Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-15
THE SNEAD CHARGES
Committee on RETREACHMENT
TAKE THEM Up AND WILL ACT.
SEVERAL CITY OFFICERS EXAMINED.
,,,tcctor. Treasurer, and Commits
sioncr Of Revenue Detail Their
putIcs-Rcport of sub-Com mittee
~, Urond street Received.

of the CITY nan AT WIN '"'N "'b"''
.l hold a very animated session of over
three hours
THOSE present were: Chairman Allen.
-s Messrs. Ebel. HARRISON, Jones,
e,,rke Noble, and zimmerman.
,uer the reading OF the minutes Of
.. last meeting. Mr.. Jones arose to a
,....ion Of personal privilege, and read
..,ae,s from the morning papers re-
-,s ~ the recent session Of the Board
Aldermen. in which Alderman Evan
c.e.a was reported as having said that
,f.vor Taylor had been approached by
,ber OF the Committee on Retrench-
,..,t and Reform, who proposed that, if
,,. Mavor would not veto the ordinance
.F,.ine the salaries of city officials his
,.f,rg would not be touched. Mr.. Jones
,.rtber stated that he was at the meet
,., ~ the Board when Alderman Snead
..ote and that ne intended 10 bring
G matter 10 the attention Of the com
,.rtoa. REGARDLESS of the newspaper re-
.,rts which were. substantially, cor
rect , ~.
Nossrs. Allen. Zimmerman, and Noble
,sa a few words TO say touching the
cr,ree and il was stated that at the
,,.,o Mr. Snead. replying TO an interro-
,,,tion of Mr. Zimmermann's. said that
,bs nerson alleged 10 have thus approach
e5 ,be Mayor was not a member of the
1,o,-8 of Aldermen, but a member Of
the committee.
Mr. sountree thought that most tho
,o.gb Investigation should be made OF
matter OF this sort. If any member
of the committee had made such an at
tempt 10 practically bribe the Mayor of
Inc city Of Richmond, all the facts in
-ounection with the case should be had.
ue was in favor of sending the Sergeant
ef-Arms for the Mayor, and going into
fne investigation at once.
chairman Allen advised against this
,lnn saving that the Mayor might not
H. at home. or might have some import
amt engagement He suggested that the
members Of the committee should be
heard from first.
eUB-COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE.
Mr. zimmerman offered motion that
any member made any such a proposi-
ton to the Mayor an admission should
be demanded OF such member. This was
unanimously carried. and the Chair asked
Ibe question Of the whole committee. but
there was no response, and Chair
man Allen said "Wel. gentlemen. ! take
it that none Of you made any such
suggestion 10 the Mayor"
IL then move" said Mr.. Zimmerman,
chat we appoint a subcommittee 10 in
terview the Mayor and ascertain the
name OF the man who made any such
r~oDosition to him" This was adopted,
ana the Chair appointed Messrs. Rountree
and Eoel.
The Clerk here read a letter from Mr..
John j. King, a member of the commit
Tee from Clay Ward. eXcusing himself
for non-aftendance on the ground OF
sickness. re stated that he had read in
fhe papers the accounts or MI ahfad =
remarks and that he trusted the com
mittee would make "a full investigation
of the charge contained therein. This
meant that all the members of the com
nittoe had been heard from upon this
matter
THE TREASURER'S OFFICE.
several city officials were present upon
summons. and Mr.. Charles II. Phil
Hrs the City Treasurer. was the first
called Chairman Allen explained at the
outset that he trusted the officers present
would understand that the members of
fhe committee i'm questioning them re-
garding their duties and those of their
employees were only pursuing a line OF
f.ty assigned to them by the Council.
Tie city Treasurer began by explaining
the increase IN the amount OF work,
which IL had been necessary TO do in his
office in the last five years. lie said
there had been an increase OF IS is per
cent. in the gas and water bills, WINE
there was a greater number of checks
issued fast year than previously, adding
Uat he had issued 5000 from the general
fund and 1900 from the sinking fund.
Mr Phillips referred TO the fact that IN
l,1 the Council adopted an ordinance
directing that all the employees OF the
city Dee paid off twice "a month instead OF
| monthly. entailing double work upon his
/ ol.oe in this respect The Treasurer was
asked what force he had IN his office,
i0 which he replied that ne had one clerk
whom the city paid Sl50O per annum.
ald one whom he paid himself $1,000 a
year.
"What salary DO you get, Mr.. Phillips|'
asked the chairman.
The city pays me 5000 a year." was
| tle RESPONSE.
and you pay 5000 out Of that to a
| dHF@'
% DO. SIR"
'Is there any way in which the Office
could bee run with any smaller forceT
$40. sir. 1 could not get along at all
without the assistance which l get from
the state We very often have 10 work
fiom S o'clock in the morning until 3
o'clock the next morning. Our oihce
hours arc supposed to be from A. NJ.
Until 9 T. NJ in summer, and from TIL
ln winter. but that by no means ihdl-
Gates the number of hours we work any
lay in the year"
The Treasurer brought TO the attention
Of the committee the fact that his office
AS State and City Treasurer was con-
Nlu01al Office which II would take
seven years TO change He went on to
explain that the law made him the
custodian OF the seal for the city
bonds and that this made 1t necessary
ior him 20 beat his office all the time
a-fng Office hours.
Treasurer Phillips was asked If he gave
bond 20 the city. and replied in the
Affirmative
'lu what sum-" asked the Chair.
I'm the sum Of 10000 replied the
treasurer and he was excused.
DUTIES OF THE CLERK.
Charles J. Philips, Clerk 90 the
C'W Treasurer. who is really head book
Keeper Of the Office was next called be-
-oIe The committee, and stated that ne
was elected 10 his position by the City
1o-ncil and that his duties were varied.
~ did the principal bookkeeping, as
sS'ei in running money over the counter,
opened up the vaults. got out proper
'ss for the day. and often was then
-ssgei no the counter until or o'clock
IN ihe afternoon.
zoe witness was asked II he ever did
5 work for the State. and stated that
~ AaQ done 50 a number of times, ex-
l.ihng that IL was the custom in the
ee Tor either the State or the city
TO assist the other when pressed
ume. Mr. Phillips explained the
N.tNlily Of work necessary upon the
lNy and annual reports. and after
"ering several unimportant questions,