The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-01
to be questioned on newspaper reports
OF what he said.

NdIIlC, IL 4NCICSodi Y.
At this point Mayor Mccarthy stated
that he had heard member of the
Finance Committee cay: ut does not
make d bit OF difference whether
the charter is violated or not" He said
he could call the name of the man II
necessary.
Messrs. Cannon. Pollard, Mills and
Dabney promptly disclaimed having
made the statement, and the Mayor
were present.
Mr.. Cannon was asking the Mayor
whether newspaper statement he
read was correct. when the Mayor re-
piled that he would not answer that
question, and no court could make
him answer it. Mr.. Cannon here deve'.
oped some feeling. saying:
"Of course. II you do not want the
| facts to come out you can shut your
| mouth like claim"
A little later Mr.. Cannon. when the
Mayor turned questioner, replied that
| he would not be drawn into a colloquS
| with the Mayor. Thereupon Mayor NC
Carthy retorted with vigor:
! IT would like to have you where
| could get into controversy or COLO
guy with you on this subject for about
an hour and half.
Mr.. Gilman objected to this appa
rently unending and Improbable cross
questioning. Chairman Richardson
ruled that no personalities should be
allowed to come in. Mr.. Cannon con-
tended that he was trying to get at
exactly what the Mayor did charge
and agreed that 1t was proper to eX-
anime the Mayor on this point.
| Though refusing to answer questions
as to newspaper publication. the
| Mayor reiterated all his charges
against the Finance Committee. and
made them more definite than before.
| He charged the committee with devot-
| ing much time to trivial matters and
| disposing of important ones In few
minutes. and stated that this charge
referred to the present Finance Com
mittee or to any other.
Angry Protests.
In attempting to confine the aues-
tions to the phase of the inquiry in
hand. Mr.. Richardson aroused angry
protests from several members of the
Finance Committee.
1 Mr.. Mills charged that the chairman
was allowing statements outside of the
| prescribed scope of inquiry to be inter-
| jected.
Mr.. Dabney charged that the Mayor
| had been allowed to transcend the
| scope Of the stage of the inquiry as
| Mayor said We're true he (NIr. Dabney)
was unfit to serve on the committee.
He contnded that the committeeman
should be allowed as many privileges
as the Mayor.
Sprnging to his feet, Mr.. Pollard
asked In imprisoned tones: "Why. in
the name of God, do you allow Mr.. Nc
Carthy to come here and say what he
chooses. then? Why do you not give
US a chance to refute his statements? -
II will give you a chance to do so,''
said Mr.. Richardson firmly. and the
storm passed.
rious questions as to what he under
stood the Mayor to say. but the ex-
ecutive frequently replied: mo, sir; l
did not say that
/ Much time was consumed in what
! the Mayor and several others present
characterized as "quibbling," among
other things the attorney asking
whether the Mayor regarded tho
Auditors estimate as an ordinance and
making further inquiries as to the
proper course of such document
Mr.. Cannon insisted on the Mayor
1 specifying In what respects the Finance
Committee was at fault. and the Mayor
replied by referring to and reading
from the sections of the charter apph-
cable to the case.
I Then Mr. Cannon asked the Mayor If
it was not his duty to suspend the
Auditor If he failed to obey the char
ter. The Mayor replied that this was
a n.atter wholly In his discretion with
which the committee had nothing what
ever to do.
The Mayor frequently Interrupted
and emphatically stated that he would
not permit Mr.. Cannon to make his
(the Mayor's) statements for him.
Once or twice., he added II did not
say any such foolish thing"
Grapevine Route.
In answer to a question as to how
the Finance Committee got the esti-
mates of needs prepared by heads of
departments. the Mayor said mischiev-
ously: They got them surreptiously
They got them by the grape vine
route" In the same connection, lie
declared with emphasis that consider
ing the dignity and Importance of his
position the Auditor was treated with
more contempt than any other city
officer.
! Mr.. Cannon contended that the I'll
nance Committee had not violated the
charter. but had merely done some
thing the charter did not authorize
them to do. The Mayor laughed, ant
replied that this was "a difference
without u distinction"
Once when Mr.. Cannon insisted upor
III q, direct categorical answer to ques
ton, Mayor Mccarthy retorted that hi
could ask Mr.. Cannon question in {
sentence he could not answer in ar
hour.
/ This monotony of question and an
swer4 continued until IL o'clock. Mean
!, while one member had apparently beel
, soothed to slumber, and all the specta
: tors had left save three or four
J, Mr. Mann moved that the committe,
RISE subject to the call of the chair
! man. Later he accepted suggestion
! that 1t rise until next Tuesday at
r.. NJ This was ndopted, and the frs
D chapter Of the investigation" closed
y,uith littla a ctllal -nrnrresa madn.