The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-03-13

duty as book-kccpcr. o..
2 outside OF the amount stolen ns
above mentioned. the city ha1 ocen fo"o.H
bv the coke allowed to be taken ny u'e
man T0wnes. with the kno"i'"b anu
consent of the said =. J. Walsh.
INA, Mr.. W. J.. Knowles. the pres
ont SUPERINTENDENT, acted properly anu
for The interest OF the City when nc us
charged aIr. Walsh.
s. That tho contract WIN Mt .'s."
was in violation Of law. ana Una, MI
Mann knew that II was such Violation.
g. That while the evidence SHOWS '.''e
Mr. Mann performed the contract openly
CD .cco~din.r q, SITS terms. yet De de-
serves ccnsuro FOR having knowingly Nio-
lated the law.
That Sir. John r. Grimes, although
chairtnan Of the Gas Committee. assisted
m violating the city ordinance ior0idding
employs 20 give orders on their wages
s. That h. 50 acting ne realized on MS
money not only q usurlous put eFun
ratio OF interest
. That for his personal benefit he as
sisted in having the fraudulent contract
for shells made with Mr.. Smoot.
10 That under that contract he, while
cbair,nen OF tho Gas Committee. sold 20
the city q quantity Of shells Tar beyond
it, needs.
on motion Of Mr. Gunsi. report No. 2
was then received ana nlcu.
The resolution was them on motion OF
Mr. BloomhcrR. laid on The table.
Clerk August then read report No. a.
recommending the adoption OF the follow
Ing resolution.
Your committee feel constrained in the
Vcht Of the evidence before them 10 recon-
mend that Mr. Grimes De called 70 the
bar Of the Common Council, OF wnlcn
branch he Is now member, tnot ne u'
asked whether DE desires 10 oiicr any tNi-
dcnce 10 dlsprove that submitted by your
committee: and that the Common Coun-
ell after hearing such evidence as MI.
Grimes may OFFER shall, if Air. Grimes
fan 10 disprovc the above charges, and
the evidence herewith submitted in sup
port Of them cxpol him by vote from
among rs members.
FOR ANOTHER COMMITTEE.
The resolution was then adopted ana
lfr. Diac0ut offered resolution pro-
Nidinr for "a special committee of seven
members OF the Common Council 10 take
the evidence 10 De submitted 10y Mr..
Grimes. ihe committee ga laee the right
10 send for persons and papers.
Mr.. Wailerstelu took tne ground that
under the resolution llst adopted the
evidence would have 20 IT, Submitted TO the
Council.
Mr.. Diacont thought the matter should
Ic investigated hv a committee, ana ne
felt certain that SIR. Grimes would not OBJ
ject TO Mr. Meredith or any one else be-
inr present and cfoss-cXamine his VIII
ncsscs.
Mr.. Gmst thought there was not only
disposition 10 delay action in the matter.
bur also disposition 10 attack the action
OF the committee. while Mr.. Grimcs had
been given every opportunity 10 bthcard'
but ne had never made any request 10
the committee 10 Introduce witnesses on
his behalf. The confederation OF the
matter had been postponed In order To
give the members Of the body an oppor-
tunity to form their own conclusion. Mr.
Grimes had ample opportunity before the
committee. ne cross-eXamincd witnesses
and whenever Mr.. Grimes name was con-
nected with the matter he was summoned
TO be present. and the proper place Tor
him TO submit his evidence was before
this body. We desire Mr.. Grimes to dis
prove the charges II ne can do so. but
we are unwilling so have the matter de-
layed by on investigation on the part of
another committee.
Mr.. Don Ioavy asked number OF qucs-
tions 10 show that Mr.. Grimes had not beer
given sufficient opportunity inasmuch as
the report hal been formulated i'm secrecy
while other people had known of tho
contents of the report before il had been
submitted TO the Council Mr. Gunst in
formed the gentleman that no one not
connected with the investigating. commit
tee had known OF the report before il
was presented.
Mr. Diacout said DE felt convinced thai
every honest man i'm this city was anXiou.
10 have Mr.. Crimes given an opportunity
20 disprovc the charges brought against
him. If the charges Were proven ne woul'
be ready TO vote TO have the guilty party
expelled.
MIR. GRIMES STATEMENT.
Mr.. Grimes said he was bound TO defenl
himself. lie had not spoken 10 NOR
than two or three members on the mat
ter. He found out that he would hav
been charged with delivering 1900 bushel
of shells 10 the city. and this would hav
been done had he not caused another in
vestigation of the books. There were
number Of charges ia the report that p
could disprovc. The report inferred tina
some one was brihcd. There was not
man living who could say that he ha
ever given him a cent. lie had vote
with Mr. Ferriter 10 turn out fourier
men who declined 10 give one day 10 IN
Democratic party. and some of thcr
owed him $3.50 and yet 10 had 20 Doe ~
ferrod from the report that ne had bee
brbcd. The committee gave out the con
tract for building purifier. Tho iredo
gar Works were the lowest bidder bu
the TaubOtts received the contract apo
the recommendation Of Superintendent
Adams Everything was done upon th
1attcr's recommendation. The report wa
a stigma on him. he was to Doe the scapC
goat for some one else. All he aske
was a committee. lie would not rcsig
unless he had a fair show.
President Glover Ont. Caskie in th
chaiD wanted Mr. Grimes 10 have fa'
show. but he did not want TO have IN
evidence second handed. he desired
hear IL himself. and TO that end he woU
OFFER a resolution
Mr.. Glover then presented the follow
ing:
BE it resolved by the Common Counci
That IL do now adjourn. TO meet @
Monday night. March 10th. at o'cloc
r. NJ. TO hear such evidence ana arg
mcnt as Mir. John II. Grimes may pr'
sent and that 1t will meet each niSl
thereafter as long as necessary Tor IN
purpose until Monday night, March @5'
al o'clock +. NJ. and that at @ cloc
Z. NJ. Of the same evening the Commo
Council DO proceed TO vote on the resoll
ton TO expel air. Grimes from among i
members.
Mr.. Bloombcrg stated that ne had con
prepared to hear some strange Trims
but he was surprised as 20 the chaf6'
made against the committee There ha
never been a fairer thai than AR. G.lnie
SPICY DISCUSSION.
During a rather spicy discussion p
tween counsel Mr. Meredith stated