Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-12-05
Entered at the Newport News, Va,
posto.Ilce as Second-Class Matter.
SUNDAY. DECEMBER s. 1909.
R,cHMoNp's "STAR CHAMBER"
INVESTIGATION.

INVESTIGATION.
There are times when It becomes
necessary and proper for city conn-
ellis or other bodies of public servants
10 hold what some people are so fond
OF calling executive sessions When
a subject. the nature OF which makes
1t essential that there be no publicity
concerning it for a time-say FEVER
.'scare"--is to be discussed. no one
thinks OF complaining because coun-
ell committee or the board OF health
holds q quiet meeting and deals with
the situation without advertising It's
movements. Neither the newspapers
nor the public is disposed TO be foolish
about this thing. and II public officers
have q halfway decent excuse Tor
transacting their business secretly II
is not often that they hear protest.
On the other hand, the people have
every right TO complain and should do
so vigorously. when their servants
for reasons of their own attempt 10
dispose OF an important matter in
which every citizen Is interested
secretly and with the purpose OF
never allowing the real facts to be
known 10 the public. This is what
was attempted by the special commit
tee OF the Richmond city council APP
pointed to investigate the Irregular
ties In the office OF City Collector
Cunningham. The Times-Dspatch
states without qualification that the
committee decided to hold secret SEES
sions and withhold the facts from the
public because or its ''unwillipgness
to make pubic the names Of William
II. Sands. c. o. .Sayil,e and others
for whom City Collector Frank "
Cunningham has frequently casaeo
time checks and made advances out
of public funds
Messrs. Saville ard Sspds are prom
snent men OF Richmond, with friends
Influential and numerous. And be-
cause their names were m.xed-rp in
The testimony regarding the coilec-
tors reguiaFitses. the committee met
for investigation behind closed doors,
Intending 70 permit the voters and
tax payers Of Richmond to know only
its findings at The close of the IN
quiry. MI Cunningham is charged With
using $1,000 OF R.chmonds money
from April to September-in fact he
is said to have admitted using the
mcney-and every citizen and tax
payer Ct Richmond is entitled to know
Just exactly what the committee learn
ed when the charge against their en-
ploye was incurred into. Had th'
parties involved been less prominen
and irsnentisI a suggestion that th'
Investigation be carried On secretly
NOuII nav 80 Aaa-ANN - "AN ~
fact that these people were benz
treated with consideration hat no OF
binary citizen could have clsimec Va
30 obvious that Il Is Surprising TIA
the committeeman had the audacity =
carry out the project
u is csntcndcG that Messrs. Savui
and Sands were innocent OF any wron
Going: that they borrowed none
Jesh Mr, Cunningham under the im
precision that be was lending out q
his private funds. and thst therefor'
n would b uajust 10 bring thsi
Names into ne affair II Il Is q FAC
:hst these gentlemen did no, kno'
fk>r xero urizs ne c!sy's moncy.
4 z1for.snzfe inzz fhsy sEoul1 hss
tccn knc<n N tar Investigation. IN
her rniz.srfnne nss 10 bearing n2o