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

t&25: total s4ss. The next warrant vas
i'm October 1899. drawn to F. T.. Mills
flor one mule S12o- That Is all the rec
lord Of mules that were purchased from
iMr. Mills up to the present time from
November 1885, There Is no record Of
1.-THE purchase Of a single mule at SIS.
Found no purchase OF two mules.
City Clerk and Treasurer B. F. King,
Testified that he pays of the pay rolls
Iof the city employees. Have never seen
Amy evidence that Mr.. Perry was re-
fceivfng any compensation from any Of
Iof the city employees for the privilege
Iof being in the city's employ. Haye
never heard Of any Of the drivers Of
carts say Mr.. Perry exacted from them
Ia weekly tribute. Never have seen
l%anything in the pay rolls to arouse sus-
lpicion that Mr.. Perry was receiving
Iany ebate on anything.
Mr.. James A. Perry. superintendent
lof Streets testified taat he had bought
la number Of things from Mr.. Mills. bur
las to any bonus. the main part of his
Testimony was as follows:
." have never received q cent on any
Ireoate since I have been on the city
work. Mr.. Mills told me one day. he
Isays, Perry. / am going to give you a
tset of harness because YOU have been
las kind TO us as you can; bought ten
inules from u.s. The saddle on my
buggy harness was burst and he seen
lit. 1 thought he was giving me that
harness on a free gratitude for the ac-
I~commodation Of the board Of aldermen
buying the mules they bought from
him, or l would never have accepted.
ION an occasion since then Mr.. Sellars
had a mule (Mr. Sellars is the engineer
lof the steam roller) hat he wanted 20
trade for a horse. He had seen Mr..
Mills horse and told me to see Mr..
Mills and see If / could make the trade
for him. Mr.. Mills told me, If o will
get me thirty dollars difference, 1 Will
lgive you five dollars 1 told Sellars that
Iif he paid thirty dollars difference he
Icould maze the trade. Sellars said, Get
the driver to take the mule from my
house and deliver it to Mr.. Mills and
here's thirty dollars to pay him. He
gave me the thirty dollars and I took
it there and Mr.. Mills was away and /
lgave it to George T. Bland, and Bland
handed me five dollars for my rouble.
That's all the money 1 ever received
from him. This had nothing to do with
the city"
After the testimony a been read.
alderman Littleton moved to adopt the
report Of the committee generating
Mr.. Perry.
Alderman Parker said this investiga-
Ition was unusual. as the witness who
made the charge, a not been exam
ined. He did not think it a good idea
to vote for the report as 1T was. Mr.
Perry may be innocent, but he was not
prepared to vote for the report without
hearing the accusing witness.
Alderman Taylor stated that MI. Mills
WAS absent from the city and woul
not be back for several days; that as
the term of the board expires today
it was necessary to act at once, so the
lcommittee did so; and also for the rea.
son that they had already had Nh
Mills statement and that he could no
testify to anything more if he wer,
here.
On the motion to adopt. the vot,
lstood as follows: Aye-Aldermen Lit
tleton. Taylor, Handy. Worth AM
lSpencer. No-Aldermen Parker anG
lWoolard.
On motion, the board ordered s197.7:
Ito be paid to Contractor F. A. Apple
Igate for extras used in the repairs tC
the opera house.. city hal and Front
lstreet market.
The copy of the codifed ordinances oil
the city prepared by City Attorney
Iredell Meares was laid before the board
lby Mr.. Meares, and it was adopted anf
Iordered 70 be printed.
Alderman Taylor informed the board
of the present street work and stated
that under this administration between
four and hV miles of streets have beer
made.
Mayor Waddell said this was the las
meeting Of this board and he took occa-
sion to thank the board for it's courtesy
and to commend it for the duties per
formed. Generally speaking harmoni-
lousy has prevailed, and he could say
that there was never a board that more
honestly. faithfully and ably discharged
its duty; that it served no private in
~terests but a worked for the benefit
of the public. and he hoped the next
and all other boards would be equal t.
this one.
The hnari then Adjourned