Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-01
THE WADDEY' CLAIM.
BILLS A SUBJECT OF
INQUIRY ny A COMMITTEE.
PART THAT AN OFFICIAL PLAYED.
Alleged TO Have Told the Firm That
the Account Would he Approved II
Sent TO the Hastings Court-Other
Council News.
the Account WouI
Council News.

I supplies IuTHlsHeu 10 the city jail by the
Everett Waddey Company. The inyestl-
| cation, as far as It went, developed
some remarkable and even sensational
| features Only three witnesses were ex-
amined-Clerk Christian, OF the Hastings
| Court: Mr. W. II. G. Ralston, Of the
city Jail, and Mr. j. Newton Gordon, Sec
| Rotary and treasurer Of the Everett
| Waddey COmpany-and the committee
| adjourned until Friday night at 7 O'clock
when further evidence may be submitted
| The disputed bill, which amounts TO a
| trlhe over SIS. is for pens, ink. stationery.
a record, and index-books. These were
| supplied to the city Jail on the 18th and
| 2lth of August, 1896, and their delivery
was duly acknowledged by Deputy Raj
ston. Payment Of the account was re-
| fused, on the ground that the matter was
clearly one for the City Sergeant to set
tie. Eventually. it was referred TO the
Committee on Claims and Salaries, and
was rejected by that body on July 2Gth
last. Subsequently. Messrs. Everett
Waddey & CO. billed the same goods to
the Hastings Court, and Judge witt
passed it for payment
THE CLERKS EXPLANATION.
These circumstances were related TO
the committee by Chairman Wallerstein,
and Mr. Christian, Clerk OF the Hastings
Court, was called to testify. Mr. Chris
tan explained the manner I'm which bills
are received in the Hastings Court. He
said he had glanced at the items when
the bill was presented and was satisfied
that the goods might have been sup
piled to the court. Judge Witt had
evidently thought so, too. The City
Sergeant had always paid his own sta
tiOnery bills. lie had no doubt
I'm his own mind that the bill sent to the
Hastings Court was for the goods sup
piled to the Jail. He generally gave his
orders for stationery over the telephone
to the Everett Waddey Company, and
signed n voucher when they were deliver
ed. The bill submitted to the Court had
no voucher attached, and was, on the
face Of it, irregular.
RECEIVED THE GOODS.
Mr.. Ralston. Of the city jail, said he
signed the receipt for the goods, which
we're delivered 10 the jail on the above
mentioned dates. He did not know that
the Everett Wadley Company was going
to make out the bill against the Hastings
Court. Beyond ordering and giving a
receipt for goods, he had nothing to do
with the supplies.
Mr. Ralston volunteered the opinion
that as the books were important records
they ought TO be the property Of the city.
and not Of the Sergeant. These books
have always been taken away by former
City Sergeants, with the result that there
are no back records at the jail.
City-Attorney Meredith said the book,
certainly ought to belong to the city.
WHY THE TWO BILLS.
Mr. J. Newton Gordon was next eX-
amined. Mr.. Wallerstein called his at
tention to the fact that the two ILLS
were identical, and asked him how his
firm came to make out the bills in that
manner. Mr. Gordon said that the bill
had been made against the city Jail for
goods sent there. The bill had been
turned down by the Accounts and Print
ing Committee, and had hung that way
for nearly year. Finally 1t was sub
mitted TO the Claims and Salaries Conn
mittee, and again it was turned down.
Three or four days after this was donel
some one went to the store and made
statement to the effect that a prominent
city official had told him TO see the firm
and tell them TO send the bill to the
Hastings Court and it would be paid.
The witness was closely Intercepted
by Mr.. Meredith and the members Of
the committee as to the personal APP
pearance Of the man who had delivered
the message, but his replies were not
very definite. He said that he had a
very poor recollection for faces, and
could not positively identify the man
again. but he would try. Mr. Meredith
said It was due to the official whose
name had been mentioned that he
should be informed Of the statement
that had been made, and Mr.. Gordon
said he would go 10 the official at once,
after the meeting of the committee and
see If he could help him.
Mr. Meredith impressed upon the wit
ness the necessity Of finding out the man
who brought the message, and Mr.. Cor
don said he would take immediate steps
to do so, and would be present at the
next meeting of the committee, with
whatever proofs he might be able to
collect.
DAMAGE CLAIM ALLOWED.
The only other business transacted by
the committee was a recommendation |
that the claim Of John Il. Lyons for |
N23.37 the amount of damages caused 10 |
mis- property by the overflow Of the cul- |
vert on First street, should be paid. The |
,laims OF the Richmond Perpetual Build |
ny and Loan Company and Of X. L. |
Brown were laid upon the table, pend |
ng the result of suits now on the docket |
If the Law and Equity Court. The /
lain Of A. Nelson for damages sustained |
)y falling into the culvert was compro-
missed.
Accounts and Printing.
The Council Committee on Accounts and |
Printing met last night, with Messrs. |
Hawkins, Bahen, Bloomberg, and Lawder !
present. 1t was reported that the cleo
ion officers had ordered materials from
he Flanhart Printing Company that are
not included in the city's contract. and
Z was recommended that these officers
should be instructed to purchase here
,fter only such goods as are specified.
The bills OF the o. II. Flanhart Printing
company, the Everett Waddey Company,
md ]. w. Randolph & Co. were ordered
o be paid.
The chairman, sub-chairman, and clerk
II the committee were instructed to pre-
,are specifications for next year. and adj
,ertise for bids.
Did Not Have QuOrums.
The Marshall and Jackson Ward dele
cations were 10 have met last night to
recommend members OF the proposed
'inance Commission. Mr.. Lawder was the
My representative OF the former ward.
md he left after waiting for nearly an
,our. Messrs. Noble, Bahen, and Smith
we're present from Jackson Ward, but
hey would not take any action.
The Next Jackson-Ward Councilman.