Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-04-27
BURPEE AND ROOT WERE THERE
ssnt City Funds Was Subject at the Judeeship Hear
 ing Yesterday at Hartford

Kellogg that the matter must be in vestigated. had no access to the city books and told the auditors they would have to look up the matter. said to Mir Kellogg at the time that 1t was q very grave matter to me for l could not account for such a large dis crepanoy, that q committee ought to be appointed and that if any errors were found against me 1 was ready to set tie. A city official told me that the mistake was in the city books. told MT Lord l was glad committee was appointed to investigate and clear up a situation that was very unpleasant to me. The committee said nothing to me about what they were doing or had done until they presented me with their report, and then told them that there was a mistake and 1t could not be expected that I would accept it. 1 called their attention to some matters in it and they admitted they were mis- taken. Now, about the time the regarding the judgeship of the city court was introduced here, certain peo- pie suddenly betrayed great anxiety about this report of the Investigating committee. They wanted 1t produced immediately, but up to that time there was no anxiety whatever regarding it. There was great pressure brought to bear upon the finance committee to publish 1t. The mayor told me so and did not object" MT Burpee then went on telling of the part he has played in the matter since then. How his offer to furnish an expert accountant was accepted by the committee on law, how he voluntarily furnished bond of $11,O00 to indemnify the city in case of shortage proven against him.
 T wish to say now that friend told me this was more than I should have done, but in view of the scurrilous re- marks that have been made here de- cided it were better to furnish the bond.
 To Mir Root-"I had on hand at the time of the fire about $4,OOO or $5,O0O.
 Mir Root-"where is your evidence"
 Mir Burpee-"My statement is my evidence, just as yours is."
 Mir Root-"What about this check from the Waterbury Manufacturing company for $319, an assessment on Vine street. Did you get that check?'
 Mir Burpee-"Yes" 10.
 Mir Root-"Did the city get it?"
 Mir Burpee-"Yes, but when I could not find out.' ...-
 Mir Root-"You couldn't find out in ten years, could you?"
 MT Burpee-"I only know that did not know the company had paid until after the fire."
 Mir Root-'Did you see any of the other people who claimed to have paid? sms-s
 Mir Burpee-'No."
 Mir Root-"Didn't you advertise for them to come to your office"
 Mir Burpee-"Why should see them or advertise for them. That wasn't my business. I pursued the method of investigation adopted by the city officials. Since the date of the fire I have collected $1,447.c4. Up to January, 1894 there was due the city $0, ,2S7 and since that time I have paid the city about $5,OOO."
 Senator JudsOn-"Then according to the report there was due the city alto gether at the time the fire took place atJ6dt $14,OOO." - sssfas s~A
 Mir Burpee-"I have serious doubts about the veracity of the report"
 Mir Root and Mir Burpee then got iil' to controversy about a check fOr $125 which Mir Root claimed was paid
 Comptroller A. I. Goodrich and Rep resentative Blakeslee testified for Judge Burpee. Toward the close of the hearing Judge Burpee said he wished more for vindication than for reappointnent because of the per sonal feeling that was evoked against him and the calumny and falsehood that was circulated. In reply. Mi Root said that Mir Burpee was mis- taken in his last statements, because if he wished to go into matters of that kind he could call up matters that were much to his discredit. It was not q personal matter with Mir Root. but il was matter of public policy. At torney Ely then spoke and the hearing was finished.