The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-22

Evidence. sufficiently conclusive. in
the opinioD of members OF the Commit
zee on Relief of the Poor. to sustain
.he charges made BY Councilman Gra-,
ham h Hobson that bids to supply the
CITY Home with 500 cords of wood had
been tampered .with, was submitted
last night rs
BY whom these envelopes were OPEN
ed is still a mystery.
rive were carefully examined, and
after the flaps had been cut by Elmo
5. Redwood. assistant superintendent
OF the post-offlce. the clumsy manner
IN which the work had been done was
.>ad bare. and the statement OF Mr.
Redwood was accepted without ques.
uon. Another meeting. however. will
be held Tomorrow afternoon at S
o'clock, SO that more thorough ex-
ANIMATION may be had In daylight.
Watkins's Hid Was Opened.
The envelope containing the bid OF
Mr.. H. S.. Watkins showed rougher
usage than the others. 1t appeared tor
have been steamed and new n1ucilage
applied. After it had been sealed the
second time the flap was left in
soiled condition. and the marks of a
mans thumb were left, which may
| the guilt whore 1t belongs. These
same finger prints were on two other
| envelopes. Mr.. Watkins stated. while
on the, stand. that he believed some
4 body had tampered With 1t.
| Before IN expert was called in to
| give an opinion the committee. covered
| a great deal of ground. Superfntend-
| ent George E. Davis, of the City
Home. Assistant Superintendent Isa-
dore Lovenstein. Steward Richard A.
| Hughes. the bidders and others We're
| asked to explain various features con
nected with the affair. Mr.. Davis swore
that he had not handled four OF the
bids. and Mr.. Lovenstein Said that be-
tween the hours of s and P. M. all of
them were In his CLovenstein's) pos
session.
Mr.. Hobson really conducted the ex-
| animation of witnesses. although mem,
bers generally asked questions. and
every effort was made to obtain all the
| light possible. Mr.. Hohson. let 1t be
known from time to time that he had
| been threatened with prosecution. and
one unjustly, he wanted to protect h1nl-i
self. that. however: being secondary 70
the matter Of proving his Icharges, re
| has never pointed the official finger at
any one in particular, but he made the
broad allegation that the bids had been
| tampered with. and he seems to hays
Il
around to his way OF thinking. That
appeared to be the only view they could
form after inspecting the envelopes, and
| they did not hesitate to say so.
Just after the committee was called
| to order Chairman Gunst made state
nient. saying in effect that he had been
absent from the city , dgt e, Two efinn WeeRs;
when he read in the newspapers thar
his colleagues were prepared to inves-
tigate the CHARGES Gn ptoh the le, mdrhsng mphsng
offered his resolution said Mr.. Gunst.
."The Times-Dispatch had a fairly corr
rect report of the proceedings. which
| 1 opposed the Investigations 1t was
sal in the newspapers ofAthe city sub
sequently that had led the opposi,
ton did not OPPOSE 1t. ana 9nr sthsef
a member would father the charges and
make them specific. It made no differ
ence to me who the m party =, s Was u ana ,a. !
| found guilty he should be kicked out
And In that connection | called names.
| I have done what conceived to be
the le fullest investigation of city affairs.
| and I stand ready to vote for the con-
demnation of all wrongs i,s neSer
voted against this lnNestlgatioh, ttssa,. ,,.a
only against the resolution as ~ Mas
framed,
Mr.. Bltley said he had voted against
the resolution because ne had never ,,.l,
done any good q,
DR.. Williams at this iuncture stated
that one of the afternoon papers hau
said that the former Investigation OF
the City Home amounted to nothing
because 1t failed to disclose any dis
honesty He said he believed 1t did 90
good, for 1t had opened the eyes q
the Committee and made them acanaint-
ed with canditions as they existed,
sharp Tilt In E'roccetinss.
Mr.. Alfred Fl, Mcdowell, clerk of the
Icommittee was the first witness lie
related in detail the circumstances
connected with the meeting on Illly
18th, explaining how the envelopes
had been carefully 3pened. at1er ths a
suspciens Of Mr. tbe ebsam snveIones naa osa sa
been sealed In a package by dtrsG-$ \
| tionsof members and lock-, inp He
did not see the bids until thsv were
lhrcught into the open meeting about
| s O'clock
M Mcdowell sad hs. that 7; nobnny stinn had
1 4 question by Mr. Hobson led tna
| shaIn tilt with Mr.. GunSt. when tho
ytsiiness said that Mr., Gunss had called
| III ,he office with the rsnuest that 4
he be permitted ia sea the. envelopes.
II was shown by the Witness that
the f'' na,,ner in which they had been
| thnrity by virtue OF his position an
/ chairman of the. committee, There
| was no attempt, OF course. to bring
MI iunst into .l,e case. ether .hsn
\ tho meeting Mr. Hobson explainN1 !,
| fhts. saving that In merely WsNtsssT
I, 10 show thar no ntrson had seen the
documents after they had been ssaled