ito do what IL absolutely right. When
/ on the pa Of July / received n letter In
! dicating that the gas-house investigation
would reveal a deficit 1 was I'm New York
| state, but came here at once 10 ascer-
| tain the real condition OF affairs. and to
look after my obligations an interests
| - have 20 return 20 New yorI | have
| secured Messrs. Leake and Carter TO re-
| present me-"
There is a grave doubt in the minds OF
\ many people as to whether Air. Adams
/ bondsman can be held liable for the en-
| tire deficit as the money. or the bulk OF
| H. passed through the hands Of two other
officials. neither of whom hold receipts.
AN EXPERT ACCOUNTANT.
This investigation IS likely to lead TO
| the inspection of the accounts OF all de-
partments. and there is much talk Of an
| expert accountant being employed to per-
form this service regularly. This subject
has been discussed before. but without
satisfactory results. In September, 1887,
Mr.. John NJ. Higgins offered the follow
| ing resolution in the Council, and II was
referred TO the Finance Committee. but
not reported upon:
BE 1t resolved by the Council of the
| city of Richmond Uhe Board of Aldermen
| ninances he, and they are hereby in
structed to prepare and report an ordi-
nance which shall provide that the books.
vouchers. and accounts in the office of
| the City Treasurer. Auditor. and city
| Collector shall be examined by an expert
/ accountant in the months of February
| and August OF each year, and to provide
/ further that said work shall be done
| under the direction Of the Committee on
/ hot h.. tsF.11
| be appointed by said Committee on FL
nance. and his compensation fixed by the
| Council"
Affairs at the AImshOuse.
Messrs Noble and Blake, of the sub
| committee of the Committee on Relief Of
| the Poor, appointed 10 investigate the
Management of the affairs Of the city aims
/ house and Of the outdoor poor, met yes
| terday afternoon at 4 o'clock at the in
/ stitution TO continue their labors. 1t was
/ stated that Mr. Ferriter. the third men,
/ Der, was in Atlantic City at the time.
| Mr.. Noble, the sub-chairman, explained
| his absence from the last two meetings.
| He said he did not receive any notice as
| TO the first meeting, and when the second
/ one took place he was out OF town, other
| wise he would have attended. Mr.. Noble
/ also stated that at the last meeting the
| duties Of the employees had been dis
| cussed and the question Of salaries. He
| added that in order to satisfy the public
| Justify superintendent Carter and yindi-
/ cate the members. IL would be best TO
/ continue this investigation. and to 60
| back into rhe examination of the
/ books and accounts for twelve months.
/ At the suggestion Of Mr.. Noble Super
! intendent Carter then produced the diet
I list and the journal. giving the entries
/ of chickens. eggs, and butter received
| by the steward since July |, 1894. The diff
/ ferent accounts were gone over In detail
| and the committee sat for five hours.
/ but finally adjourned to meet again next
/ Monday. In view Of the fact that the
various records were found not TO have
| been kept In a systematic. business like
way, II was impossible to reach any con-
\ clusion as 10 the formulation OF the re-
! port.
On Monday night. however, when the
| full Committee on Relief Of the Poor
meets. report will be presented by the
! subcommittee. and II is probable that
among the recommendations TO be made
will be one for the employment OF a stew
/ ard who Is 10 keep strict account OF
every article delivered and distributed in
the Institution 1t IL also probable that
a revision OF the salary-list OF the en-
! ployees will be recommended.
They Had No Quorum.
The Committee on James River I'm
provement was called 10 meet in room
) of the City Hall at noon
Yesterday, and at the tIrne stated
/ sent: Messrs. Landerkin (chairman)
| Murphy. Noble. Ferguson. Christian. and
/ Picot. The gentlemen present waited
for aholt half an hour but no quorum be-