The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-03-26
TACOMA DOODLE CHARGES.
Ledger To Ignore Councii-.'News''
Denies That IL Took Blackmnil.

LEDGER to Ignore CounciI-.s>ews..
Denies That III Took Biackmnil.
Tacoma. March Especial. Tomorrow
morning Is the time SET by the council for
the management OF the Ledger to appear
before that body and prove the charges
that have been made through the paper
against the finance committee and men,
bers Of the council.
IL is extremely unlikely that any atien-
tion viii be paid 10 the councils man
date by the Ledger. Nelson Bennett. the
owner. Is now In San Francisco. and &.
A Snowaen, the manager and managing
editor, has been I'll at home with the
grip for over "A week past.
This morning the Ledger said editor
ially:
Messrs. Harris. Votaw. Lister. Caven-
der. Hartman. Nash and Watson. of the
council, have expressed a desire 10 in
vestigate themselves publicly, and have
called upon the Ledger to prefer formal
charges. as IA basis for fair and honest
trial. When little and big offenders give
proof that they can honestly try and
punish themselves for their offenses;
when insane persons form a habit of
making faithful and legal inquiry into
their own condition OF mind and of gend-
ing themselves TO asyiums when inc0m-
petence becomes competent TO deal with
anything. 1t will be time enough for the
Ledger TO comply with this demand.
Meantime. If these gentlemen insist
upon investigating themselves In public.
let them proceed upon charges already
frequently made. repeated and insisted
upon. The Ledger has frequently ac-
cused them OF gross. continued and help
less fncompetcncy. For specifications
reference is made 10 their management or
mismana cement OF the public funds:
their absolute failure to provide a rev
source Of supply for the water system or
n he old
Grafton of the intolerahle condition of
Pacific avenue; their failure 10 collect
delinquent street assessments. even from
delinquents among their own number:
their failure in the matter OF proposed
charter amendments. and their senseioSs.
purposeiess maunderings i1 regard to
the water front. For proof 10 sustain
these several Specifications let them look
70 their own records. The series OF reso-
lutons In regard 10 the payment Of out
standing warrants, passed reconstiered,
revised and finally repealed at the meet
ings OF the last two months ought 10 he
sufficient on which TO base a finding II
that finding IS Of a character, TO give
confidence in the integrity Of the iIves-
tigators. or II 81 is nor. II will quite dis
pose OF all need to prefer further CHARGES
The News tonight contains several col
umns of matter IN denial of the charge
made By the Ledger that T. had black
NeQ- statement is Published signed
by officers Of all the banks in the cirv.
containing city deposits. denying the
chargs that such sum had been de-
mandei or paid.
The bank the Ledger referred TO was
the Tacoma National bank W. r. Alien.
president OF that bank. afixes his name
20 the News denial. but It Is understood
another official OF the hank gave the Led
ger It's Information and that the paper
will claim tomorrow morning that the
charges are absolutely true. An attack
on Mr.. Bennett personally IS made by the.
News in its local article.
In It's local columns the News SAYS that
several hank officials told the editor Of
that paper today that they had heard"
the names Of other banks connected with
the News IN stories Of blackmail. so
had the editor of this paper" adds the
article heard that some such thing
had been done, but after years 81 associa-
tion with the men who have guided the
destinies Of the News in the past and be-
fore ne assumed control he could uot }s..-
leve that was true and did not believe
Il and the statement given above fully
Justihes him in that belief"
VIVA one accord the members Of the
finance committee deuy the LedEcr's
charges Of tncompefency and corruption.
President Harris. who possesses some of
the characteristics or ex-Mayor Ronald.
of Seattle. announces his wiliin EnesS TO
head a crowd 20 30 down 20 the Ledger
Office with club and make Snpwden or
Bennett. whoever We and tn there, sign
a rotraction that the article is lie
The finance committee was occupied
this morning in "lavestiga ting David
Rutherford an Inspector on the new
Eleventh street bridge, who was charged
with circulating "A story that the mem
bors % the committee received & a day
for their work and took care 20 sit every
day Rutherford plainly told the commit
.s-. he had repeated The story. having
heard IL himself and believing it TO be
trl;e He agreed 20 tel she people he
had repeated the story 10 tAat il vas
faise.