The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-16

There is lively row on between
Mayor James Moir and Deputy City
Controller Charles A. Hartley over the
matter of police fines. Mr.. Hartley
says the mayor has not paid over the
sums that fall into his hands with the
promptness the law requires, and
Mayor Moir alleges that the controllers
office is endeavoring to annoy and
badger him.
Mr.. Hartley's position is set forth in
the following, which he has addressed
to this office for publication:
Dec. IT, 1899.
Editor of The Tribune
Sir: In an article in the Republican
of this date, under the heading mayor
Makes Reply" the reporter states that
the mayor 'intimated to Mr.. Hartley
that, unintentionally or otherwise, he had
assisted in creating the misapprchen-
sion" referring TO the passage preceding,
"rumors have been current that Mayor
Moir was a defaultcr," etc.
If the mayor made any such remark,
it certainly escaped my hearing At the
interview referred to the mayor informed
me that [ had "badgered him. ever
since he had been in office, and added
that he would report the controller to
the councils for dereliction of duty. When
[ asked him TO state the dereliCtion he
informed me that. contrary to the law,
the controller had paid cX Chief Hickey
the few days in dispute after he 0he
mayor had removed him.
LITTER TO THE MAYOR.
First, a word as to my "badgering" the
mayor. L offer the following two letters,
| from the controller, to the mayor for
careful pcrusal:
Scranton, Pa, Nov. S, 1899.
"James Moir, ESQ.,, Mayor.
Dear Sir: Another matter
which | am compelled reluctantly to draw
| to your attention is that you are now
| in arrears in settlement of mayors fines
| or such revenues as may come into your
| hands belonging to the city. On Nov l
! the amount charged to you, as per your
| books, and now in your custody, was
| about $1,000 (your books are not yet in
order for october audit. You are cred
tied with $1,37j5O, leaving n balance due
the city of about $1,000, which amount
you are directed to pay the city treas
| urer by the 18th inst.
! "Of course / am aware that a part of
| this amount is in the form of pledges
| taken in lieu Of money, but | must ask
! you for a statement of the amount which
| these pledges will aggregate. You, no
| doubt, understand that my duties, under
| W,
| sist that these revenues hereafter are
promptly turned over to the city treas
urer. If you fail to do this 1 am COM
| PEELED to resort to the only means you
| leave open to me, viz: report the de-
| linquencies to the councils.
every truly yours,
IL. Howell, City Controller
ANOTHER LETTER.
"Dcc. H. 1890.
james Moir, esq, Mayor.
Dear Sir: Your attention is drawn
to Act, May 8, 1893, Art. VII Sec. 3.
respectfully request you to file with me
u monthly statement of all fines and
other revenues which may come into
your hands for account of your depart
ment, and verify same under oath, as
prescribed in said section.
"Regarding payment Of fines, etc, re-
ceived by you, to the city treasurer (see
Art. I\, Sec. 81, l have to say unless
they are paid over to the city treasurer
Immediately after statement is drawn up
and sworn to, l shall, without further
notice, report the delinquency to the cit"
councils / am compelled to do this by
an unfortunate delay on your part M
making settlement of fines to date.
"Thc action of select council in request
ing me (by resolution to report on con-
dition of your accounts was, in a sense
! humiiating to me. for | should have an
ticipated the move and submitted to the
councils the status Of your accounts, and
left the same in the hand of the cOun.
ellis for their disposition. 1 advise you
to state in your sworn statement amounts
received in actual money and amount re-
Ccived in pledges Naturally you will de
duct these pledges from the fines yOI
receive when paying over money to city
treasurer. Do so, but payments must bt
made promptly each month for money!
due city.
Every respectfully,
"E. Howell, City Controller"
Second, as to the payment made TO eN
Chief Hickey, l would say that if th'
mayor can show that the controller lille
galy paid over this money, l will cheer
, fully refund the money out of my owl
pocket, to the city. The fact of the mat
ter is that the money was paid, only
after the city solicitor ON, A. Mckinley
at that time) had furnished an opinion
in support of the controllers action.
As between the mayors acts and m,
: own (and ! have read the papers of to
! day). 1 leave the public to judge.
le. Very respectfully,
2 c. a. Hartley, Deputy Controller
MAYORS AFFIDAVIT.
After the interview referred to il
the above communication had takel
place the mayor went before Notar,
Public L. d. Fellows and swore to tn
following statement, which he desire
| publiShed.