The Portland daily press., 1897-11-08
an expense of several dollars to the city

an expense of several dollars to the city
| to repair said cart.
| Eleyenth-That he, the said George ..
Staples, has failed and neglected 10 sus,
pend or discharge employees when iouho
Intoxicated while in the performance OIL
their duties.
| Twelfth-That he, the said George ..
Sta pies, sold or caused to be sold TO Sne
city pair of horses at the price OF four
hundred dollars which at the time were
actually worth far inferior price.
Thirteenth-That he, the said Georee p.
Staples, has taken away from the Oily
stable and appropriated to his own use
without ever returning the same SIX c ~
lars and one blanket which were the
property of the city.
Fourteenth-That he, the said george
| S. Staples. has caused to be entered IN
| the books of the commissioner OF pupilc
works, the hire of horses in the name VI
John d. Murray when said horses were
in fact his, Staples's, own horses ana
were SO returned by the city time Keeper
Fifteenth-That he, the said George .;
Staples, has caused rock, granlte anu
other material belonging to the city 20 pe
hauled to his own private dumps ao ene
foot OF Wilmot street without authoriCy
and without paying any compensation
therefor to the city.
h1AASS 4d1so 1Aos ui1O c.s~~
Staples, caused several loads OF sand De-
longing to the city to be haulsd 70 the
cellar Of his sons house on Roberts soreeo
for the use of his said son, without COM
pensation to the city.
Seventeenth-That he, the said George
S. Staples, has caused the city teams 10
repeatedly sweep the wharves OF prlvaue
persons and corporations. witnou5 any
compensation to the city therefor
Ei0hfoonfh-1fhat ha the SAID CToOTQ6
S. Staples, within few mouths, negn-
gently and carelessly allowed an e1caVa-
ton on NeWbury street to remain !, IN
guarded and unlighted in the nlgnt tlIne
SO that by reason of said negligence and
carelessness one. Herbert l.. mckinley,
was severely injured, on accountoI whlcn
injury the committee on judicial proceed
ings and claims, after Investigation, rec,
commended the payment OF one hundred
and fifty dollars to said Mckinley IN set
Element of his claim against the City 1or
his alleged injuries.
Nineteenth-That he, the said George
s. Staples, in the winter OF 1877, or tnere-
abouts, caused the CITY teams to haul
loads of sand to the Grand Trunk eieya-
tor, without any compensation 10 tne
city therefor.
Twentieth-That he, the said George
S. Staples, has purchased and caused TO
be fed to the horses of the city musty,
unwholesome, and unsuitable feed.
The charges are signed by Aldermen
Rounds, Mcdonald and Leighton.
THE ANSWER.
To the Honorable Board of Mayor and
Aldermen of the City of Portland:
The undersigned, George S. Staples of
said Portland, superintendent OF streets,
under the commissioner of public works,
respectfully represents that today, for the
first time, he has been furnished with
a copy Of written charges preferred
against him, by committee of your hon.
orable board. for alleged misconduct in
his said office, and respectfully requests
leave to file the following reply thereto:
First-The averlnents of the first item
of the charges against him are denied,
and he says that he has not been accus-
toned to treat his subordinates in
harsh, oppressive or indecent manner or
to use towards them profane, insulting or
indecent language. He does not deny that
upon occasion, under sudden provocation,
justly required, he may have spoken Sc
verely or may have used profane language
or other language which, upon second
thought, he would not himself have justi-
fed
Second-He wholly denies that he has
been guilty of any violation of the city
ordinance in the respect indicated by the
second item of charges, and AYERS that
as to the watchmen at the city stable,
with reference to whom he understands
this item OF charge to be framed, he has
never understood that the ordinance in
tended to limit their duty In the mere
capacity of watchmen to less than twelve
hours, and that in this respect. he has
simply acted upon his understanding of
the meaning of the city ordinance and
upon what was In fact, the established
practice at the date of his succession to
office.
Third-The third item of charge is
hereby denied.
Fourth-As to the whole substance of
item fourth of the charge, he respectfully
denies the same and AYERS that all which
is alleged against him in said item, in
80 far as it has any foundation in fact
whatever, relates to trif1ing matters of
mere accommodation to citizens without
gain or profit to himself and without loss
to the city
Fifth-The fifth item of charge is here
by denied.
Sixth-The sixth item of charge Is
hereby denied, and he AYERS that he has
never purchased horses for the city, either
from John D. Murray or from other par
ties, and that he has never claimed or ex-
erciseG any authority to do so.
Seyenth-He wholly denies the aver
ments of item seventh of the charge, and
says that during his holding of the office
of superintendent of streets under the
commissioner Of public works. he has
never in any instance caused men in his
own employment to be employed by the
CITY,. and has never caused teams of his
own to he SO employed, with the single
reception that in an emergency just
efore the fourth dav of July last, when
bit was necessary that certain work upon
Cumber and street should be hurried in