Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-31

book by Mr.. Adams which the book
Keeper declared he never saw. All that
MI Meredith had TO do with this matter
was 10 receive the tickets for the coke.
ana turn them over to Mr.. Walsh. Mr.
Walsh then gave them TO MIR. Adams.
who turned them into he Auditors Office
as vouchers to show that the coke had
been delivered. Mir. Meredith declared
that he never saw the book in which
the late Superintendent kept this coke
account with the City Mission.
With reference to the entry OF sales OF
coke made on credit. Mr.. Meredith said
that none were ever made by him. exccpt
IN little memorandum-bo book which he
used FOR his own information. All trans
actions were suppose TO have been for
cash He found this TO have been the
system in vogue before he went TO the
gas-works. and was instructed 10 continue
TO keep the books IN the same manner.
81 held myself responsible for what
received" said the ex book keeper but
did not hold myself responsible for what
Mr.. Adams and Mr.. Walsh received"
is II possible for any man to keep
correct accounts when he does not put
down the credit sales anywhere" inquired
the city Attorney, pointedly, of the
witness.
Il decline 10 answer that. | have stated
that / kept the books as | was told 10
keep them. TO the best Of my ability"
was the reply of the eN-book-koepor.
Then. YOU admit that The bookkeeping
was OF an improper system. and that you
would have improved it II you had had
the power
Il do. sir: there were many things that
I would have changed If ] had had the
power
THE SHELL ACCOUNT.
The CITY Attorney then took mp the
shell account and put the witness
through a rigid cxamlpation as to the
method with which it was kept. He
said he did not pay ont any OF the money
for she $. nut gave warrants on the Audi
tor foi them He admitted. however
that there were two sets OF tickets USED
nv the sho!l-mer. Those who had the
shell-haulinc dor, were Messrs. Grimes.
Walsh and Mon gomery. 4 great many
questions were asked Mr.. Meredith with
reeari TO the shell matter, and the city
Atfornov being unable 20 obtain any
now Information took up again the coke
discrcpancies After much interrogation
as IN how the c0ke-books were kept ana
tbe manner I'm which these sales were
r.norte1 10 tn Auditor. Mr.. Meredith
tho ex-book-keeper. again referred 10 the
sisoon shortags which existed "heh ne
won't IN the ras-wOrks to work. ana 70
the unbalanceI condition of the DOCKS AT
that time. -. ,,.i.,,oss -
The city Attorney asked the witness IL
DO rad any charges 10 make against
-. $50, IN this connection. Mr.. Mere
So -ori,as that he had not. nut ne
.,0-,,tt tho .ommittee ought TO look ny
~ on6 SCI him right before the pupllS,
80 '', ror,rer,e TO Il. and that II shou'u
VIZ, VIZ" ,r,.es,irate the $1,000 City-Missioh
matter. .~.,>-
Mr.. BOUDAR EXAMINED A.'Ai"
NJ u T. Boudar clerk to the Auai-
.o- a,d the accountant VINO nlau ~
80 t-,,.ost.gation Of the books Al '"'
,,.a-rs was then sent for. ana soon
mt In his appearance. ne - po,,e
~ AR Meredith was read 70 "I ,iIe 80
dar Mr. Meredith had salu' eco, 81 ,,.h,.
was a shortage Of NoVp III ard The
sbould not that BE- looked lh'o on" -.
s|oi,, ~ both OF your book-keepers, snow
80 7 u,,ul, Ike 10 have the pupHS se'
right as 10 these charges - 49, hoots
81 p,,lsr was asked II the nooNS
,~t balanced when they were tuiheu
80. ~ AIR. Meredith, and gave We,
Ss,ide5 answer in the aihrmatlNe ~
~eniv 10 City-Attorney Mereii'" 80
t,oning llr. Bcudar ssll una "' -
80 ,bera were shortages at tne sas
er,,s ~ ne had access to The LOOKS NJ. p
go',Sor arso explained how II was al
,,oet a matter Of lmposslDlllty iOI az.
roolrs AZ the gas-wCrks ana those de
- A,5itor's Office TO be made 10 agree
and said be did not think the coIliiil'c
could hold Mr Meredith respohsiOls 4ol
any Of the deficit which had occur ~
- ~ f,is term OF service at the works
difh, had not had access 10 All the uovhS'
-rba witness spoke Of the errors IN MI
Sfe~eatth's bookkeeping, but these aI-
,.cerad 10 be clerical IN their nature. ne
Lo,ks thera were balanced, Mr. bouadt
arafn asserted. when they were turheu
o,.ar 10 Mr. Meredith. and could sun nave
baen balanced by Mr.. Meredlth' hau ll
not been for the errors referred 10. MI'
ro,1ar added thai what he supposed Mt.
1,'reditb meant bv saying that IL was
,r,rossihla TO balance the books was tnat
~. c,,,l1 not be balanced with tne
1,rols I'm the Auditors Office. for the
,l.son that there We're always some war
rants out for money which nae
e,ter.d NO at the works when
had not vet come into the Auditors oilce
FOR payment.
WANT a BETTER SYSTEM.
After some further inquiry along this
lin the question Of what remedy would
brinq. about a better system Of accounts
hatuaen the Auditors office and the Of
fce Of the various departments was
,oken m Mr.. Boudar explained at
some length how 10 would have been I'M
rocsible for the Auditor 20 have detected
anv irregularities at the gas-"orks
T,,ifhout having gone down 10 the WORKS
and examined all he books. There IS
,,o wsv on earth. he said. by which 10 tell
,chen the head of 4 department brings
,,~ "a him a certain sum OF money 10
da,osit as payment for a certain article
.haf II Is the amount which has been
,aid 70 the head Of the department
therefor.
Mr. Meredith said the present ordinance
IN this respect was a general one re-
curing the Auditor TO make an eXaml-
nation Of the books Of the heads OF me
denartments annually. Some further dis-
cresion was INDUCED in upon this SUD
iect and the committee again went INTO
Svecutlve session. adjourning shortly be-
fo~e : o'clock. without having gotten FAR
into the matter Of making up it's report.
/ The committee meets again at 0 CLOCK
This afternoon 10 continue its work.
Regular meetings Of the committe on
i Schools Council Printing, ana lohce
,yera held last evening. Only 70 ltine
tueiness was transacted by them.
u,TcH-NiGHT SERVICES.
Many of the Methodist ConIres"-