The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-18
.BETz REFUSES TO
BE HELD LIABLE
ComptroIIerExpIaIns His Stand
Against Relief Approprla-
ton for Church

Comptroller Betz, in insisting that he
will not audit the appropriation of ST.
500 for ST. Sigfrid's church, destroyed
by the cyclone, has put the members
of the committee on relief in peculiar
position.
The comptroller has not only said
that he would not approve of the di-
rect appropriation for the benefit Of
the church, but has intimated that he
may not approve of the proposed loan
to be made for funds to be put in the
control of the relief committee. He in
sists that if the money is borrowed the
deal must be made in such manner
that it will be impossible to hold him
responsible, it being his contention that
If there should be question raised as
to the legality of the course pursued
he would be the official blamed.
Now Look to Michael
It is thought by some of the MEM
bers of the relief committee that Cor
poration Attorney Michael will be able
to find loophole that will permit the
borrowing of enough money to repair
some of the storm damage, although it
is admitted that he will be unable to
justify the direct council appropriation
to st. Sigfrid's church. The comp
troller has been upheld by the corpora
ton attorney in this matter. Speak
ing of the matter, Comptroller Betz
said yesterday isco 4r@ssa *ssr
by some people have been blamed
for taking the stand against the appro-
priation for the benefit of ST. Sigfrid's
church, but it was useless to keep quiet
until the resolution reached me- and
then announce that I could not sign
without laying myself criminally la
BILE. In addition there is nothing in the
fund from which it was proposed to
make the appropriation, or In any other
fund that could be used for the pur-
pose.
CAS- to the appropriation of $1,000 for
the benefit of the House of Good Shep-
herd, do not know officially that such
sum was given to the institution. The
city council appropriated $4,000 and
placed the money absolutely in the con-
troll of a committee of three members
from each body and the mayor. The
sum was turned over to the committee,
after which 1 had no control over the
money, it not even being necessary for
the c0mmittee to make detailed re-
port to me. That appropriation ex-
hausted every cent in the treasury that
can possibly be used for this purpose
When asked directly If he could not
or would not approve of the proposed
loan for $4,000 or less, the comptroller
declined to commit himself.
He'll Declares Himself
~ will not vote for the appropriation
of $1,000 for ST. Sigfrid's church, said
Alderman He'll, who is member of
the committee. 1T had been agreed by
the members of the committee that all
reports should be gone over, the cases
acted upon, and the available amount
distributed pre- rata. Personally, I be-
lieve that the case of the House of
Good Shepherd is different from that Of
ST. Sigfrids church, as there We're a
number of children in the former insti-
tuition who would have been homeless
but for the relief granted. The menu
-bers of the church can. without harm to
themselves, fail to attend services for
month or So"
II believe that we will find way to
make the loan.'' said Assemblyman
Yoerg, also member of the relief COM
mittee. Il believe also that the commit
tee should get together in the near fu-
ture and decide upon what shall be
done, there having been no apparent