The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-25
MAYOR READY TO
HEAR { v|DENCE {.
Charges Against Cunningham
Will Be Taken Up and Wit
nesses Examined.

Trial of Captain Frank w. Cunning
ham, on the charge Of maIfeasance in
office. misrepresentation OF city funds
and neglect of duty. will be called be-
fore Mayor Richardson this morning at
II o'clock in the Mayors office. Cap
tain Cunningham was still reported yes
terday as being i'll at his home, and 1t
was rumored that his attorneys. Kirk
Mathews and o'Flaherty & Fulton.
WOULD ask continuance.
Special Accountant Crenshaw, Dep
uty Hulce. who Is now serving
as ad interim Collector. Delin-
others Will BIO called to testify,
and books OF the Office will be produced.
including the original tax bills. which
were retained as evidence by direction
of the Mayor. when friends of Captain
Cunningham made good the shortage,
Pending the outcome OF the trial, the
canvass for the position to be made
vacant In the event of tho removal oil
Captain Cunningham Ia not so brisk
James B. Wood. superintendent OF the
pcnitentiary. who last week claimed TO
have the election secured. has not de-
termined whether no will withdraw or
not. The evident determination OF the
Council to place the Office on salary
basis, and the fact that the appolntee
at this time would have to go before
the people next November, have some
what dampcned the ardor OF Mr. Woods
supporters. leaving the Incumbent. First
Deputy Hulce. as the most prominent
man in the field.
Mayor Fnvors Omce.
4 Mayor Richardson said yesterday that
he favored the continuation OF the of
flee OF Collector, rather than It's mer-
ger with the office OF City Treasurer,
as proposed. He also said that he pre-
ferred commission. somewhat reduced
fr9m the present scale. rather than a
fixed salary, as an incentive to an ac-
tive Collector. Members OF the Coun-
ell who have urged the Council to place
the office on salary basis say that
the Mayor Is mlsinformed as to the
duties of the position. the Collector
being mere receiver of taxes at best.
having no more responsible position
and no more arduous duties than the
receiving teller of a bank On the
other hand. the Collector OF DELINQUENT
Taxes has to hunt up delinquents. many
OF them small taxpayers and 1t is OF
great value, according to these Coun-
cilmen. that he be given II special in
centive to collect as closely as pos
sible.
The whole question Of the fee sys-
tenn Will be before the Council Commit.
tee on Ordinance. Charter and Reform
tonight, when the ordinance reducing
the scale OF commissions to the Com
missioner of the Revenue will be under
consideration.
Hns Best once in city.
While II Is admitted that Mr.. Haw-
kins has probably the most profitable
Office In the City Hall, yet his friends
point out that, unlike that of the Col
lector, 1t is n position that demands
ability. Judgment and business sen.
and one in which negligence and in
competence might cost the city immense
sums In failure to make proper assess
ments. In this office also. II is argued
there is certain value in giving the
incumbent an incentive in increasing
the assessment by giving him a com
mission, In lieu of salary.
Mr. Hawkins's friends also point out
that. unlike the Collector, who receives
commission on daily collections. the
Commissioner of the Revenue makes n
certain yearly assessment. and that 1t
would be difficult, II not unfair, to
make cut in his scale of commissions
while the annual assessment was In
progress AS far back as 1897, former
City Attorney Charles " Meredith
gave a written opinion covering the
supJect. IN Whlch he held that the
Council might reduce the commissions
OF the Collector and Commissioners OF
the Revenue during their terms of Of
lice, but that, as the Commissioner is
paid certain annual commission FOR
certain work, begun as soon as possible
after the first of February Of each
year that the commission could moi be
reduced save at the beginning of tho
fiscal year. The commission of the CITY
Collector, Mr.. Meredith, said, could be
reduced at any time