The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-07
POLLOCK W|sE' BROKE NO
Law, BUT DID WRONG
Continued from First Page,

CONTINUED from First Page.)
which no una n.mous agreernent could
be reached,
Text O, Committees Report.
the report OF the committee fol-
lows:
To the Honorable Common Council of
the City Of Richmond;
The undersigned, your special COM
mittee. appointed under resolution
of your body adopted May 10. 1910,
which resolution is In the following
language:
whereas, the honorable mayor OF
the city Of Richmond has. by spe-
cial message communicated TO this
body. transmitted certain Information
relative TO the alleged improper OH
cial conduct OF Messrs, George T."
Wise and Gilbert X. Pollock, members
OF the common council OF the city OF
Richmond; and whereas, 1t Is deemed
proper, in justice to the reputation
Of this body, and is due the punllc
no less than the said members, that
the matters referred TO in said mes
sage should be fully investigated and
the facts and circumstances concern
ing the transaction referred to ascer-
tanned and the result of such inves-
whereas the said George K. Wise ana
Gilbert K. Pollock have requested an
investigation:
Now. therefore. be is resolved by
the common council of the city OF
Richmond:
Il. That the said message Of the
mayor of the city of Richmond be
and the same is hereby referred TO
a special committee to consist OF nve
m errl bers. to be appointed by the pre-
siding officer of this body, and such
ommjttee is hereby instructed to pro-
coed. with as little delay as possible,
to investigate the facts bearing upon
such investigation. together with TIMER
recommendations thereon.
"2. That the said special commit
tee be and they are hereby authorized
to order the attendance of any per
sons as Witnesses to testify before them
in making such investigation, and TO
REQUIRE the production by any per-
son of all books and papers in their
possession. which may. In the opinion
Of the committee, be necessary or
proper to be introduced before them
promptly commenced the investiga-
ton directed by said resolution and
examined all OF the witnesses named
In the message of the honorab BILE
mayor and certain other witnesses
whose evidence IL was deemed desirable
TO have before us, the evidence OF all
of which will be found in a copy of
the stenographic report Of the testt-
mony herewith returned; and, after
four extended sessions OF the commit
tee in hearing the evidenc produced
before them, and after careful con-
sideration, have reached and beg to
submit the following findings:
Committees Findings.
/. While the evidence shows that
George T.. Wise requested DR.. Reade,
a member of the common council, to
ask for a suspension of the rules. by
which means he secured the imme-
date action of the body upon the
ordinance. yet the evidence. in our
opinion. does not show that the fee of
$500 paid to Messrs. George +. Wise
and Gilbert X Pollock, members of
the common council, WAS paid to Sc
cure the passage Of an ordinance
amending the ordinance, which had
been In force since 1904. prohibiting
the feeding Of dstillery waste to mich
cows
@ We find that the fee of $500 paid
to Messrs. George E. Wise and Gill
bert X. Pollock, as they admit and
as the evidence shows. was paid by
the dairymen to compensate Messrs.
Wise ana Pollock for services render.
ed by them as attorneys at law in
order to secure permission from the
chief health officer for the feeding
OF distillery waste to milch cows.
J. In view OF the effort OF Messrs.
Wise and Pollock to Justify their ac-
ton by the production OF evidence In
tended to show that their conduct was
entirely professional and ethical In
receiving compensation to obtain from
the executive ofIicer Of one OF the de-
partments of the city government per.
mission for violation Of said ordinance
prohibiting the feeding OF dtstillcry
waste to mich COVE, and In view
also OF the fact that the city attorney
advises US that there IL no ordinance
or statute prohibiting the acceptance
of compensation by attorneys or other
persons for performing services such
as those which Messrs. Wise and Pol
lock were engaged TO perform. We feel
1ustihed In reporting specially that
we deprccate. as hurtful to the en-.
ctent and faithful representation Of .
constituency. for members of either
branch OF the council to engage their
services for compensation. a. was ad-
mittediy done in this case, 10 obtain
permission OF such officer for the sus-
pension of the enforcement OF an Or
dinance duly enacted by tho legisla-
tive branch OF the city government.
Make 1t Unlawful.
We arc satisfied, aud so report, that
snch practice should be made uniaw-
full. 50 that hereafter there may not
be recurrence of such conduct a.
has been developed by the evidence
In this case. Ono hurtful effect, ut
least, In this particular case, was, by
the confession OF the gentlemen them.
selves, TO ineapacitatc them from the
DISCHARGE OF their Representa- tive duty