The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-01
BRIBERY CHARGED
IN BUYING MULES
ALDERMAN BENEFITS DENIAL
Street Cleaning Superintendent
Rejects Two Of The Mules
and Returns Them.

+ CHARGES OF graft III connection with
'ho purchase Of mules Tor the street
'ic"hinS department have hccn pre-
rcrrcd asains, Alderman 4. ~ Bon
nett, al Leo War,l. ANA \. i. Sut,i,
treasurer of the Smyth brothers Me-
N'cHrA nc' lclian Company. proprictors
of large salcs stables OH Wcst BROAD
street |, Is ailcScd by pr. Thomas,
NJ Swccny vetcrinary surgeon that he
WIS offered u nrihc 10 pass as sound
certain nuics, two OF which were later
lrjoct"'l Ivy superintendent Henry Cobr.
"' thc street tlcening Department. ana
""u rc'"inch to the Smyth Brothers
statues ~ SwccmNs statement or
the alleged attempt made to l,rihr him
ny Alderman Bennett was made to tho
wv" other members of tho suhcouimit
tcc ON stables vi tic street Cleaning
committee. councilman Clydc IL i;ai
tlin", OF Lee Ward. AMI l.. H. Brown. of
washington Ward. They will hrin2
!" TIE attention OF the street Clean
ing COMMITTEES al - special ncctin:
which has been called for Tuesday
"nshi just prcccdnp the regular
in"nthly meeting Of The tctnnon ,,ouu-
Ell i!"'h Mr. Ecnnc,t and MIR. Smy;h
u"Wand Investigations which will no
doubt hc ordered MIR bennett said
'hst niGht That nc bad no further state
III connection with tho transaction
would he said I" the committee.
sharp Issue uf Nrrncity.
The matter has reached tho STAGE nr
u SHARP issue of NcracIty between Dr
Sw"rny. who has preferred The ciiargcs.
ana Alderman Bennett ana Mr. Snytn
~ It's last meeting Supcrint cndeut
( Henry COLIN reported 10 the Council
, 'omnittcc on street Cleaning That til.
department had an uncNpcndcd balance
which would revert To- The city treasury
unless expended before tho end OF tho
| year. aud ic recommended that four
mules DC purchased. The subcommittee
on stables, consisting III Alderman
Bennett and Councilmen Ratclimc and
Jones, was directed to buy the mules.
The purchase was made PROFESSIONALS
a wccN ago last Friday. The condition
hcnG that the mules should be APP
pruycd hy the veterinary surgeon at
the city stables nr. Swccny did not
approve two. ANA they were returned
to Smyth Brothers last Thursday.
lDr. Swccny brought the charges to
Councilman itatcliffc who called in his
colleague on tho subcommittee. Air.
Brown In their herring Or. Swccny
stated yesterday that he had been of
icrcd So for each mule passed favor
ably, AMI that hc was directed by AL
dermam Hcnnctt TO pass the first four
that arc brought out this time
i Swccny's Statement.
The subcommittee had gone To tho
stables TO buy mules Many lots OF
mules had been brought ont, and had
been rejected FOR ono reason or an
other DR. Swccny had passed UNI
fnvorabiv, on twelve or fifteen. Accord-
ing to his account, while the commit
tec was waiting for new lot 10 pc
brought out, Mr.. Smyth came to MIN
sun
6, ~, each mule sou send down TO the
city stables" Mir. Smylh tlatly denies
thc statement. lie admits having Sh'o
something To Or. Swccny about SlNlhG
rim stendy employment, and he claims
INIT the veterinary surgeon pcrNcrted
M remark in his own imagination.
mr. Swccny further stated thi' -
dcrman Bennett then came 10 mn 60
T., lew voice told him to pass the
III = ,,,. ,nulcs that are brought out
NJ. ,,mc' DIR. Swecny said he knew
A., Rcnnctt well, since his pfo'hcr'
I,r,cs Swceny. worked for MIN as an
,,',a,n,cr nj his undertaking cstiio-
lishmcnt
oofcnded al the manner OF the Alder
man. ana what lie believed TO nave
hccn an.overt effort to bribc him TO pass
Ecnnctt back. according 10 his state
men, and asked: WHAT'S that YOU
said about passing the 'iirst four
mui.s?" to which MIR. Bennett replied:
Il said pass the first four If they are
so II sfuctory. OF course"
Well that is not what YOU said, and
not what YOU meant. ! VIII have
nothing more 10 do with your mules"
said the veterinary
Two Mules Returned.
Later in the day tlic mules were ac-
ccptcd professionally ANA sent down 10
the city stables for a try out. The
| four mules were 10 cost the city $500
( each. or SLIGO. Superintendent Cohn
had the mules cXamined at he city
stables by DR.. Swccny. and two were
/ pronounced unsound Dr. Swccny was
also OF the opinion tina; the price paid
| was excessive rho matter was re-
/ 1'orted 10 Councilman iatclimc. of the
! subcommittee. who Ht once directed