The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-16
SALES OF HE SCRAP IRON.
THE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEES
REPORT TO THE COUNCIL.

the o. r. VI. Department Found 90
Have Been Made by Consent of
Alderman FaIIiEant-Supt. Peck
of the Crematory ExonerHted-E;N-
superintendent wheeler and
Cheatham of the Cremutory and
scavenger Departments Referred
TO-AIderman FalIlEant Explains
His Action 10 Council.
The scrap iron committee % The c.y
council submitted its report yesterday OF
the investigation Of the alleged sales oi
scrap iron and other material by city en-
ployes The report OF the committee was
accompanied by a typewriter report COW
ering thirty-eight pages Of testimony OF
the witnesses. which were before The COM
mittee during its Investigations
The committee. in its report. stated that
IL had Investigated the charges against
W. n. Peck superintendent OF tAt cree
matory. and. y. o. Rogers, supefinteAa-
ent OF the %. T.. n. department. preferred
by Mr. William krhoe. IL also made lH-
vestigations OF departments wherever u
seemed that city property had been sold
and no returns for u made 10 the cry
treasurer.
The conclusions reached by the commit
tee, as stated On its report. are as iol-
lows:
Prom the evidence. the committee finds
that Mr.. Rogers made certain sales OF
scrap iron from the crcmatory. from
which he derived pecunlary benefit. The
committee also finds that these sales were
made. and revenue derived, by ana WIN
The consent Of Alderman Falilgant, chair
man of the committee on health and Gem
etery. the committee on health and GEM
etery having this department in charge.
The evidence clearly shows that Mr..
w H. Peck made no sales bat what were
fully accounted for and proven 10y an IN
spection of the books OF the city treas
urer; and the committee considers that
The charges as made against MI Peck
were unjust and uncalled for
The testimony shows that Mr.. W. W.
Wheeler, former superintendent Of the Gre
matory. began 20 dispose Of scrap iron,
bottles, tin cans. hides, and other ma
1erial. under previous administrations,
shortly after the erection OF the crema-
tory the construction Of which he had
in charge. The committee has given Mr..
Wheeler several opportunities to state by
what authority he disposed OF this ma
terial and appropriated the proceeds 70
his own use. but whenever summoned he
failed TO appear.
THE committee finds. from the evil
dence, that Mr.. r. +. Cheatham, former
superintendent Of the scavenger depart
ment, disposed of manure from his own
stables previous TO 1895. and whatever
sales Of manure that were made from
the city lot were with the consent and au-
thority Of Or. Harris, the then chairman
Of the health and cemetery committee,
the committee having this department In
charge.
The committee would respectfully call
attention 10 the fact that as soon as
these various sales came TO the knOwl-
edge of his honor the mayor, an order
was issued from his office directing that
returns for all sales Of city property be
made to the city treasurer"
The report was signed by Aldermen u.
Il al Thomas
Screven, who composed the investigating
committee
Clerk Manucy started in to read the tes-
timony, which accompanied the report.
The mayor, however, prompted by Alder
man Garrard, announced that unless the
members particularly desired to hear IL
the reading Of the testimony would be
dispensed with, as 1t would become part
of the proceedings of the council.
After the report had been read, Alder
man Falligant said that he felt 1t due TO
himself TO make a statement concerning
it. IF there were ever any transactions
between Mr.. Rogers and other parties,
beyond one involving In the neighborhood
of $40 he said, they never came 10 my
knowledge. Mr.. Rogers stated to me that
he had collected a larger amount from
port should have shown these facts, and
not by Implication make IT appear that
countenanced such doings To that eN-
tent the report does not do me justice.
that I am correct in my statement"
when Mr.. Rogers asked me II he
could gather up and sell the loose scrap
iron lying about the crematory lot, /
drove down there. and after taking a look
over the lot, came 10 the conclusion that
81 would probably cost the city more to
gather and dispose of IL than II was worth;
and told him he could take IT, As a mat
Ter OF fact, the whole amount scarcely
exceeded $40. and Mr.. Rogers lost money
by his effort
when 1 examined into the workings
OF the scavenger department" said Alder
man Falligant 4 was informed that the
previous superintendent had been in the
habit Of selling the manure or using 1t for
his own benefit. / called Mr.. Dreeson's
attention 10 H. and advised him TO dis
pose Of IL BY the wagon load, and turn
the proceeds into the city treasury Va
TiOus other complaints were made to me
about how the laborers had been treated
by fines, etc, and I removed the obnox-
1ous colored foreman and the white lot
man and put in the latter's place Mr.
r. J. Mckee. whom ] knew to be a gentle
man Of integrity and competency, and
who has thoroughly fulfilled the duties
of his position ever since.
THE report of the committee" Alder
man Falligant added. us calculated in
its incomplete form TO leave an impression
unjust To myself, especially as ! was the
one who reported to the mayor the matters
complained Of and applied the remedy
in the spring of 1895. Further than this
j do not care TO speak at present
The report OF the investigating commit
tee was in substance as stated in the
Morning News II would be, and It created
no surprise. The bringing OF Alderman
Falligant into the matter was about the
only thing that caused a ripple In the
council, and even that did not seem 10
give the members much concern.
The report of the testimony embodies
the statements before the committee OF
ex-Alderman DR.. r. 3. Harris, chairman
OF the health and cemetery committee OF
the previous council Mr.. William Kehoe,
who brought the charges. c. A. William
son, who bought iron for shipment to
Philadelphia. NJ. L. Exley, who bought
street sweepings from Alderman O'Brien,
chairman of the street and lane commit
tee Of the previous council, Richard Fo-
garty, Thomas Ballantyne, Milton Sweat
d. ]. Murphy, Thomas McGrath. r. F.
Baker. Edward Walsh, NJ. j. O'Leary
John Rourke, E. E. Cheatham, superin-
tendent of the scavenger department OF
the previous council, c. e. G. Fell, W. H.
Peck, superintendent of the crematory
3. o. Rogers. superintendent of the O. f.
NJ department, eX-Alderman O'Brien. AL
derman L. a. Falligant. W. P. Bowling
and Samuel Jones' colored. Mayor Myers
was a witness in regard to permission
which he gave Supt. Rogers to haul a
few loads Of screenings to be used on
his farm