The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-12
MESSENGER WAS TOO SMART.
Messenger of Council COhn Gets
Himself Into Trouble

Messenger of Council Isaac Cohn came
near getting his official neck cracked yes
terday AS 1t was the vertebrae were bed
~ strained, and there is still danger of
a fracture. Luckily for the messenger,
Mayor Myers was just arranging to leave
for New York, and did not have time to
give the matter an investigation, and by
the time he returns his indignation at the
misconduct of the messenger may have
subsidized
Shortly after the beginning Of office
hours Messenger Cohn went into the city
treasurer's office and asked Mr.. II. s.
Dreese to let him have the voucher for
the bill of Garfunkel Bros, for fire uni
| forms, which was recently paid by the
city. Mr.. Dreese referred him to Mai.
| Hardee, the city treasurer and the latter
! inquired what he wanted with the Vouch-
er. Cohn replied that they wanted 1t
upstairs" 1t is not am unusual thing for
| the Mayor or the Clerk of Council to send
down for vouchers of bills which are want
ed for reference and Maj. Hardee saw
nothing strange in the messengers state
ment. The voucher was accordingly given
to him.
After receiving the voucher Conn went
outside the exchange and began remov-
ing some trash from In front of the treas
urer's Office Something or other caused
a suspicion in Maj. Hardee's mind that
all was not right, and he decided to go
/ upstairs and investigate. In the clerk 8
Office he found only Deputy Clerk Her
nandeZ, but II was ascertained that Meth
er he nor any one else in the office had
authorized Cohn to ask for the voucher.
Going promptly downstairs again, Mai.
Hardee met Cohn at the foot of the stairs
and asked him for the voucher. Not sus-
pecting the treasurer's purpose, Cohn
handed over the paper. Maj. Hardee put
IL in his pocket and started to his Office
What are you going to do with it,
| major?" inquired Cohn.
II am going TO put 1t where II belongs, {"
replied the major, and Cohn had no more
TO say.
Later Maj. Hardee ascertain from Clerk
Bailey and Secretary Gamble that neither
of them had Instructed Cohn to ask for
the voucher and as there was evidently
a cat in the meal bag somewhere, he de-
cided TO lay the matter before the Mayor
The latter was furious when he heard of
this breach of behavior on the part OF the
messenger. and mad Cohn been on the spot
it is safe to say that he would have been
suspended at once. He happened to be
out of the building, however and the
Mayors wrath had time to cool When
Cohn finally came before the Mayor he
acknowledged having gotten Inc paper in
the manner stated by Mai Hardee. His
purpose in securing the paper, he claim
ed, was to ascertain the cost Of the fire.
mems uniforms to the city, as relative
of his In Florida had written him request
ing this Information. He did not have his
relatives letter with him, but promised 70
produce it. As the Mayors train was
due 20 leave shortly, he postponed further
investigation of the matter until his re-
turn.
There is no secrecy about the amounts
the city pays for its supplies, and any ciu-
zen can obtain informa ton OF this kind
by making a proper request for IT, Ii Is
not the fact of endeavoring to get at city
figures that counts against Cohn. but the
fact that he mislead the city treasurer,
giving him to believe that the voucher
was wanted in the clerks office. Cohn
has not been In good grace with his broth
er officials for some time. and his last
break may cost him his job AS he is a
city official, duly elected by Council, his
head cannot be cut off without trial by
that body, and as these affairs are I'M
pleasant to Council, the matter may be al
lowed to pass with a reprimand.