The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-06-24

CHARLES CoTrRELL JR PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL

and either released upon their own re-
cognizance or required to give good and
sufficient bonds to appear at the pre-
liminary examination. the date for
which viii probably at that time be set.
The charges preferred against the
two cOunciImen by City Attorney Nye
are the oUtgrOwth of d resolution in
trOdUced in the city council se-eral
weeks ago by Councilman a. J. Davis.
providing for an expert examination of
the books of all city officers The resO-
luton was referred to the finance COM
mittee. Of which President COttrell and
Councilman FernstrOm are members.
Report of Committee.
That committee. at a meeting Of the
city council a week ago last Monday
night. reported adversely upon the resO-
luton on the grounds that the examin-
alton would accomplish no good, would
require years of work and cost the city
from S25. 600 to S5O.O goo. 1t was the last
paragraph Of the report OF the commit
tee which contained the alleged libelous
charges of which City Attorney Nye
complains. It reads as follows:
"As there is no charge of any wrong
doing or any irregularities in any Of
the departments, with one or two eX-
ceptiOns, and as one of these, the ceme-
terry department, is being investigated
by the committee for that department
and the other, the attorneys depart
ment is under Investigation by the
grand jury, and inasmUch as the au-
. ditOT's Office has been keeping more or
! less of a check upon the various de
partmentS in the past, and the auditor
has informed the council that he viii
audit all department accounts not al
ready inspected as fast as time viii per
T.-it, we see no need Of mourning such
an enormous expense Or no apparent
purpose"
The report was signed by President
COttren and COuncilmen FernstrOm and
Robinson. Councilman Spence. the
chairman of the committee. did not at
tend that meeting of the council. Coun-
Gilman A J. Davis, the fifth member
of the committee, refused to sign IL
when it was submitted to him.
Caused a Discussion.
When the report was read in open
council the reference to the grand jury
as regards its investigating the city at
( tOrney's office created considerable dis
cussion. A number of the councilmen
/ stated that the grand jury was not in
/ vestigating the city attorneys Office and
( neither had it done so up to that time
Councilman FernstrOm insisted that
I the grand Jury had investigated the
Office referred 20, adding that the news
/ papers were his authority. He was
then informed that he had possibly
/ gathered that impression from the
! statement that an attache of City At
) torney Nye's Office had appeared before
/ that body.
After considerable discussion the
/ council decided to eXpunge from the re-
port the following clause;
with one or two exceptions, and as
one of these. the cemetery department,
+ is being investigated by the committee
for that department and the other, the
) attorneys department, is under inves-
/ tigation by the grand jury.
/ After that had been done the report,
: as changed was adopted
Nye Wanted a Retraction.
Before the city council met last Mon
! day evening. City Attorney Nye held a
& conference with President CoUtreu and
( Councilmen Fernstrom and Robinson
/ in regard TO the report Of the finance
] committee He asked them, il is said,
) to sign report or statement, as mem
I bers of the committee. correcting the
; statements they had made in their COM
I mittee report relative to the grand jury
/ investiga ting his Office. He argued that
/ such a retraction or correction was due
/ him in face of the fact that the state
ments were absolutely untrue. and that
/ the council, by expunging them from
/ the report had so admitted.
It is stated upon excellent authority
/ that Councilman Robinson readily
| agreed to do il. He said he signed the
report while laboring under the im-