Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-02
HE IS EX0NERATED.
No Fraud Can Be Charged TO MI. Grimes
from Shell Account.
THE GAs-woRKy BOOKS AGAIN.
The Causes of Their bad Condition
Inquired 1ntO-Auditor Warren and
Mr.. Boudar on the stand-In Secret
Session Again.

There was an intensely interesting ses-
sion OF the special committee on in
vestigation of the affairs OF the City Gas
Works last night. A number of witnesses
we're on the stand, and their testimony.
while 1t went in the main over old
ground. was very important
The members Of the committee present
were Chairman Gunst. and Messrs.
Bloomberg, King. Cottrell. Snead. and
Woodey. City-Attorney Meredith. Colo
lel w. Z. Smith, the expert accountant:
| City-Auditor Warren; Mr.. II. 3. Boudar,
Clerk to the Auditor; Superintendent
Knowles. and Captain Carlton Mccarthy,
the newly-elected City Accountant, were
also on hand.
The committee agreed TO allow Mr..
John r. Grimes. chairman or the Commit
tee on Light to appear before IT, with
his counsel, Hon. Joseph T. Lawless Mr..
Lawless stated that his client wished TO
be heard in regard to the material dis
crepancy in reference TO the number or
bushels OF shells sold. as entered on the
books Of the Auditors Office and the
number OF bushels as shown In the books
at the gas-works, and which appeared TO
reflect upon Mr.. Grimes.
City-Attorney Meredith stated that he
had an examination made Of the diff
ferent books. which showed that there
had been discrepancy or only about so
between the shells delivered and those
paid for. and that might only be a cleri-
cal error. and he did not hesitate to say
the condition of the books was such that
no one should be charged with fraud. As
far as the books showed. Mr.. Grimes
could not be charged with anything in
regard to the delivery Of shells which he
had been paid for
AUDITOR WARREN'S DUTIES.
Mr.. +. j. Warren. City Auditor was
called to the stand. and sworn. lie |
was asked by Mr.. Meredith, the City
Attorney. why the gas-house books were
at one time kept in the Auditors office.
The witness said that this was done
while Mr.. TurDin was Auditor. ana ex-
blamed how and by whom the books were
kept during that time. The items In the
books were based upon the apprOpria tons
Dy the Council. and the expenditures as
presented I'm reports by the Superntend-
ent OF the Gas-WOrlxs. Mr.. Warren stared
mat he had never seen any original
books. The ordinances only provided that h
the Superintendent should make weekly I
reports to the Auditor, but did not stipu-
late how the books Of the gas-works l
should have been kept. The reason why 1
these books were kept az the office OF
the Auditor was as a matter OF convent
ence 10 Mr.. Langhorne. the book-keeDer,
who also held a position IN the AUDITORS
office. As far as the witness could learn,
the book-keeper at that time performed
his duties In accordance with the pro-
visions OF the ordinances
THE ORIGINAL BOOKS.
SAID that he was book-keeper for the
gasworks about a year, during Mr..
Langhorne's illness. and Just subsequent
to his death He did not think il was
necessary for him to see or 10 have
access TO the original books as he began
Dy Keeping the books simply as a matter
of accommodation 20 Mr.. Langhorne.
Mr. King: 1t appears. Mr. Warren. that
during the time that you had charge
Of those books. there occurred a discre-
Dancy Of something like 5000. Could Won
not have known of that discrepancy If
YOU had had access or nave seen the
original books?"
Il think l could. sir"
The witness said he knew nothing about
the difference in the coke account Of the
city Mission, 10 which Mr. Meredith. the
late book-keeper. had made reference al
recent meeting of the committee. Mr..
warren said that he had not visited the
passwords more than dozen times since
ne had been In the employ Of the city.
He was asked by Mr.. Snead II he believed
from the ordinances referring to the
Auditors Office that his duty was TO
stay at his office, and not TO look into the
affairs Of the departments. Mr. Warren
stated that he did, unless he should have
had reason 10 believe that something
was wrong In the departments or one of
them.
THE CITY MISSION COKE.
MIR. j. f. Meredith. late book-keeper at
the gas-works. asked MIR Warren how ba
accounted for the discrepancy of $1,000
In the account OF the City Mission. FOR
which warrants were drawn, without
being signed by the Chairman OF the Com
rnlttee on Light. when there was no
account in the gas-house books?
Mr. Warren stated that Mr. Meredith
was book-keeper al the gas-works ar
that time. and should know as much
about that matter as the Auditor did and
he. therefore, declined to answer the in
-errogatory Air. Boudar. however. being
JAILED upon, made q detailed explanation
)f the matter. He said that many wears
100 the Council used 10 apr-opriate so
many thousand bushes OF coke a wear
% the City Mission. but subsequently. in
'iuer 10 make proper showing Of the
earnings Of the works, the Council an
'ropriated money TO the mission. The !
'oke account, Mr.. Boudar stated further J
ettled itself. There was a discrepancy !
aid the witness. OF about 81. 800 between
lis statement and that OF Colonel Smith
o the committee. which was due 10 this !
oke account This. however. should not :
'e charged TO Mr.. Adams. The CITY Mis- :
Jon coke should come under the general ,
lead OF coke accounts, but such had not
zen the case. Mr.. BOudar explained that ,
he gas-works got every dollar OF the 7
money appropriated for coke for the :
,lty Mission /,
WENT INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. {
The witness was further questioned I
egarding the system of bookkeeping at 4
he works. and Mr.. Williams. OF the '
auditors office. was placed on the stand, v
ut could shed no new light on the SUBJ
ect under investigation, and the commit
&c went into executive session.
Some time was spent I'm the consldera- ! r,
lon OF features TO be embraced in the =
eport to the Council, but the body ad :,
burned until Tuesday evening al
clock. without having concluded its =,
FORK. ~