Evening star., 1898-02-03
INVESTIGATION MADE OF bis BOOKS
Election of His Successor Post
poned Until Tuesday Next.

Evening Star Bureau.
No. 80 King St,
RelI Telephone No 1tH-

Gil last Eight, called 10 take action in re-
gard to the removal of Mr.. R. Theodore
Cook, clerk of the gas, who has been alb
sent from the city for the past ten days,
and who, it is alleged, is short in his
counts.
When the council was called to order the
message of the mayor was read as follows:
owing to the serious complications in
the affairs of the clerks Office of the city
gas works, / have convened the members
of the city council this evening TO report
to them. as the representatives of the peo-
pie, matters which have been brought to
my notice, and to report also that 1 have
this day removed Mr.. R. T. Cook from his
position as clerk of said city gas works
Tor misconduct in Office and for neglect of
duty. evidenced by the fact of his erratic
departure from the city and official service;
his persistent silence and continued abb
sence during the period of great excitement
incident to his unexplained behavior; vio-
lation of the laws requiring him to deposit
within twenty-four hours after their re-
ceipt all moneys received by him, and gen.
eral Irregularities in the management of
his office records.
These are the acts that impeI the re-
moval of an old corporation official and
that thrust upon me an unpleasant re-
sponsib.lity, which / can neither consci-
entiously nor consistently shirk. Mr. Cook
IN ms report to the city council at its last
meeting, exposed a difference of more than
yi,oOO between the amounts received and
deposited by him. The discovery of this
discrepancy, Mr.. Cooks inexplicable alb
sence and the general ignorance of our citi-
zenS as to his whereabouts were more
than sufficient to excite the gravest appre-
tensions. and prudence, born of these
Tears, suggested prompt measures.
An Examination Ordered.
THE security company in which the
clerk was bonded was notified, meeting
or the committee on light was held and
Saturday afternoon the difference as ad-
mitted by Mr. Cook in mis- report was de-
posted with the city treasurer Monday
morning, January 81. 1895 1 directed two
OF our bonded officers. Auditor Price and
Deputy Treasurer Normoyle to take charge
and Mr. Cook was summoned through let
ter left at his home to appear Wednesday
February >, 1898, and show cause why he
should not be removed from Office. He
failed TO appear and his Office is now va
can't
'"rhe report of the auditor and deputy
treasurer which is herewith appended
demonstrates more clearly than words of
mine the absolute necessity and vital i'm
portance of throwing around the clerks
ONCE "a rigid environment of safeguards,
for while the office is an exceedingly hon
crable one. its dignity in nowise justifies
the privileges and untramnIeled liberties en-
Joyed by its incumbents.
1T is Office that should be shorn of
many of its powers and it is one in which
reduction of salary could equitable accom-
pany diIniRution of responsibility. Com
mittees OF council could possibly examine
monthly without extraordinary labor the
accounts of the office and thus prevent
needless employment of an expert annual
ly. Some one should be an appointed
check upon the clerk of the gas works.
and the latter should be compelled to re-
Fort, at brief intervals. his deposits with
the treasurer and his return of unpaid
ILLS 10 that some officer and thus verify
by business q VOurhnrS the
rectness of his official acts
The Official Report.
Following the message of the mayor was
the report of Deputy Treasurer Normoyle
and Auditor Price, which had been made
at the request of the mayor, and which
is as follows:
Acting under your order to take charge
OF the gas office, and make a cursory or
partial examination of its books to ascer-
tain the condition of ssaid office, We beg
leave to report:
I'VE thought it well to first examine, as
best We could in the limited time at our
disposal the cash book and journal. as
having close connection with the deposits
made in the city treasury by Mr.. X. T.
Cock. clerk We find. from the journal,
ttat the receipts from gas, from June l.
1877 TO January l, 1S9S. amount to s1O,-
1tSiI, which is posted in the ledger under
the head Of Gas Accounts The coilec-
tons from gas bills from January / to ID
ISIS. as shown on the cash book amount
to S3,42i.O1- The grand total from the re-
cespts of gas from the beginning of the
fscal year. June l. 1897. to January 20
1SaS, iS Sl4.OtD.iI. Add to the last-named
81 m. the balance in the city treasury June
1. 1891, of s2,5I5-54. makes a total of Sl6,-
a:s6-ol- There has been deposited in the
ely treasury on this account the sum of
si6''.6Ol, in which is included the 1,J5iS 50
deposited Saturday, January - by Mr.
cooks friends Deducting the $16,619 4.
from gas receipts of SIG. 1861. would still
leave a shortage in gas receipts of s11G.5S
ms Iast-nsmed sum is reduced largely
by bills and payments made by Mr. Cook
In MS oifee, which he gives IN his report
submitted TO council. Tuesday. January %,
as amounting to s1.3l7a2. This amount
ihcludes notes on hand (some probably
SoTthless. all unsecured), amounting to
Sl3!o,. The bills against the gas and cleo
tric night works paid by the clerk amour,
I" siJbhS; cash advanced to the emDloyes
OF the works during the month of Januarv
amounts to S2l5..I; check and cash on
hand. SGioI. and worthless check. s15 -
n,aSins total OF sl.9I3.s4 in which is ia
clud=d wnat is partially considered good
ard. IL realized upon, would about pay the
shortage On gas accounts
Showing of Receipts.
In the report made to council Tuesday
January p. by the clerk of the gas he
gives receipts from old gas bills. $3.50 on
and receipts from other gas bills s12, 500 81.
making total of s13.49S.5s. We have
stated that the books IN the gas office show
receipts from gas of s140DI7
referring again to the report of the
oierk made TO the city council January 25
Ihe Following items stated as receipts:
sale OF old iron, sl3l.12; coke 81 235 "a:
Tar tSlS6.s2, to which should be added SGD
&i2s2; lime. S9.57. making a total of
sisl9O,, as having been paid into the gas
lIhd Neither the cash book nor Journal
SLOWS any entry or entries on these ac-
Sonn.s' s3' hor does any entry occur in the
ledger: SO by the clerks own figures there
= an apparent shortage in receipts from
coke. tar. lime and iron OF SIyIg05
In the month of May, 1897 there is no
entry In the journal of any character The
cash book ends suddenly in May 1897 and
hothing Is shown on 1t, so far as we have
been able TO discover. of the source from
which the balance. s2,5I5.5I was trans
ferred, although that amount is-tf,e frs.
entry OF June !, 1897, and is the amount TO
the credit of the gas fund as shown Inv
the books of the city treasurer and CITY
auditor. '
I'VE made no examination of the ac-
counts prior to June 1. 1897 These figures
were hurriediy made from the records left
by MIR. Cook" --.. -' -'''''' -''' "