The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-07-23
He Charged Controller Jacobs with
Speaking Untruths.
SAYS THAT hB WILL SUB HIM
Exciting Episode That Followed Last
Nights Meeting Of the Board OF
Ontrol-Bids of Wdhcrs' Pa per
Company Not Considered.

habit of defrauding his customers by
making false markings on paper which
he furnished.
What brought on the conversation an
which the alleged slanderous charges
referred to were made was the report
of the supply committee. which COM
mittee excluded Mr.. Withers' bids. al
though admitting that some OF them
were the lowest pronercd.
The contracts were sought after by
four bidders: Reynolds Bros. ii. IL.
Beidleman. j. \. Scranton Il Son, ana
w. ii. Withsrs. None of the Scranton
4 SON bids were the lowest, and With
ers bids were not considered, 50 the
contracts were given To- the other two
competitors according as each had the
REYNOLDS Bros. secured about three
sourths of the business.
Withers' Bids Not Considered.
In making the report, Mr., Won Storch,
chairman OF the supply committee, an
nounced that still lower bids had been
received from the Withers Paper COM
pany, but owing to the unpleasantness
to exclude Mr. wtthecs' proposals.
After the meeting Ny. Wfthers and
Mr.. jacobs. controller from the Six
teenth ward, and member Of the sup
ply Committee. met In front of the press
table and entered into q lively CONVEX
sation. Finally they exchanged angry
words, the lie was given by NJ. With
errs, and a collision was only averted
by the retirement OF Mr.. Jacobs.
What Mr.. Withers especially took OBJ
lection to was Mr.. Jacobs assertion to
the effect that when he (Withers) had
been called before the committee to
substantiate his charge that the supply
committee was in colluslon with Rey-
nolds Bros. ha failed, and. Furthermore.
that during the hearing he admitted
that ne was in the custom Of placing
false weight and quality marks on his
paper.
Said he Was a Liar.
Mr.. Withers repeatedly called Mr..
Jacobs a liar during this recital, and
when he finished he again emphatically
and with his finger in Mr.. Jacobs face
said. You are a liar"
you are a gentleman" said Mr..
Jacobs.
well you are not" rejoned Mr..
Wnhers.
Mr.. Jacobs then said that evidence Of
Mr.. withers'deceit was in black and
white in the secretary's office, EN-
bodied in the stenographic reports OF
the meeting at which the admission is
alleged to have been made.
Mr.. withers replied to this by as
sertlng that he had engaged an ex-
pert stenographer to read Secretary
Fellows notes, and the secretary had to
admit that he had not interpreted them
Alright to the committee.
What I did admit explained Mr.
Withers," was that while a manufac-
turer in Wilkes-Barre I falsely marked
paper by order of jobbers, who pur-
chased from me and who could have
had any marking they desired put on
the paper"
When Mr.. Withers remarked some
thing about the public being imposed
upon by the committee, Mr.. Jacobs re-
Joined that the public was not de-
sirous that the committee should deal
with such a man as Withers, or words
to that effect, whereupon Mr.. Withers
became extremely wroth and exclaim-
ed, your whole committee are liars"'
At this juncture Mr.. Jacobs withdrew
TO another part of the room and Mr.
withers, after making comparison Of
his own bids with those of the success
full competitors, retired from the room.
promising to let the public hear from
him. Later In the evening he an
nounced to a Tribune reporter that he
would begin proceedings against Con-
troller Jacobs in the morning.
Mr.. Mitchell Made Secretary.
Alt the opening Of the session OF the
school board NIr. Mitchell. against his
will, was unanimously directed to act
as secretary in place OF Captain Fell
lows, who is attending encampment.
Several times he called a halt to the
proceedings to find out where he was
at" and once. when business came
with a. big rush, he jumped from his
seat and moved to have the secretary's
salary raised. Bids were opened for
No. 12 building, and read as follows:
Ezrla Finn &, Sons, s34,019; Price e.
Williams, s36,G43.17: Mulherin &c Judge,
s35. $50: Green Ridge Lumber company
$50, 600; John Benore e Son. $32. .903;
Edwin G. Hughes, s32,740; Edwin S.
Williams, s2S,373.
On motion of Mr.. Jenningsthe bids
were referred to the building commit.
tee with Instructions to report forth
with. The committee retired and in a
short time returned with report
recommending that the contract be
awarded to the lowest bidder Edwin
s. Williams. whose bid was s2S,373, pro-
viding he furnish the prescribed $4,000
bonds for the faithful performance OF
his contract.
Mr.. Welsh, for the building commit
tee. asked for an extension Of time for
the confederation of the question OF
heating and venti1ating NO. 10 school.
The Peck e. Williams company pre-
senteu THE lowest bid but as little is
known of their system, an extension Of
time for investigation was thought ad-
visable. The board granted until next
meeting.
Plans for Now Building.
On motion OF Mr.. Welsh the building
committee was empowered to employ
an arctitect TO prepare plans for a new
building at No. 20. in the Third ward.
Mr.. jennings called attention to the
movement to induce the Dickinson Law
school to locate here and advised that
inasmuch as the judiciary, bar asso-
citation, board of trade and others had
taken action on the matter, the school
board should not fail ito give the project
its Enforcement. This suggestion was
favoraIbly received, and a committee
consisting Of Messrs. jennings, WILL
Jams, Maion and Welsh was appointed