The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-05-09

SiG was hVt uHy evidence OI
breach Of trust on the part Of the {:
Officers Of the city during the /:
period covered.-Report Of the {:
special expert auditing committee. {:
Our company will give ten thou. /:
sand dollars to the man who can !:
lind an error in that report {:
BENJAMIN Franklin, Expert Audi. {:
tor. !:
The meeting of the city council last
night marked an epoch in the history
OF this city. The report of the special
expert committee which had been at
work on the auditing of the books and
accounts of the city was received.
1t has been the policy of The Even
ing Times to refrain from expressing
opinions on the local affairs of the
city, and to confine itself to the CIV
ing OF the news. 1t only violates this
rule IN this instance in. order to help
set the fair name of the city-a city
as progressive as any in the state.
whose citizens are just as patriotic
and honorable as any in the land
before the public Alright. For months
the west side morning sheet has
haunted the imaginary corruption of
the city government to the world until
IN the territory in which it circulates
the public believes that the city is a
moral cess pool in the hands of the
worst band of public thieves that ever
administered a city government. That
belief was dealt such staggering
dow last night that it will never be
able to get to the day of Judgment
even. 1t is the deadest thing that ever
dled. 1t is we'll to discriminate. how
ever, in reference to the people who
have insisted on the Investigation,
The present city administration were
elected largely upon platform look
ing to this end. There were men in
1t who were sincere. They believed
that If a wrong had been done II
should be brought to light, and if it
mad not that it was due the people of
the city and the city itself that the
truth be known. Mayor O'Leary we'll
expressed this idea when he urged the
appointment of the committee upon
the city council. He stated in sub-
stance that the report has been 40
often repeated that the public had
come to look upon it as true, and that
the new administration should have
a clean bill of health from the old
one. Then there was a remarkably
small cotorie who has taken the mis-
representations of the morning sheet
as truth and they expected the COM
mittee to show that the old officials
had stolen thousand of dollars from
the public. They were the sickest
looking crowd ever seen on earth
when the contents of the report be-
came known. There were others who
believed and said at all times during
the investigation that the results
would be just what they were
The gratifying thing is that after
one of the most exhaustive reports
possible the city is given reputation
for clean municipal government that
is credit to its people irrespective
OF political parties or municipal fac
lions.
The Meeting.
The council met ut the usual hour
and the crowd of citizens present in
Dictated the interest taken in the mat
ter. All the members We're in their
seats. The minutes of several meet
1ngs were ret.d-the melodious voice
OF the recorder sounding like the ex-
hausts from bucking gasoline engine
as he struggled to reach i period
without wind. The ordeal was finally
passed and amid the pleasing sound
of the curfew whistle and rivers of
perspiration he sat down.
Alderman Craig moved that the
regular order of business be sus-
pended and the report OF the auditing
committee be received. Mr.. Franklin
who had the report in charge read the
same. while the auditor retired To tn,
rear OF the room Clearly and dis
tinctly he read the various findings
of the committee and stated that the
schedules in detail which constituted
the summaries read were appended
to the report.
1t discussed the management of the
city for period of eight years dur
ing which the Investigations covered.
1t found that every disbursement had
been ordered and the records of the
city balanced with the records of the
county and other officials. The report
closed with the sentence which heads
this article.
Ex-Auditor Jacob was present and
asked to explain one of the irregulari-
ties referred to in the report. It ap-
pears that several years ago Martin
Purcell. the great injunctioner," Sc
cured an Injunction against the con-
duct of the business of the city by the
city officials. There was large
amount of money due from the city to
laboring men who had done work for
the city, and they were dependent
upon the money for the support of
their families. Purcell had the money
tied up with an injunction and Mr..
Jacob consulted Judge Watts as to
what course he should pursue. He
was told to use his judgment, and the
men were paid. Afterward the coun-
Gil ratified the matter by the issuance
OF orders covering the several
amounts. These statements were
verified by Alderman Sherlock. At
this point Purcell arose and it was Mt
once evident that the city had made
a mistake in the selection of the
auditing committee II a garbled re-
port based upon hearsay was wanted
sit should have secured Purcell. He
made a rambling talk about the
places where money had been stolen,
and stated that the auditors had not
found the facts. It was evident that
he was sore. Mr.. Franklin replied that
the report was based upon facts and
that his company was responsible and
could be sued for any false statement
contained in their report. He called
the blur IN an emphatic manner when
he publicly stated that the company
La n 49,.