Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-09-18
AN INVESTIGATION.
sprcIAL MEETING OF THE CITY
COUNCIL WILL he HELD ON
FRIDAY.
uhat They Did Last Night About
Thi. ana other Matters of Inn
portance.

Alderman Fry. mayor pro tenn, pre-
,lded at the meeting of the city coun-
M last night. All the other members
we're present except Mr. Ward.
Routine reports were received and
disposed of as usual.
The report of the police and finance
4 rommittees in regard to the shortage
In the police accounts was then read.
Mr. Roberts moved to pass until the
table had been cleared of other matters
and then go into executive session.
Mr. Lasslter opposed executive ses-
u sion on the ground that the reputa-
4 lions OF three public officials We're at
stake and should not be smirched by
b a star chamber meeting.
Chief Maddox by permission ad-
dressed word to the council. declar-
Ing he wanted the investigation pub
Nc, and the crowd cheered.
Alderman Spoonts moved the house
i be cleared If there was any further
demonstration.
The motion to go into executive ses-
sion was then voted upon and lost
The following was the report of the
ponce anu lllldhNt
Fort Worth, Texas, Sept. II, 1895.
n To the Honorable Mayor and city
Council:
Gentlemen-We. your police and
finance committees, respectfully sub
nit the following pertaining to the
rumored defic.t in the accounts of the
1 city marshal.
on the 10th day Of September we
began an investigation OF the affairs
and accounts of the city marshars of
fee, and continued said Investigation
/ from day to day and completed the
same the 18th inst.
We took the most pertinent portion
Of the testimony in writing. and had
the same subscribed and sworn TO by
/ the different witnesses. and said tes-
4 tmony is subject to the order OF this
council On completing the lnvestiga-
ton We found the marshals office to be
| fl9a5 short In its accounts up to and
| Including August 81. 1895. We reported
/ thls deficit TO $. NJ Fry. the acting
mayor who was already cognizant or
/ all the facts developed by the testi-
I mony The acting mayor Immediately
4 suspended the deputy marshal and
4 police clerk. and viii no doubt report
4 his action to this council.
Prior TO the suspension of the police
4 clerk, and in anticipation of the Same
we instructed the city secretary to
IA tIhIkt Dl lflt lulluS III wv
4 Of the police clerk. and had the AUDITOR
4 check said clerk UP, and all books ana
funds In his possession pertaining 10
the marshal's office We're turned over
4 10 John I. Montgomery, city secretary,
With the exception OF pound book
funds.
On beginning our investigation the
| auditors books showed a deficiency OF
NSs9. Of this sum the marshal said he
stood good for S36660 in fines for per-
| sous he had released. The deputy
marshal said he had s224.35 In cash and
/ owed s24S.lO. making $472.i5. that the
marshal and his deputy could account
for the sum of SS39.O5. This sum was
deposited during our investigation,
4 leaving $71995 balance unaccounted
. for We find that the city marshal and
J the deputy marshal have both been
| very careless in the handling of the
FUNDS In their office. II appears from
The evidence that the deputy marshal
attended to the depositlng of the funds
With the city treasurer; taat when the
deputy marshal was present he attend
"a court collected the money and put
i In his private drawer in the safe In
the marshal's office; fines were some
imes paid him in other places which
ne cared for In the same manner When
me deputy marshal was not present
lhe money was turned over by the Of
ncer who waited on the city court to
Inc police clerk and was by him turn
"a over Immediately to the deputy mar
thal The larger portion was. how
eyer, PLACED in envelopes, marked with
me name of the person paying ana the
smount paid. The sums were allowed
70 remain with the police clerk some
nmes as long as three weeks. When
we deputy marshal desired to deposit
me money the police clerk would open
rue euNplOpal frfN him the money.
snd In most instances preserve the en-
seiopes When the marshal desired TO
We money for his own private pur-
yes or otherwise. he would get money
s ,i,vn the deputy marshal or police
esIk The amount would marked on u
esru and left with the person from
mnnom he received the money. The po-
~, ", clerk would turn his tickets against
NE marshal over TO the deputy mar
shll as cash. Sometimes these tickets
su.ouid be carried for considerable
me before they were turned over by
sns police clerk. When the amounts
v rre repaid the tickets were destroyed.
,."nen the deputy marshal desired to
~ money for his own private purposes
~ eilher used 1t out OF the money he
irA9 IN his private drawer or procured
~, rom the police clerk; tickets were
,haseu In the drawer as In the case OF
W. marshal No other account was
nv OF the funds In the hands OF the
sl,shal. his deputy. and the police
az, than as above indicated.
4, the deficit OF S719,95. sl33 consists
b.r nnes reported by the police clerk as
wbhg oeou laid out or worried out.
III. IN, me cash was paid. A portion OF
~, sisi Is marked on the police clerks
"a .'opes' and he testifies that he turn
AZ" over TO the deputy marshal. he
wse testlfies that the false reports
fnrn caused by mistakes in bringing
snn,sIu the balance from one week TO
ssss sner One fine or ten dollars as
~ h ~, against George Kelly, and paid
= MN. was not reported.
ni.,., police clerk testified that the
-plas-pro-hne In making out ne re-
she,r. IN envelope in hts possession
ana mat she money vas collected
iea,,nans, rked On the envelope and he
datn,',u r,at Il Was paid over % the
IN mar shall with other money.
49,. ufputN marshal les Il led FRAT