The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-10-17
City Fathers Decide to Hear
the Report of the Attorneys
for City at a Star Cham
ber Meeting.
COUNCILMAN EVANS
ATTACKED HAMMOND
Accuses President of Board
of Works as Being Unfit
and a Tax Dodger-Rou-
tine Council News.


The city council last night voted to
hold secret session next Monday
night to hear the opinions and plans of
the attorneys for the city on the water
works question. Prior to taking that
action City Attorney Gardner was
called on for his opinion as to the
examination of the books of the Rich
mond City Water Works company, but
Mr.. Gardner merely said that MIR.
Johnson would talk to the council on
the Question. Mr.. johnson said that
1t was always the custom for attor-
neys to advise their clients privately,
but II council wished he would give
his opinion in open meeting. He ask
ed for instruction in the matter and
said that he was there to do the will
of the council. Mr.. Weishaupt and
Mr.. Waidele objected to secret ses-
sions, but the mayor took his usual
stand in favor of star chamber ses-
sions.
A few other councilmen were also
loath to delay action by postponing
the submitting of the attorneys re-
port until next Monday.
Mayor Zimmerman who has always
favored secret sessions, said that he
was not afraid Of newspaper criti-
cism or the censure of the public.
johnson Stands Firm.
Councilman Waidele admitted that
-
not be given to the public at this
time, but he asked Mr.. Johnson to ex-
press his opinion AZ to whether the
city had the power to force an investi-
CATION OF the compahy's books. Mr..
johnson refused to answer the Ques-
ton, saying that he wanted the decis-
ion ~ council n e whether he should
make the statement Or not -
Councilman Weishaupt had made =
motion to the effect that johnson
should proceed with his statement
but he withdrew the motion, with tho
consent of the second. and Council
man Bartel moved that the meeting be
secret and that next Monday night be
set as the date to hear the opinions
of the attorneys. Councilman Weis-
haupt declared in making his mo-
ton that there was nothing to con-
ceal and that the public should know
what council is doing, but when he
withdrew his motion he said that he
did SO with the presumption that the
Richmond City Water Works could
secure valuable material in case the
opinions of the city's attorneys were
made public.
Must BE Secret Now.
Councilman Bartel also said that
he favored making the actions of coun-
Gil public, but that there may be some
things which the attorneys would not
want to make public now. City At
torney Gardner, who has kept silent on
the water works question, heretofore.
was still uncommunicative last even
ing and when asked by Councilman
Waidele for a report on the results
OF the attorneys investigation, he re-
ferred council to Attorney Johnson.
Following the session of council sew
eral councilmen declared that the ac-
tions of the attorneys were rather
mysterious. They decided that next
Monday evening things will be stir
red up" and that they will stand by
what they believe right to the last
ditch
Hammond Under Fire.
Homer Hammond, president of the
board of public works was again
placed under fire by council last even
ing, and again Mayor Zimmerman
came to his rescue. Hammond was
declared to be a man unfit for the
position of president of the board of
works. Councilman Evans made this
sensational statement, after saying
that the board of works had not at
tended to complaints submitted by
council. Evans declared that Ham,
mond has ten years delinquent taxee
against him at the county court
house.
I've been telling you that Ham,
mond is not a fit man for the job, ~
declared Evans. why haven't all of
these complaints been attended to
like they should have been? De-
linquent taxes for the past ten years
u
read them"
Hold on there" excitedly COM
manded the city's executive.
However, Evans did not heed the
mayors command and started to
read the list again, when the mayor
ruled him out of order and said that
If Evans wished to bring any charges
against Hammond that he should do
so before the board of public works
and not before council Evans then
sat down and when asked later ii he
intended bringing charges against
Hammond before the board. he re-
piled In the negative, saying that it
would be of no use. s-
A few months after Mayor thinner
man gathered in the reins Of the city
Continued On PAGE Eshtl