The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-19
Record Shows He Failed
toTurn Over 81, 553
toCity Treasurer.
ADMITS FACT TO
OTHER OFFICIALS.
Examination of cunningham's
Books Will Be Completed To-
Day, After Which Mayor
Will Probably Remove
Hin-Merchants Made
First Report.

City Collector Frank w. CunntnEhnn,
wns reported to Mayor richardson
yesterday being short sI,55;.o5 In
bis accounts. The Mayor hns tnkcn no
/ action ns yet, pending n report from
| spccinI Accountant George S. Cren-
| shn", who In making nm examination
| OF the hooks of the Office, aud which
! VIII he completed to-day.
| The shortage was reported to the
| Committee on Finance last night by
! the Special Accountant. The report
! was read in executive session, and It's
! text was not made public. though the
/ committee later authorized the state
ment that the matter had been for
1 maily reported by Chairman Pollard TO
Mayor Richardson. and that the COM
nittec had suspended action pending
action By the Mayor.
| Collector Cunningham has admitted
! the shortage in the presence OF .Ac-
couniant Crenshaw. Collector of Dc
| linquent Taxes Walford and DEPUTY
Hulce.. Failure to settle weekly SUBJ
jecta the Collector. under the terms Of
/ the city charter. to immediate removal
| from ofiicc.
| May Lead to Prosecution,
! Further investigation is TO be made
! of the manner of the shortage and
members OF the committee last night
expressed the view that 1t could not
be explained By negligence. and may
subject the official to criminal prosecu
! ton.
| from statements made by members
| OF the FINANCE Committee 1t seems that
certain taxpayers who had settled AT
the office of Collector Cunningham
! within the past week had reported
that their payments had not been
turned in to the City Treasurer as re-
CURED by law, the Collector not bay-
tie
though II is believed that he had Kept
a private memorandum, and intended
reimbursins The city at some future
time. fs7s l1',N
ne FINANCE Committee declined To
MAKE public the names of tax payers
n .. eallnE attention to the irresulari-
TIES. on the ground that the Account
ants examination had not vet been
completed. and that the amount re-
ported. sl.553.55. only Indicated such
amounts as had been checked IN TO
this time
Mayor Awaits Report.
Mayor Richa rdson last night declined
70 discuss the charges against Collec-
| tor Cunningham, or to indicate what
steps he would take. Tie admitted hav-
ing received verbal report from the
Chairman of the Committee on ~
nance. and indicated that he would
take the matter up officially on re-
ceipt of written report from The
Special Accountant. The shortage was
reported TO Chairman Pollard OH Mon
day afternoon. and he caused such eX-
animation to be made as would verify
The substantial correctness OF the facts
alleged. and on being presented with n
statement by the Accountant. Collec-
tor Cunningham admitted the short.
age.
Section 80 Of the city charter SAYS
that the City Collector lis expressly
prohibited from keeping the money OF
the city in his hands. or in the hands
use beyond the time prescribed for
the payment OF the same into the city
treasury. and any violation of this
provision shall subject him to immedl-
at removal from Office"
Recalls Recent Trouble.
1t Is not the first time that the Col
Icctor's Office has been reported short.
at least two such formal reports hav-
Ing been made to the City Council in
the past. though In each Instance the
shortage was made good. More than
year ago. the Special Accountant re-
ported to the Finance Committee that
Collector Cunningham had made loans
from the city cash to Major William
IL. Sands and Major Charles Q. Saville.
accepting their personal checks and
holding them for months before put
ting them in the bank for collection,
thus practically treating tnem as
notes.
He admitted the charge in that case
TO a special committee appointed by
the City Council to investigate tho
| affair. Although tho fact was testi-
fed to BY both tho men who had bor
rowcd money, who stated that they
| believed II was from private funds. and
admitted by Captain Cunningham.
there is no record that the special
| committee ever made any report what
ever. it having expired by Limitation
with the old Council, and no action
was taken by any OF the authorities.
In n former Instance shortage was
charged, admitted and later made
| good.
Would Not Cut Fees.
Only last week the Board OF Alder
men expressed Its friendship for the
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