Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-02-27
CARD FROM W. \. KEENAN,.


claims committee under oath, when
claim is presented for allowance | d
not ask whose it is, but | look int
the merits Of IT, II legal and just,
allow it, II unjust, | reject it. /, a
an individual, can give my owl
money away, but / cannot give ava
the money 4 hold In trust, belonging
to the city.
| The City Council speaks from it
record, not by the mouth Of its Mayo
or any one Of the Council. The recort
shows no authority to Miss Porter o
anyone, authorizing her to make tran
scripts In the Reed cases.
| On the sth Of July, the claims com
mittee which Is composed OF A. ]
i Winscott and W. II. Kennan, was in
Structed by the following order,
copy Of which was given to me, by tn,
Clerk, In his handwriting, ani whicl
is attached to and made a part of The
report Of the committee ON claims to
wit; "Mr Worrell offered as a substi
tute that the matter be referred (
the claims committee, with instruc
tions to ascertain the entire cost of the
Reed cases and the cost Of appealing
the same, including the attorneys
fees, and also to get such information
as possible regarding the basis OF Q
compromise and report at the next
meeting
Proceeding under this order furnish.
ed me by the Clerk, which l have be-
fore me as | write, investigated and
found that the total cost Of the Reed
cases, to date, to be l,35e.75. That
the city.has paid on. that amount the
sum OF s479.25 leaving a balance OF
costs unpaid Of ssso,25; that to appeal
said cases it would further cost the
city the sum Of 1904.
Still pursuing my duty as defined in
said order / went to Geo. Robertson,
attorney for the Reeds, and he told me
that II the city would pay the judge
ment in the Mary f. Reed case and
all he would see that W. F. Reed
would dismiss bis case and pay all
costs.
On the 22nd or 23rd Of July, 1901,
when the matter came before the
Council | moved that the Mayor be
ordered to go to Moberly and try and
compromise the case on the best terms
he could, which was lost.
1t is due Mayor Potts to say be was
strongly in favor Of compromise.
| then moved that we pay the Mary
Reed judgement Of g., 500 and all costs,
if Mr.. Reed would dismiss his case
and pay all costs, which was lost. /
gave my reasons.
After careful examination Of the
written opinion Of Judge McIlhanney
in overruling the motion for a new
trial in the Mary Reed case, came to
the conclusion that the judgement
would stand against the city, and that
the city would finally have 1t to pay,
together with the cost OF the appeal,
which would make the cost amount 10
81, 05375. said further, that II, the
city did reverse the case, that the city
would only be where II began with
the case still on its hands; that the
city would have to go hundred miles
away from home and retry the cases
over again, at large expense, and run
the risk Of getting larger Judgement
than $500 againstit. was trying TO
manage the business Of the city as
would my own, Mr.. Clay was
present tby invitation, | learned)
md made speech urging an appeal
md said, in order to influence the
Council To appeal the cases, that II |
lhe city did not win said cases in the
Courts, he would give up |
lis part Of the fees, one hundred dol
aB in each case-one hundred dollars,
his part; the motion to appeal the
'ases was carried, ] alone voting no.
Since the cases have been appealed |
have done everything in my power
IS sworn Councilman to take care of |
he interests of the city.
When the claim OF Miss Porters |
anne up on the 9th day OF january, |
90l, the committee on claims made |
he following report: "Your CON-
nittee on claims would beg leave to
eport that the claim OF Miss Rose
'orter for sl6s.75 for transcripts and
in the Reed cases attached |
lereto be not considered, except s4.0O
or affidavits."
(Slgned) A. J. WINscorT,
Chairman.
w. ii. KEENAN,,
Com. Claims.
Which report was ordered received
nd approved by the council.
At the next regular meeting in Feb, /
902. Mr. Clay appeared before the
ouncil at my request. Came also Mr..
Try and they tried TO persuade the
ouncil to allow the claim, but the
ouncil refused to do so. Then, both \
Ir. Fry and Mr.. Clay said IL the claim
Tas not allowed they would abandon
be cases and the City might look out /,
Or other attorneys. Ii
The claim was then, by motion oil
Ir. Steppelman receommitted to the
lain committee to report at next
netting, Feb. "a, 1902. |,
On the 18th day Of Feb, 1902, | was
eryed with notice by hand of Marshal
.ane that there whould be a called
leeting Of the council Monday night.
'eb. II, at I p. m.
The council was called to order BY
he Mayor, who stated the object OF
be meeting which was to consider
Iiss Porters claim.
Mayor Potts was exceedingly cour-
eous to me, and gave me the opening
Rtooop S6o !.