The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-23
READY NOW FOR
SECOND CHAPT TER.
Investigating Committee Will
Try to Find When Dairymcn
Paid Councilmcn
ORDINANCE RUSHED THROUGH
Health Board Measure Presented
by DR.. Reade at Request
OF Mr.. Wise.

The second chapter in the Pollock
Wise investigation will be written to-
night. Further testimony is to be
taken before the special committee ap-
pointed by the Common Council to in
vestigate the allegation that the two
Councilmen- attorneys received fee of
$500 for securing the passage OF an
amendment to a city ordinance in re-
lation to the feeding of milk cows at
dairies licensed 10 sell milk in the city.
So far the evidence has shown no con-
fict of fact.
The two attorneys admit the en-
ployment by certain dairymen. but
claimed that they were retained TO rep
resent the dairymen before the Board
of Health and Chief Health Officer.
They assert that they declined a SIM
ilar fee offered to secure an amendment
10 the ordinance, and that the ordi-
nance was later amended on recon-
mendation of the Board of Health,
without their assistance and without
their vote. The Council was put on
notice that they had been employed as
attorneys by the dairymen, and they
were for that reason excused from vot-
ing.
SO far the only witnesses examined
have been dairymen, mainly those who
contributed to the fund raised. Two OF
the three men who started the move
ment have corroborated the statement
of Mr.. Wise that the employment was
for services before the Health Board
and that Mr. Wise declined to be re-
tanned for the purpose of amending the
ordinance. Other dairymen who con
tributed to the fund were vague Some
did not even know that the lawyers
were members of the Council Others
did not know that the ordinance had
to be amended, but thought that DR.
Levy or the Health Board had entire
charge of matters relating to diaries
and could change the regulations a
will. They contributed to a fund be
ing raised In order to secure permits
sion to feed distillery waste wlthou
molestation, wherever such q permits
sion was to be had.
Seeks to Establish Date.
A line of questioning by the City At
torney al the former sitting. which Will
be followed up. is to esta blish the dates
of the various payments. Witnesses
who had contributed by check were
asked to bring the Cancelled checks to-
night. The point Is TO establish what
has been alleged that the dairymen
paid over the money after the Mayor
signed the amended ordinance and that
the lawyers took the employment TO & et
permission, from the Health Board OIL
otherwise. the fee to be conditioned OF
their -uccess. Besides the allegation
that he money was paid over the day
after the ordinance was approved, an
other damaging point alleged is tina
Mr. Wise brought the ordinance as re,
drafted and recommended BY the Health
Board, TO the meeting of the Council
and secured its adoption under suspen-
sion of the rules on the roll call in
stead of allowing II 10 COME up in the
usual form on recommendation of the
Board of Health and be referred to the
Committee on Ordinance, Charter and
Reform or TO some other Council COM
mittee.
Wise Chnmpioned Measure.
The admitted facts are that Mr.. Wise
brought the ordinance TO the meet
ing OF the Council. and as the roll was
being called, asked Mr. Cutchins to in
troduce it. Mr. Cutchins declined. as
he had brother employed in the Of
flee of the Board of Health, and did
not wish 80 apnear as its champion
the paper to DR.. Reade. who presented
it when his name was called, asked
and secured suspension of the rules.
and the ordinance was, on his motion.
put on us .pdSSdSe diOphcu MIL
out objection and practically without
debate.
1t subsequently, passed the Board
of Aldermen and was signed by the
Mayor, and it has been stated that
during the period between the action
of the Board and the engrossment OF
the ordinance and it's signature by the
Mayor. Mr.. Wise more than once called
on the Mayor to know whether 1t had
been signed. 1t does not appear, how
ever, that he used any influence with
the Mayor, or even argued for Its ap-
proval-he merely wished to know II
it had been signed, and, either by coin
cidence or design. it appears that the
money of the dairymen was paid the
next day. Several interested bystand-
ers who heard the first chapter o,
the evidence have expressed the opinior
that no Illegally has been shown
nothing of which the grand jury o
the Commemorative Attorney coulc
take cognizance. and that the question
has become one of legal ethics ant
councilmanic propriety, in which the
City Council and the legal profession