The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-07-16
ITO INVESTIGATE
THE CHARGES.
Keeper French, OfRiverview, Accused
Of Wrong-Doing.
THE ELECTION WAS POSTPONED,
Several Persons Wrote Letters 20 the
Committee Making Complaints
That the Cemetery Man Did Not
Deal squarcly with His Men.
THE ELECTION WAS POSTPONED,

Ole was accused in letters OF paying two
or three employees less money than was
allowed them by the city; Of pasturing
his stock In the cemetery and OF refusing
g. allow a laborer to put a substitute in
lIs place In order that he might so TO
the polls and vote.
These alleged improper acts on tho
part Of Mr. French are said 20 have been
t0mmiited several years ago. lie has
been twice reelected since The time he
3 charcd with having dealt improperly
with Che men in regard 90 their pay.
Tho accusations did not appear 10 make
Ncry much OF an impression on the
committee but % was decided TO invesu-
Eate them. and 90 postpone the election
O. "a Keeper Tor This cemetery.
-FOUR CANDIDATES.
Tie committee met dt o'clock. with
bll Use members present. Councilman J.
M Blanks was elected chairman. and
Alderman j. S Montgomery was mace
Fub-chaIrman 80 change was made In
The time OF meeting. Alderman j. ].
Smith was elected auditor.
ar w. A. Dickinson was unanimously
Tc-elected keeper OF lakewood Cemetery
DIE has held this position nineteen years.
For the keeper OF Eivervew Cemetery
applications were submitted by Mossrs.
r. r. Nuckois. Charles j. Richardson,
Frank a. French QncumbeuO and John
VI Ryan.
Several letters IN the nature Of COM
plants against Mr. French were received
by the committee. Mr.. y. y. Thomas
wrote that he was employed bv Mr..
French in November. 1892 or 1898. 10 turf
graves. IIe was paid SL@ per day. While
there Doc learned that the keeper was
hiring men at different wages. lie said
Nr A. s. Pagett. who also worked IN the
cemetery told him he was being paid
only 800 per day by Mr. French, while
the pay roll 40 the City Hall showed
that MT Pagett was receiving Sl25 per
day.
WHAT PAGETT WROTE
A communication from Mr.. Pagctt
stated that DE worked in Rivervicw
about I'VE years ago. He was employed
there nine months 40 Sl.00 per day. There
was talk about what he was receiving
and Mr. French was asked by Mr.. Hum
phry Calder what he was paying his
hands. saying that he had heard tho
keeper was employing some men for Woo.
Mr. French denied 10. Mr.. Pagett said
Mr. French came 10 him and gave him
five dollar bin with the request that
when questioned he must say that he
was receiving 81 % per day. Mr. French
also took him 90 Mr. Calder and IN the
presence of that gentleman asked MN II
he was not being paid N25 per day. Ills
renlv was. IL don't lnow what you are
paying me-
Nr j. H. Taylor complained that Mr.
French would not Jet a hand of for ono
hour to vote. not even 81 tho man put =
substitute in his place. lie complained
that SIR French pastured his stock IN tho
cemetery.
AIR Dennis w Martin wrote a letter
saving he had seen horse tracks ABOUT
t1c graves. and he thought Mr.. French
turned his horse into the cemetery.
ANOTHER COMPLAINT.
Mr. Mike j. Burgess complained IN
writing that Mr. French ala not pay MN
What "a regular hand receives wnen ne
worked in the place OF a man VINO was
NIr George w. Edwards wanted Mr..
vrench's conduct ln the sale OF section
investigated.
long communication was received
from Sir. oscar l.. Jones complaining OF
The management of the cemetery iio
charged the Keeper with not being sat.S-
fed with Dis salary and a house 10 1.-Two
I'm but went outside for work.
After the complaints had all pesh
made ~ was decided 10 postpone the
election and 90 appoint "a subcommittee
10 make investigation. The Chur ape
polnted Messrs. Grimes. Smith ana Miner.
Thie committee will meet 40 O'CLOCK
Monday evening and the compliments
will Doe summoed 20 testify.
Nesers w. s. Blackburn and w. j.
Smith were laborers for Shockoe Gene
tcrv Mr. Smith defeated Nj. A. j.
Barfoot who mis- one of the positions az
present. Mr. Blackburn is an old en-
MIR. FRENCHs SIDE OF IT.
Nfr French denies the truth OF he
charges made against him. TIE thinks
they were brought by enemies solely Tor
the purpose ~ trying 20 defeat MN. ~
appears that several years ago when there
was "a very small fund 90 the credit OF
tho committee Mr. French was instruct
"a TO pay extra labor only 81 per day.
The fact that Mr.. Frenchs accusers have
waited so Ions TO make complaint inn
pressed tho committee unfavorably.
FIGHT OVER 4 CLERKSHlP.
The Committee on Accounts and Print
Ing met at o'clock, and was called 20
order by city CLERK August Councilman
John r. lNost was elected chairman, ana
Councilman j. n. Lawdor. suh-chairman.
The time Of meeting was fixed al +.
NJ ON the last Monday I'm each month.
There was a lively fight over the po-
yltlon OF clerk The following gentlemen
were placed in nomination Messrs. w. s.
Voo8son. w T. S0uthan. IT. ID. Perkins,
II T. Ezekiel and George T. Bowden.
on the first ballot each gentleman re-
celyed one vote. Eight ballots were taken
without result and the committee ad-
iourned without electing any one. An
ballots after the first resulted as follows:
woodson. 1: southall 2; Ezekiel 2. Mr..
West voted for Mr.. Woodson; Mcssrs.
Fergusson ana Lawder voted for Mr..
Southau. and Messrs. Rloomborg ana
Eahen Tor Mr. Ezekiel.
This committee has no. rad clerk
tlnce SIR. clyde =. West resigned tho
position.
MIR HOBSON CHAIRMAN.
The Committee on Health met az e'o'
ana elected Councilman Hobson chair
man and Alderman Burton sub-chairman'
r. was decided 20 meet az 1870 r NJ. on
the second and fourth Thursdays.
COMMITTEE OK LIGHT.
The Committee on Light mot az t'50
o'clock last evening. The members pre-
hcnt wore Mce8rs. WLlcrstein, fihiu-
wicke Sheay and Mosby. only routine
business was transacted. Bills 70 the
amount of Nfo.W Tor the month were
approved and ordered paid.
FIRST MARKET.
The members present al the Commit
tee on FIRST Market which met AT
clock were Mossrs Tanner. King. Cur
tie and Sullivan Mr. King was chosen
chairman ana SIR Tanner sub-chairman.