Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1905-07-13
Corporation Management Under the Tam
many Hall Rule in the Year 1902.

In answer to the article appearing in
the Panhandle of July ), 1905, headed,
Zone Street Crossing S35 90, | wish to
say that the dear old town is not tumb
ling into ring rule, as the writer would
have YOU believe, but was taken from
the Tammany Hall boss and his ring on
March 8, 1903, at the polls. and turned
over TO more sober and better managers,
as one year of the Tdmmany Hall boss
and his colleagues was enough.
Now, in regard to the street crossing,
| wish TO say that the street committee,
which is composed of our best and most
capable citizens, was instructed by the
council TO have suitable crossing put
down on High street. The committee
asked me To make them bid Tor the
same, as they did several others Ny
bid was accepted. AS TO the statement
that the college stones belonged to me,
il is false, as the stones were bought OF
the college committee. The statement
made i'm regard 10 the brick crossings IS
also entirely false. as they cost from 9jo
To SIS each, instead of from ol2 10 Sis
each. AS untruthfully stated by Citizen.
As To the Nanmetre case, which sup
pose the public Is familiar with, wish
In SAY that Mr. Naumetre said he was
not employed by the council, but was
enployed by the writer referred TO, who
WAS chairman Of the electric hight com
uIttre in 1902, and was in no condition
tomake an Iuteihg5n business contract
as he was confined TO the house for rea-
sons well-knowu 10 the public. lie fur
tbcr saws ne has no knowledge Of the
Naumctre case eyer being discussed in
the council, anu that at least four mem
hers OF the council were III favor Of pay
ing Naumetre. These statements are
ia Sc, as the records Will show. There
WAS none of US who wanted 10 90 10
court, but we were forced there by Van
metre and lis hacker, the writer OF the
article. where we went with what we
claimed and still claim a Just defense.
The writer demands as tax payer 10
know something about the management
of the electric light plant. Now, one
word in regard TO this taxpayer In
the year 1903 he paid taxes TO the
amount of 20 cents ON personally, and
in 1904 his taxes were increased by add
ing TWO dogs to his personal property.
For the benefit Of the taxpayers Will
state that We are paying $50 per ton
for coal, net profit 10 the dealer OF ~
cents per ton.
Now. taxpayers, one word in regard
to graft. The year 1902, when "Ciu-
zen, " as he signed himself, was boss OF
the corporation affairs, as | will show
YOU later, was the only year in the his
tory of the town when anything like
graft was ever practced. In April, 1902,
"Citlzen' was appointed Chairman OF
the electric light committee. In short
while he decided that there was no need
of committee, and he assumed full
charge, ignoring the other memo ers and
not consulting them. lie went out Oi
the State and bought Coal at from 9i.5O
TO $500 per ton, when 1t could have
been bought here from The local dealers
at $4.25 per ton, or less. Now, as a mat
ter Of fact, the coal had to be hauled
across the river TO be delivered and, as
the purchaser was stakeholder and d.
rector in the bridge company 1t looks
as if there was Il chance for graft, pos
sibly in a rebate in the high-prlced coal,
besides the share In the bridge toll.
Again, about September, 1902, the
boss. as he had gotten TO be, without any
legal power or authority from the coun-
Gil decided he wanted a little legal adj
vice. He hired team and drove to
MartinSburg 10 consult an attorney and
charged the corporation with Sl.jO for
the team, % cents for horse feed, and
two dinners, Sl.UO, for himself. This
again looks like graft, be it ever 50
small. Again, he charged the corpora
~
when in fact there were only 2i meeting
all told during his term, and two OF
them were adjourned meetings, which
should not have been charged for, and
several were paid for by persons at
whose instance they were held. Be
sides. he was absent several times him
self, and two Of the meetings were held
in one night, May -. 1902, one called TO
order at p. m. and the other at ). 10 p.
m. This looks again like graft.
THIS brings US TO December, 1902,
when the council was partly demoral-
lied after the hard work of the summer
and fall in impeaching the mayor and
cutting down the porches. Several OF
them were sick and one had been lost
by death, so ii was hard matter TO get
a quorum So the Tammany Hall boss
decided to take the municipal manage
ment under his sheltering wing and
steer the ship of state to safe mOOrlngs.
He employed hands and put them to
work at various Jobs, and durlug the
months of January ald February, 1908,
he issued orders aud signed them as
mayor and recorder and instructed the
treasurer TO pay them, TO the amount
of @22l.94, without any power or au-
thority whatever, as there was no meet
ing of the council between December ;,
1902. and March 10, 1903. We also find
several bogus minutes recorded, when
there was no meeting held
Twill say further that if the Tammany
Hall boss, taxpayer and "Citlzen, as
he calls himself, will tell us how much
of the corporations money he paid the
MartinSburg lawyer, of which there IS
no record AT all, we will furnish him a
complete and itemized statement OF the
receipts and expenses of the electric
electric light plant.
These are facts proven by Citizen g
own records. Taxpayers, the books are
yours. Come at any time and examine
them. In conclusion, let me say that |
have never tried TO boss the council in
any manner have advised them as |
thought best, and whether | have been
boss or not, as "CitiZen' would have
you believe, | was elected mayor by the
people and want it distinctly understood
that | intend to remain boss as far as
my official capacity goes until the end
of my term. God willing
Il. q. MILLER, Mayor.