The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-06-06
COUNCIL TO GET
REPORT TONIGHT
Much Secrecy About Committees
Findings in Case OF Pollock
and Wise.
SOME EXPECT MILD CENsURE
Possible Effect on Election Next
Week Comes In for Dis
cussion.
SOME EXPECT MILD CENsURI

The verdict OF the special commit
tee which investigated the conduct OF
Councilmen Gilbert x. Pollock and
George Il. Wise. charged with having
accepted fee of $500 for securing
the passage of an ordinance by the
City Council. will be made public to-
and signed. and is now In the hands of
Chairman w. Fred Richardson, who
will present it on the floor OF the
Council tonight 1t was agreed
among the members of tho committee
at the final session on Saturday that
no information would be given out as
to the purport of the paper. and re-
speeding that pledge, they have been
unwilling so far to say even whether
all five members signed tho report.
Rumors Indicate dissenting opinion
from one or two members.
May Send Two Reports.
Among Councilmen the view obtains
that the committee report will be in
the nature of mild criticism of
Messrs. Wise and Pollock, with the
recommendation that a proper ordi
nance be adopted which will prohibit
members of the Council from accept
ing fees for appearing as attorneys
before municipal boards or executive
officers of the city
If report has 1t Alright. one or two
members of the committee will sign
a more drastic paper. There is much
conjecture. however and even among
Councilmen who are close friends OF
members of the committee 1t IL ad-
mitted that tho committeeman are
keeping faith with each other, and
that nothing authoritative has been
allowed to leak as to what will be
done. Should two papers be present
ed. as seems 10 be expected 1t viii
open the question on the floor of the
Council, the vote being first on the
minority report. offered as a substitute
for that of the committee. 1t would
be competent for any member to offer
compromise paper or resolution, or
to refer the whole report with it's
stenographic record of evidence to an
| other committee.
Election Echo Possible.
While 1t is not believed that the
| Council itself will take drastic action
regarding two OF It's own members, I
| has been suggested that the qualified
| voters of Madison and Henry Wards
may express themselves at the polls in
| the general election on Tuesday OF
next week, Both Mr.. Wise and Mr.
Pollock have been declared the Demo
cratic nominees from their wards for
re election. following the recent Dem
ocratic primary. Tho time has passed
for the Republican party to put into
the field city ticket, and has also
passed when any independent candi-
date must file notice with the clerk
of the Hastings Court in order To
have his name printed on the ofticial
ballot.
Even up TO the day of the election
however the name of any qualified
voter may De written on the ballot as
substitute for any one of the five
nominees from the Council from each
ward. Col John s. Harwood, who
failed to give the required notice
when he ran for the Legislature las,
year had his workers at every pre-.
| cinct and enough friends wrote his
name on the ballots to secure his cleo
ton. The same was the case
throughout Virginia In the case OF
Col. B. 0. James. who was declared
the Democratic nominee for Secretary
of the Commonwealth following the
death OF -. Y. tggleston, just previous
to- the election.
Can Write Names.
! Section 1921 of the election law.
of the State provides that ut shall bt
lawful for any voter to erase any OIL
all names printed upon said oflicia
ballot and substitute therein in writ.
ing the name or names of any person
or persons for any office for which h,
may desire to vote"
4 Unless there were definite ant
concerted movement of the voters O
tho two wards, 1t would be of littl,
effect as the names substituted would
be scattered among large numbe,
of prospective candidates. The dis
cussion. however, is somewhat prema
ture, pending the making public Of tn,
report of the Investigating committee
which may prove entirely satisfactor.
TO the voters of the two wards II
question. as well as to the member
ship of the Council
|