Evening journal., 1901-11-01
BOND MYSTERY
STILL UNSOLVED
Street and Sewer Directors
Plead Ignorance
EVASIVE AGSWERS ARE GIVEN
One Director SAYS lie Doesn't Know.
Another That lie Is Not
Sure
EVASIVE AGSWERS ARE GIVEN

What has become of the bonds of
the present directors Of the Street and
Sewer Department? is a question THAT
continues to be discussed widely byl
the public
Like a will-o -the-wisp, they have
disappeared after being seen. ForRer
Judge Ball saw the bonds of Directors
Webster and Carter. In fact he read
them over, and finding them to be cor
rect, affixed his signature of approval
which act is required by law. Then,
like a fOg-liftng, They disappeared into
the air, and have not been seen since
When questioned as to What became
of the securities. Mr.. Ball replies: II
am under the impression that / re-
turned them TO Mr.. Webster and Mr..
Carter. In fact. | am positive OF it.
What they did with them do not
know. / am sure that / have not get
them. This entire question seems foI
be "a tempest in tea pot
ARE ALSO SURE
Directors Webster and Carter are
equally positive that their bonds wereI
not returned to them by Judge Ball
and express ignorance as to what has
UtEUliR Ol llltills iOuiG on IlltSe men
say that their bonds were properly ap-
proved, which is admitted, and THAT
they have received acknowledgements
from THE 'city judge" to THAT effect
There Tlleir knowledge ceases. and each
seems to be Indifferent to what has be-
come Of the original documents. Here
question of either veracity or for
\ getfulness arises between Mr.. Ball and
the directors Either proposition is
hard to understand, inasmudh all
parties concerned are practical business
men, whl5 would scarcely be SO
thoughtiess as to overlook important
affairs Of this kind.
MR.. FAHEY IGNORANT ON SUBJECT
Patrick Fahey. who was appointed a
member of the department by his bro
ther, john G.. Fahey, the former mayor
Of Wilmington, is also ignorant as to
what has become of his bond. He de-
clares that it has been properly APP
proved by Judge Churdhman, but after
its approval he cannCt Tecollect what
became OF it. When Mr. Fahey's bond
was first presented to Judge Churun-
man, he was OF the opinion That it had
not been drawn according to the law
relative to the subject. Accordingly
Patrick Fahey requested Horace G.
Knowles to put it in proper shape.
This Mr.. Knowles did, and presented
it to Mr. Churchman for approval, and
it was signed by him. Nr. Knowles
says THAT after this transaction The re-
turned the document to Mr. Fahey.
Mr.. Fahey says Ihe cannot dispute
this fact, but cannot recall the circum-
stance Asked what HE could possibly
have done with the bond in case il
had been returned to him. he said he
did not know He also added, in ease
it was necessary he could prove that
he had properly bonded, and that his
sursties would stand ready to make
good any possible shortcomings on his
part.
MR.. wlLEYs DENIAL
1t was reported that the missing
bonds were in the safe Of the Street
and Sewer Department. in the build
ing at Sixth and King streets. Harvey
j. Wiley, secretary OF the board how
ever. denies that lne has even seen the
bonds, and declares that they, to his
knowledge, have never been in the de-
partments office
LooP-HoLE IS LEFT
In the law passed in Dover
AUIh ANs 1906 Ia MlltiG IuO RINluIt
trouble is involved, and leaves loop
hc.e" for escape in case of difficulty t
either the city Judge or the Director
of the department
Section 12 of charter 4 reads as FOL
lows, in part: Each of the directors
of said Street and Sewer Department
shah, Immediately after organization
enter into bond with sureties to tht
Mayor and Council of Wilmington ii
the sum cf 100000, said sureties to b,
approved by THE city Judge the con
dition of which bond shall be as fol
lows. viz:
1.-THE condition of this obligation i
such THAT if the above bounden one o
the directors of the Street and Sewo
Department shall To the sal,
shall be subicined a warrant of attor
ney and the said bond an,
warrant shall be filed in the office O
the City Treasurer, there to remain I'm
til, in the Judgment of the city Judge
the interest of the city demands tina
it be entered i'm the Superior Court O
the State Of Delaware in and for New
Castle county
lC can be seen by this act that ther
is MO provision THAT explicitly says Win.
shall file the bond with THE City Treas
urer and There is the point Of argl
ment. Judges of the City Court sa,
they arc not responsible for the bond
of the directors after They have beei
approved by them Directors say tina
there is no ordinance requiring them b
deposit snreties to the City Treasurer
Mr.. Feaster and Former City Treas
urer Hameun say they have neve
seen the bonds.
Thorough search has heen made b.
City Treasurer Fcaster, through the so
called strong box" of the Union Nation