The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-02-12
MAYOR HAS MADE
CONTROLLER ANGRY
STATEMENT OF CONTROLLER
IS FALSE" WROTE MAYOR.
This Was in a Communication He
Had Addressed to the Select Coun-
Gil Saturday Night-Controller Re-
fers to Is as a slanderous Letter
and Says It Was Actuated by
Malice-"I am but Little Sur
prised at the Undignified Tone of
the Mayors Letter." Says tine Con-
troller.

Ter Esdras Howell are like Pip's sister
in Great Expectations" out "On the
Rampage" and each has to say some
very uncomplimentary things about the
other. The mayor said his things in
letter read in select council Saturday
evening and the controller said his in
an Interview with a Tribune man yes
terday regarding the letter.
1t will be remembered that at last
Thursday evenings meeting of select
council communication was read
from the controller calling the atten-
ton of councils to the fact that there
were a large number Of deficiency bills
filed in his office and giving the various
amounts by departments. The mayors
department was charged with a def
cheney of $106.55, which Mayor Moir
claims was misleading, inasmuch as
people would be lead to believe that
he had created the deficiency whereas
his forerunner in office Is the RESPONSE
BILE person.
The following is the exact text Of the
mayors letter. read in select council
Saturday evening, explaining the mat
ter from his viewpoint and incidentally
saying the afore- mentioned few things
ABOUT the controllers:
MAYORS COMMUNICATION.
Scranton. Feb. 10. 1900
To the Honorable the Select and Common
Councils.
Gcntlemcn: According to the published
report of the last meeting of your honor
able bodies n communication was pre-
sented to you by +. Howell. city control
Ter, representing that certain appropria-
h
crs he represents the mayors depart
ment as being overdrawn to the amount
of $lO655 This statement. whether made
with an intention to mislcad or other
wise. Is incorrect. The expenses of this
department have not and will not exceed
the appropriation 7 ade for its mainten-
ance. He may attempt to explain his
misstatement by alleging deficiency by
predecessor in Office, but no explana-
tion of this nature HI pears in this COM
muEication Under ordinary circum-
stances I would not take up your valu-
able time with such matters, but this
last unwarranted official misrepresenta- l.
tion of my Office by the city controller
cannot allow to go unchallenged. The
statement Of the controller is false. and
j have no doubt was made with Celib-
crate intention to mislead.
Respectfully submitted.
James Moir, Mayor.
When seen regarding this letter last
evening, by Tribune representative.
the controller was very indignant at
the statements made by the mayor
and his eyes flashed with momentary
excitement as he gave his side Of the
case.
PREPARED FOR ANYTHING.
81 am but little surprised. however"
said he. "at the undignified tone Of the
mayors communication, as we are pre-
pared for almost anything from him
now. The statement which I sent to
councils was statement of all de-
ficiencies up to date. Why he should
| be wrought uD over the matter any
more than the street commissioner, the
chief of the fire department or the head
Of any other city department, l am
| entirely at loss to understand.
''The mavor states that he may at
tempt to explain his misstatement by
| alleging a deficiency by a predecessor
in office. but no explanation of this
nature appears in this communication.
Had he taken the trouble to read my
communication before penning his vii.
lifving effusion he would have found
|
| II have not a copy Of my letter witt
me at present. but as I recollect, the
clause covering this point was as fol-
lows: a great number Of these debts
were incurred not by the present head.
of departments but by their predeces
sors in Office. Could anything BIZ
palmer than that? The statement wa.
not. as the mayor alleges. false bu
was correct in every particular.
His further statement that my com
munication was written with 'deiber
ate intention to mislead,' does no
trouble me in the least, and is only on
a par with all his previous acts.
look upon it as a mere play to the gal
leries, but a play which will not. l an
sure deceive the public in the least.
SAYS IT is MALICE.
| ''To show that malice and malice onl,
prompted the mayors letter, i neet
only refer to the fact that on SATURDAY.
afternoon his secretary, Mr.. Hatton
called on my deputy, Mr.. Hartley, anC
wanted to know If it was meant tha'
the deficiency mentioned was created
by the present incumbent of the may,
| or's office.
He was told emphatically no ans
was shown that portion of the letter
referred to above wherein was men.
toned the fact that a number Of ths
bills were created by past heads OF
departments Yet after his attention
being called to this, he wrote that Sian,
derous letter. It's enough to make any,