Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-09
AN AUDITOR WANTED
Mr.. Mckenzie is Not to Sue
ceed Mr.. Petty.
DISTRICT CONTRACTS
LATE AUDITOR WILL PROBABLY
LEAVE DISTRICT SERVICE.
Statements From Mr.. Mckenzie and
From the Commissioners
able Selection of an Outsider.
DISTRICT CONTRACTS

| The District Commissioners in board ses-
sion today revoked the order of few days
| ago transferring Mr. Alexander Mckenzie
from the board of personal tax appraisers
to the Office Of auditor of the District Of
| Columbia. Mr.. Mckenzie had been Sc
| lected by the Commissioners to succeed Mr.
| James T. Petty who has been auditor since
| 1888, and the plan was to place Mr.. Petty
| on the personal tax board, vice Mckenzie.
| The action Of the Commissioners today
| was based upon Mr.. McKenzie's connection
| with the Washington Asphalt Block and
Tile Company, which has for a number of
years been furnishing all the asphalt block
| paving material to the District of Column
| bia.
| The contract for the current year was
again awarded to this company, the papers
| being approved by Col. John Biddle, the
| Engineer Commissioner, and by Commis-
| Star yesterday afternoon. The statement
| made at the same time to the effect that
| Mr.. Mckenzie appeared in the proposal as
| secretary of the successful concern was
| read with much interest by the people
| and some action by the District authori-
ties was anticipated.
Commissioner West summoned Mr.. Nc
| Kenzie before him yesterday afternoon.
tor had been connected with the asphalt
| company for eleven years past. Mr.. West
| at once started an investigation and found
that Mr.. Mckenzie as deputy and acting
auditor had approved many thousand dol
lars worth of vouchers drawn in favor Of
| the company.
| Mr.. West says he understood Mr.. McKen-
zie to have stated that during his cOnnec-
! ton with the company he had not acted
upon any of the papers having to do with
| the Districts financial transactions with
| the concern. Mr.. Mckenzie explained this
morning that he said he had not acted upon
any Of the papers when MI Petty was
present, leaving the duty to the auditor
himself
| wrongdoing in the matter, but feel that the
conditions were such as to arouse suspicion
of scandal. This led them to believe that
| 1t would be advisable not to appoint Mr..
Mckenzie as auditor.
The Next Move
The determination of the Commissioners
to relieve Mr.. Mckenzie Of his prospective
duties auditor leaves the matter Of Mr..
Petty's successor an open one again. Mr..
Petty called upon Commissioner West this
morning and told him he appreciated the
consideration the Commissioners had shown
for him in trying to retain him in the Dis
trict service.
Mr.. Petty said he realized that the fall
| ure OF the plan to promote Mr.. Mckenzie
situation and he frankly stated that unless
| they could make some satisfactory arrange
| ment he was ready to quit the service.
1t seems improbable now that the Com
missioners will appoint anyone in the Dis
trict service as auditor. although Commis-
sioner West says the matter has not been
| considered at all as yet. 1t is only through
| a transfer of officials that a suitable place
could be made for Mr.. Petty, SO it would
seem that the former auditor will probably
sever his connection with the local govern
ment.
Mr.. Petty is still carried on the rolls as
auditor, the former order transferring him
| to the personal tax board and transferring
Mr.. Mckenzie to the Office of auditor not
having gone into effect. Unless the Com
missioners can make a satisfactory ar
rangement, Mr.. Petty will probably resign.
The whole matter Is therefore in a decided
muddle. Mr.. Petty is left in the air. and
Mr.. McKenzie's friends feel he has been
placed in false position without reason.
Mr.. Mckenzie was met yesterday after
noon with two propositions. One came
from Col. Biddle, and was to the effect
| that he should either leave the asphalt
company the District service 1t was
decided by the Commissioners that they
could not grant contract to the asphalt
company If Mr.. Mckenzie continued with it,
even though he should only remain as a
personal tax appraiser. Good administra-
ton. they considered, demanded that no
District official whatsoever should be in
terested in a contract with the District
government.
Mr. West stated to Mr.. Mckenzie that he
would not approve a contract with the
company so long the latter remained
| stcckholder. Col. Biddle was anxious that
| Mckenzie should retire from the company
or the District service, as he thought it ad-
vantageous for the District to buy its as
phalt block from the Mckenzie concern.
Mr.. Mckenzie informed the Commission
| ers this morning that he had sold his stock
| in the company and had rendered his resig
nation secretary of the tO
President Patrick Maloney. Mr.. Mckenzie
declared that he had sacrificed the stock
| at a personal loss Of $4,000.
Mr.. Mckenzie also stated to Mr. West
that he had never desired to accept the
place Of auditor, and he was glad II any
thing had arisen to make 1t advisable from
should not do so. Mr.. Mckenzie will con-
| tinue as member Of the board Of personal
| tax appraisers. at 5000 a year. When the
| Commissioners are officially notified of his
severance of all connection with the COM
pany. the contract, which Is now held up,
| and which amounts to about $45, 600 a year,
| will be awarded and signed.
1t will be remembered that Mr.. Mckenzie
| was deputy auditor prior to his elevation a
year ago to the personal tax board.
Mr.. McKenzie's Statement.
Mr.. Alexander Mckenzie. in speaking to-
| day to a Star reporter in reference to his
connection with the Washington Asphalt
/ BLOCK anu lue SOulpduys mace the 1OllOW-
| ing statement:
II have been connected with the block
and tile company since it's inception in 1892.
| and have acted as secretary for the corpor-
| alton. During the time was in the audi
! tors office the auditor himself, the Com
| missioners and the Treasury Department
| all knew of my connection with the COM
pany. I never had any connection with the
| payment Of the accounts >of the company
! excepting at times when as acting auditor
l occasionally passed vouchers II there
was any dispute over voucher the matter
was always left with the auditor and /
| never acted. The passing Of vouchers in
| the auditors Office was purely formal
matter. the contracts being madl by the
| engineers department, who also measured
| up the work and certified to 1t.
| 'Since the organization of the personal
tax board have been one of the assistant
assessors. and last Thursday received the
| first intimation that there might be a desire
| for me to serve as auditor. There was no
desire on my part to make this change
| from my present Office, as the one have
is practically equal to the authorship in
salary, is life position. and Is not sur
rounded by the. annoyances and responsible