The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-03-24

| the methods in vogue during the admins
tration Of the late Superintendent; Let
me note, however, that connection with
these frauds-nagrant and unquestloned-
| and Of the Indignation everywhere felt,
I we should be mindful, IN dealing with the
| charges against Mr.. Grimes. that We do
not allow the knowledge Of the offences
| committed by those in control Of this de-
| partment. and who are beyond the reach
| Of the city Council. except by resort to
the courts to influence our action in deal
ing with charges against one OF its fellow
members, which. while ia some measure
cognae 10 this subject OF investigation.
have about them none Of the elements OF
fraud or peculation. which has so aroused
the public sentiment against the Of
hcials I'm charge Of the city Gas-Works.
THE -FOUR CHARGES.
The special committee ia charge OF this
| investigation has submitted their report
and In this report are embodied four
! charges against Mr.. Grimes, which
/ ciarges he IS by n resolution accompany
/ ing said report, now rallcd upon to
answer. II is further provided that he Is
/ TO "dispr0ve the truth q the charges so
preferred" and in the event Of his failure,
TINS body IS called upon to c6pel him from
It's membership.
Without pausing TO alludc 10 the peculiar
character OF this recommendation, or 70
| the fact that the committee, which, on
/ ex parte evidence, has preferred these
! charges now sits in judgment TO establish
their yeracity. We pass To an immediate
consideration OF the changes referred 10.
/ 2 ney arc four i'm number.
First. That he violated the city ordi-
nanccs forbidding employees 10 give or
| dcrs on their wages, by taking such or
dcrs. With reference TO this charge it
may be stated that In the fall Of 1894 an
ordinance was passed f0rbidding cm-
/ plOyecs of the city from giving orders for
salaries or wages due them by the city Tor
! their services. This ordinance. Pike a
statute somewhat similar enacted by the
State forbidding garnishment process from
| issuing against any wages due by the
state 20 her servants, Is designed for the
protection Of the heads at departments,
who would be seriously inconvenienced by
having a flood Of orders cOming in from
city employees for the salaries TO which
they are entitled. IL is not q crime TO
give an order. nor TO accept it. With
reference TO Mir. Grimes connection with
this charge, n may be tiuthiuliy stated
that as an old employee cf the CITY Gas
Works. personally known 10 numbers Of
accumulation Of this worlds goods, and
occupying the position at once an honor
and Il burden. of being councilman and Il
pOlItician. he was frequently applied 10 for
loans of money. and the Vould-be debtors
promised 10 secure the payment Or any
funds so loaned by paying him out OF their
wages received from the Gas-Works,
should they actually render the services.
No written orders were ever given TO the
superintendent i'm Mr.. Grhnes' favor. ale
loaned these people various sums OF money
an their repeated solicitation, and request
cd the Daymaster at the Gas-Norks, IN
accordance with the promi. OF these em-
nIoyecs when they drew their wages To
pay him, 10 retain the saue for his bene-
fif. If such employees maas no objection.
-Four persons were eXamin' In connection
with this mattor-to-wit: James j.. Grace.
GitweI Jordan. John n. Smith. and VIII
liam Timhcrlake. and they each ana an
testified that they were never approached
bv A,r. Crimes with the view OF lending
them money. that in every instance they
pursued and solicited him. and that on
various occasions he had loaned them
money when they We're not employed az
the Gas Works and loaned 1t To them
without security and for which be receiN-
cd no interest.
JURISDICTION QUESTIONED.
Second. The second charge IS that Mr.
Grimes realized on his money so loaned
mot only an usnTious but cruel rate
of interest" Without intending the
slightest disrespect 20 the honorable COM
mittee who formulated this charge. IL
may DE said with all truthfulness that
neither the committee nor this Council
has the slightest jurisdiction 10 call any
of It's members 10 account for Lending
money at what they are pleased 10 term
usuriOus or cruel rates Of interest. II
Mr.. Grimes or any other member OF this
Council was expelled because ne loaned
money az usuri0us rates of interest, this
body would make OF itself simply the
laughing stock of the city. as having
called one of SIS members 20 account
for a supposed offence, absolutely beyond
its jurisdiction.
I'm answer 20 this charge. we confidently
submit that the Council neither has ju-
risdiction nor is IT am offence had the
Council any jurisdiction. There Is MOTH
ing mala i'm se about The rate of interest
which is charged upon money when the
rate is fixed 10y agreement between the
contracting parties. Money is worth
what it viii bring on the market just
like tine use OF horse, or q house. which
it represents and this view OF the sub
joct is being taken by legislatures and
Lawmakers and iaw-writers I'm all the
most progressive sections of the country.
Tho Supreme Court OF Virginia has By "a
recent decision put the seal Of its dis
appreciation upon the statutes which for
mcriy were believed to deal so harshiy
with usury. and the Legislature which
has just adjourned. II 1 am correctly in
formed. passed a law permitting pawn
brokers 10 charge 10 per cent. a month
FOR the use of money.
This charge. therefore, like the one
Just precc ling, is q charge which Mr.
Grimes may well afford 10 treat with
Indifference. and one which we believe
this Council will never acopt as the basis
for eXpelling one of its members While
the evidence Of the aforementioned wit
nesses indicated that Mr.. Crimes had he
collected the money. would have realized
large rate Of interest, Yet In truth
there were innumerable other parties 10
whom, under the same circumstances. he
loaned money I'm the direst straights,
from whom he has not. nor never VIII.
collect either principal or Interest; and
SO far, therefore, from its being an evil
dence OF his cruelty and rapacty, his
dealings with these. his former asso-
ciates, Is more an evidence Of his con-
sideration ana charity-a consideration
which IL seems they were not able 10
find among many other OF their fellow
citizens.
THE CONTRACT FOR SHELLS,
Third. The third charge is that FOR
his personal benefit he assisted in having
%. f,..It.l.rt .,rspaaf for <hQilS made