The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-03-29

TCClly OF Hull
From the evidence developed, the
committee conclude that the charge
against MI. Perry has not been esta5-
lished. and he is accordingly exoner-
ated.
j. A. TAYLOR,
JOHN n. HANDY,
W. c. WORTH.
Committee. >
The testimony of the following wit
nesses appears in the typewriter evil
dence: R. w. Haywood, George Har-
riss. W. NJ. Cumming. George L. Bland,
Whitley B.. BowGen, E, p. Bailey, c..
NJ. Whitlock, NJ. w. Jacob. j. w.
Murchison, Charles D. Foard, Alfred
Carpenter. J. o. Brown. P. H. Hay
lei John H. Render. Walter l.. Pars-
ley, w. H. Northrop, Jr., B. F. King
and j. A. Perry.
Mr.. r w Haywood testified that
when he learned of the charges against
Mr.. Perry. he went to Mr.. F. T. Mills
and asked him about it. He testified
in part as follows: III didn't want to
talk abou it. and I told him that what
had heard amounted to this: that
Mr.. Perry had bought teams from him
and had asked for a rebate and that
he had given him a rebate. He said
that was about what happened. Then
he went ahead to give me a detailed &C
n SOol1N lOl0 XIV NAAoN W" van
Mr.. Perry had bought a mule for the
city on which his lowest price was SIPS;
that Mr.. Perry told him he wanted to
make SO out of the transaction and to
make it $135. and that he (Mills) told
him he didn't care what he made out
of it. that his price was $125. and that
he had nothing to do with what nap
! pened in the future. Said the %transac-
ton was made at $135, he getting s125
and Mr.. Perry So"
Mr.. George Harriss testified as fol-
lows:
saturday afternoon last, the 23rd
Or oath. Mr.. Mills stopped me on the
street and told me he a something to
tell me. / said, What is it? Tell me
now?' He sale he wanted to speak to
me in regard to Mr.. Perry, the superin-
tendent of streets. aid that Mr.. Perry
had been getting rebates from him sew
eral times and, in fact, had demanded
a rebate on everything that had been
sold through Mr.. Perry to the city by
Mr.. Mills: that on one occasion he had
bought q mule. l think he said: that
the price given Mr.. Perry was s125 and
that Mr.. Perry had requested him to
max the bill for $1So and return him
$40. which he had done. Again, that
either one mule or a pair of mules had
been in use by the city for several days,
on trial by Mr.. Perry; that Mr.. Perry
Cdile JAIN oilu tOlo LII llIa IL -
was going to reject the mules, but
1 can get the city to keep them pro-
vided You give me a set of harness for
my horse n he had gone in the store
and given him a. $3.50 set of harness.
He also mentioned that Mr.. Perry
wanted so cents on some horse collars,
and the profit being only so cents he got
mad about it and told Mr.. Perry he
didn't want any more Of his trade or to
have anything to do with him, and that
sine that time he had not sold the city
any material. horses or mules, or any
thing of that kind.
Mr.. w. NJ. Cumming testified that on
Tuesday he was on the pavement in
front of MIR. Mills stables when Alder
man Taylor took Mr.. Perry to face Mr..
Mills. He heard loud words on the in
side. heard a blow and then went into
Mr.. Mills office. Mr.. Mills was talk
ing in a loud. excited manner and using
a good deal of profane language. Wit
ness heard Mr.. Mills reiterating pretty
much h charges mentioned in the
foregoing testimony. At some point In
the investigation, Mr.. Perry says: II
will have TO take that off Of you be-
cause I can't fight you. you are bigger
than l am; but it is not So" Mr.. Mills
started at him again but was stopped"
Mr.. George T. Bland testified that he
Is employed by Mr.. Mills. but was not
at the time. the alleged transaction was
going on. He knew nothing of the
transaction. but heard Mr.. Mills in
conversation the other morning say he
had paid Perry none on two occa-
sions, n also something agout a set
OF harness he had given him.. When the
difficulty occurred in Mr.. Mills office,
witness heard Mr.. Mills say he would
take $125 for a mule. and he remarked
that Perry says: You make it s135
and I will use my influence to cause
h city to buy it and I want a bill to
that effect" Mr.. Mills sail he told
Perry he wanted $125 for the mule and
it was immaterial to him whether he
he mule; that Mr.. Mills aid the
mule was sold for s135 and he got the
money himself and gave Perry so.
Mr.. Whitley B. Bowden's testimony
was to the effect that he clerked at one
time for Mr.. Mills: that Mr.. Mills told
him to tell Perry to go and get some
harness hat he had given him. Met
Mt. Perry on the street: one day. got
in with him and drove there n got
the harness for him: think it was sec
ond hand harness. Mr.. Perry never
bought any harness as superintendent
OF streets to his knowledge.
Messrs. E. P. Bailey. c. NJ, Whit
lock, Marcus ". Jacob. J.. W. Muir
Gibson. Mr.. Charles d. Foard, p. H.
Hayden John II. Render. all testified
that Mr.. Perry a made purchases
for the city from them: that he never
asked for a bonus: a they never
gave him a bonus and that they never
knew anything wrong about Mr.. Perry
or there was anything suspicious in his
Transactions with them.
Mr.. Walter L. Parsley testified that
he had known Mr.. Perry very well and
very favorably. Had him in his en-
ploy some years. Found him thorough
ly trustworthy. Handled considerable
money at one time and never had cause
for suspicion that he didn't handle il
thoroughly honestly. Have heard Of
nothing till now to cause him to
change his opinion.
Mr. n Prorp hos dauo ranofr-