The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-01-15
Mayor Taylor Must Give Name Of the
Committeeman Who Approached I'm
RETREECHMEKT PEOPLE INDIGNANT
Atthe Charge, and Zach One Denies nav
ing Tried to Bribe Mr.. Iaylor-'hy
omci,Is Txamined-Broad streets
Copdition-CoI. Cutshaw Nindioatea'

tempted - bribo the Mayor ana aileI
o,orv multor mad denied that he had
over approached that official, a committee
of two was appointed 10 wait upon him.
and reouest him 10 make a clean breast
Of the matter. IN order that the commit
toe may be put right before the public
The city Collector. Treasurer. and
Commissioner Of the Revenue appeared
before that committee and made nun
statoIrnts of the conditions prevailing
i'm their various departments. Inc COM
mittce suspended action upon the ln-
formation thus obtained until next lhuls-
day night.
The subcommittee appointed TO re-
mort ON the condition of Broad street
submitted a lengthy paper, vindicating
the city Engineer. and showing that tne
action OF tho Council IN allowing four
.tracks 10 be put there was responsible
for tho whole trouble.
The committee met shortly attar
o'clock, the members present Dclhs
Mcssrs. Otway S. Allen, (chairman)'
Rountrce, HarrclsOn. Jones, Starke, NO
bic. Ebc and zimmerman.
MAYOR TAYLORS BRlBb.
When tho reading OF the minutes had
becn concluded. Colonel Jones rose 10
ID
that at the meeting of the Board OF AL
dermen. Tuesday night the assertion had
boon made by Mr.. Suead that Mayor Iay-
lor had been approached by a memnet
Of the RctrenCnment COMMITTED ana
pronoised if he would veto the COM
mittoe's recommendations, his salary
would not be touched.
"'Tbis is. ] think" said Colonel Jones
"a matter for the committee 10 l'Ae
coenizance OF at once.
Major Allen agreed with Colohel Jones'
and Mr.. Rountree said that he thought
the AIayor should be brought before lhs
committee at once. and he hoped mat the
eereeaut-at-arms might be uieclsu ~
Ni9for Allen said he did not think ths
Nfavor should be brought into the mat
/ tor until other sources OF Information
had been exhausted. ..,,.
Air zimmerman took the same view
,nd made a motion that n no member
80 tbc committee had made such q re-
mark TO the Mayor he should say so
80 once The motion was adopted, ana
/ Major Allen sald; ..... g.
"Now. gentlemen. If any one present is
| Tho rnenber referred to. let him state Aa
much TO this committee.
Tbe Chairman waited for several min
utos. but there was no response
"Thcre being no answer no salo'
"tbe Chair takes 30 FOR granted, and ac-
! cepts it ass fact. that no one n,le maui
the statement under consideration.
~ now move" said Mr.. zimmerman,
"tbat a subcommittee OF two Doe ap-
nointed TO wait on tho Mayor and OBJ
! tain his statement
This motion was carried. and the Chair
appointed Mcssrs. Eountree ana LDel on
| the subcommittee.
A letter was real from Mr.. John D..
| King. who is sick advising the commit
/ tee 10 investigate the statement or Mr.
| Snoad. as TO am attempt haNns beeh
made to bribe the Mayor
This suggestion having already been
carried out. the letter was received and
filed. This communication from Mr..
| King. however completed the whole COM
mittce of nine. and it was. therefore,
! evident that none of them had approach
ed the Mayor.
MIR PHILLIPS EXAMINED.
on motion of Mr.. Noble, the oxamina-
| tion of Mr.. Charles II. Phillips, city
| Treasurer. was taken up. That gentle
man gave fun information as TO his
| Office. under questions from Major Allen
and members of the committee.
what is your salary?' asked Mr.
! Allen.
"Two thousand and forty dollars per
year. but out or this L have 20 pay q
! clerk $1,000 replied Mr. Phillips.
'Do you only get {lOiO from the city?'
"NCs sir"
"But you ect something from the state,
/ do you noty'
yes. sir. and / would like 10 say
fright here that but for the assistance 1
receive from the force that attends 10
/ the State affairs, L could not run the
| office
could the Office not be run cheaper
/ if the State and city were combined?'
/ "No. sir"
Mr. Phillips. could Won run your office
| properly with smaller forcc?' asked
| Major Allen.
NO. sir; / could not. As I said. but
! for the assistance Of the States clerks,
/ L could not get along replied Mr.. Phil
/ lips.
The Treasurer then went on TO tell Of
his onerous duties. His Office hours, ne
said. were from TO g. but the office was
practically open unit, 3 o'clock each af-
ternoon. The number Of gas bills issued
in 1896. he said, were 3S 1-2 per cent. great
er than in 1891, and the water bills 40 per
| cent greater. I'm 1896 there had been
| $500 wagon, horses. and goat licenses
issued. and about G.ooc sinking fund
checks.
How much bond do you gtve?' he was
asked.
zone hundred thousand dollars"
"IIave you an ASSISTANT
zone; he receives $500 per annum."
This concluded Mr. Phillips examination
and Mr.. Charles j. Phillips. his assist
| ant. was interrOgatcd. IIe confirmed the
statements OF the Treasurer in every
! particular.
Mr.. X. j. Munford, Commissioner OF the
| Revenue. was next examined. He sub
mitted the following figures: Amount re-
coived for 1896 for real. personal and Ii
censo tax assessments. Sl03>0GS6 Ills
commissions. he said. were J-S OF l per
cent, and amounted TO s64S7J0. Salaries
paid 90 seven deputies were S.. sos. Amount
| expended for postage. S35.
DELINQUENT RETURNS.
Mr.. MunfOrd then called attention 20
| the great difficulty of obtaining returns,
! and said if the Committee on Retrench-
| ment had to pass on all delinQuents is
| would take them SIX months i'm each year.
Don't you think a commission or say
| five members. 20 pass on these matters
would be a good thing?" asked Mr.. Allen.
Mr.. Alnford agreed that IL would be
a good move lie then went on 10 call
attention to the fact that 5-6 OF. .the city
revenues, the total OF which 10 about
81, l,2j0O00. comes through the Office Of the
| Commissioner OF Revenue.
MIR. Sncn here stated that he thought
IT was the policy Of the committee TO make
| t,xes - low AS possible. that tho citv