The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-20

be adjourned or continued, you will
be afforded an opportunity 10 be heard
In person or BY counsel. and 10 present
testimony In your defense,
Joint Session Called.
Mayor Richardson also formally no
titled President Robert whittet. or ,h.
EoaiI Of Aldermen Of his action.
writing him:l II have Ills day suspend
cd Frank Vs. Cunningham, Collector OF
the city taxes Of the city OF Rich4
nont. for misconduct In Office and neg
lect Of duty. a
please call join, meeting Of both
branches OF the City Council a 5 soon az
practicable. in order that collector
Of the city taxes ad interim may he an
pointed"
President Whittet forwarded Tho lei.
ter OF the Mayor TO CITY Clerk Zen r
august with the following Instruc.
lions: You Will issue notices for a
joint session of the Board OF Aldermen
and Common Council, to lie held in the
Council Chamber City Hall, on Frida =
evening. April II. 1911. at o'clock
Tor the purpcsc mentioned III the above
communication from His Honor the
Mayor"
May APPOINT Deputy HuIcc.
Several members OF the Council ex-
pressed the view yesterday that the
Joint session would elect First Deputy
Herbert l.. Hulcc, or III South Pine
Street, S acting City Collector pend
ing action on the charges against Col
lcctor Cunningham. MIR. Hulce has
been In the ONCE for some years, and
is familiar with the routine. In the
event OF the removal of Captain Cum
bingham, which Councilmen concede Is
almost inevitable in view of his ao-
missions of the correctness of the
charges which have led TO his suspen-
sion, there Will be number Of can
lidatcs for the position The view has
grown rapidly among councilmcna that
the time has come when the Office can
be abolished at a probable saving to
the city of $4,000 n year, and that
any election OF an acting collector
should be Only until the next Lcgisla-
ture can act on the city's petition for
on the Office Of the City Treasurer
Evident violation of LAW.
Under the present arrangement the
City collector Is elected By the people
for a term OF four years. unless sooner
removed from Office. He Is required
to give bond iy the gum OF $4,000. The
charter specifics that he shall make
report in writing. under oath. TO the
Auditor. weekly, or oftener, II required.
the amount or all moneys collected by
him, and shall pay the same into the
City Treasury In the manner provided
by law" Section 3 says: THE collector
Is expressly prohibited from keeping
the money of the city in his hands, or
in the hands OF any person or corpora
tlon TO his use, beyond the time pre-
scribed for the payment of the same
into the City Treasury, and any vio-
lation of this provision shall subject
him to immediate removal from Office"
The report OF Special Accountant Cren-
shaw, submitted 10 Mayor Richardson
yesterday, the facts OF which have been
admitted by Captain Cunningham.
shows that the Collector has retained
sl,55355 10 his own use. since about
January l. period of nearly four
months and has not yet refunded or
turned in TO the City Treasury the
amounts paid in by the various firms
and individuals named.
How II Came to Light.
1t does not appear just how the mat.
ter first came to light. though the
point VIII probably be cleared up in
the Mayors inquiry next Tuesday. For
fully three weeks. Special Accountant
Crenshaw has been working in the
office of the City Collector. checking
over the vouchers and tax bills for the
fiscal year, which ended January 81.
The record as II stood showed certain
firms and individuals as delinquent I'm
their taxes. although the bills were