The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-08
Special Committee Con
cludcs Hearing as to
Violation Of Charter
MAYORS CHARGE
TECHNICAL ONE
Cross Examination Of Executive
Concluded, and Chairman Wood,
Of Finance Committee, Tcsti-
fled This Phase Of In
quiry Briefly
Argued.

Concluding the hearing and argument
on one Of the three phases OF the
pendnt; lnqury-tbat as to the viola
ton OF tile city charter--ti,c Special
Joint Investigating Committee of the
Council last night adjourned subject
to call.
The session. continuing from about
until II r. NJ, was devoid OF sensa-
tional features and proved rather mo-
notonous than exciting. Tho cross
examination of the Mayor by Mr.. Can
non, representing the Finance Commit.
tee. as to his charges of violation
OF the charter by the Finance Commit
tee in preparing the budget, consumed
an hour. and then Mr.. Wood, chairman
OF the Finance Committee, was on the
stand for about an hour longer, maxi
Ing n statement Of his rccollections
OF the making of the budget. and va
'rious matters incident thereto. He
was examined by Mr. Cannon and
cross examined by the Mayor.
The representatives OF both sides
agreed to rest the case. and it was
on each side. the Mayor representing
himself. and Mr.. Canon the commit
tee. In his argument, the Mayor
stated that he had charged no in-
proper conduct upon the commit tee
or any member of It. but that the vio-
latton of the charter alleged was a
technical one, the analogy or legis-
lator voting for a statute afterwards
declared unconstitutional being cited
10 Illustrate the case. He asserted
however. that the testimony of Mr.
wood sustained every contention on
his part. and he laid stress upon the
N In Ia
called attention withheld from tho
Council valuable information to whici,
1t was entitled.
Ar. Cannon In his rcjo!nder challenged
any one to point out what provision OF
the charter the committee had violated
making the point that 1t had done moth
ing which the charter said 1t should NOT
do, but had hereby done what the Audi
sor and the Council had failed 10 do.
mnd thus met an emergency. He de-
Tended the action Of the committee and
1iidsie al earnest and forcefdi argument
from his point of view.
Cross-Exa1nination.
The session opened with an agreemcn,
by the committee limiting the scope OF
the inquiry in the matter of detailed ex-
animation and cross-examnatlon. the
committee agreeing to hear one repre-
sentative of each side as witness.
Tho cross examination OF the Mayor
by Mr.. Cannon was resumed and con.
tinued for nearly an hour. The attor-
ney made the point In his questioning
TINT the charter did not say that the
committee might not prepare and recon-
mend an appropriation ordinance, anC
that IN. doing this it was acting wlthir
its province. He also called attention tc
the language of the charter which pre-
scribes that the Council /" may, fix the
Sur rot al I,,t t,.t tI,a
sion was not mandatory. The detailed
question and answer procedure was no.
OF sufficient Importance otherwise to &c
into at length. The proceedings were
emooth. and devoid of much of the fric.
tlon which marked the opening session.
Some Cross-Firing.
Mr.. Cannon desired to place certain
members of the committee on the
stand Chairman Richardson stated
that he was under the impression that
the Mayor and members Of tho com.
,nittee were to be asked to make state.
,ncnts as to the several phases Of the
;nlLiry. The first clause of the reso.
]ution is that wherein the members OF
the committee are charged with viola
tion of the charter In making up ths
budget. The chairman pointed out thai
the procedure heretofore attempted hat
not been forescen by the committee
and ruled that the committee would
hear any statement that th" ITinanc,
Committee might desire to make or thi
any member delegated by the commit
tee
Mr. Cannon protested against TIL,
ruling by tho chair eliminating thu
right of examination and Cross-eX
animation. and asked that his protes
be entered on the record.
When Mr.. Cannon was about to cX
nmine Mr.. Wood, Mayor McCarth!
made the point that Mr. Cannon wa
undertaking to represent both prose
cution and defense.
Mr.. Cannon contended that he ha,
not conducted the examination bu
The cross examination of the Mayor
+ nnd that lie was strictly within hi
rirhts in this action, which was ac
cordinp to the accepted practice II
such cases 81, ~,
right OF himself and other ne1nDer
OF the committee to hearing. Ihes
had been accused by the mayor am
wcre entitled to be heard III their owl
defense, and to examine witnesses II
the case
Chairman Richardson remlnde'
hIessrs Cannon and Polocl. that th
was not n criminal proceeding an
that therefore, n the procedure con
tended for was not necessary. For TN
reason Just stated, he did not think
3lecessary to administer an oath.
Wood on Stand.
After some further discussion an
,protest and u suggestion by Mr.. Gil
Snan that the Investigating Committe
fought to have legal advice, Mr., Woo
took tho stand and first made cain
clear statement of the action of tn
lcommittee in preparing the bulge
and In scaling down certain recon-
.mendations OF the Fire Commissioners
and of the City Engineer Flo reviewc
ihis services on the committee, paid
CONTINUED on Second Page).