The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-04
ATTORNEY POLLARD
STRONGLY RESENTS
MCCARTHY ssPEECH
Unwilling to Remain Silent
Under wholly Unbound
ed" Attack
SAYS "SLANDEROUS,
IF NOT MALICIOUS"
Messrs. Meredith, Morris and
Rountree Endorse His
Statement of the
Facts

tive board, which was the Foundation
for the criticism OF Captain Nc
Carthy.
MIR. Pollar,fs Statement.
Following is the statement issued hx
Mir. Pollard:
sept. L. 1912.
To the Public.
I have juss returned from a. two
weeks vacation and after mature
consideration find myself unable and
unwilling 10 remain silent under the
gratuitous and wholly unfonnded at
tack made upon me by Captain Carl
ton Mccarthy in a recent speech
quoted In the Times-Dispatch Of Au-
gust %. 1919. Captain Mccarthy Is
reported TO have said;
The council has for the past TWEEN
tY-five years been the curse Of the
city government II has hung Ike
milestone about It's neck and dragged
81 down. No better proof OF this fact
IL needed than the spectacle OF Its
own members. now candidates for the
administrative board denouncing II az
Incompetent and artaruated.
This very board. OF which so
much Is expected. has been carefully
devised to perpetuata the old system
as far as possible. IL liz an admins
u.
minister. I'll tell yon. Unless the
statute creating means something far
different from what l interpret 1t 10
mean, II will administer the whifns
and the eaprsees and the orders of
the council. / defy any lawyer or
layman to prove the contrary. IL will
take war with the council, not mar
mony. as some Of the candidates
preach, to make it serve good ptr-
pose.
DO you think that Gilbert Pollock
ana-Ha r, Pollard. these and othes
gentlemen who had nurt tn tifa "
ing up this ingenious act for the
creation OF the administrative board
are children With what beautiai
Ingenuity il was drawn. Does the
act give the board control over the
appointment or salaries of the city
attorney or his assistant. or any other
OF the big officers OF the city? Ne.
The board will be given the power
10 hire or discharge 1000 or more city
employes-a politically uncomfortable
responsibility of which the council
wanted to be rid.
rrIyo Won think anybody had any III
terror purpose in drawing up the act
n, this FORM I do. | say IL this
board is TO amount 10 anything. IT VIII
come as a result ot a conflict with
the council 1t is inevitable. Tor II
Is a remedy for the inefiiciency OF
the council While / desire peace, IL
elected TO the board | shall go pre-
pared for war
This statement L. without any foln-
dation whatever in fact. 1t Is sfan-
derous In the extreme, and exhibits
a reckless and wantnn. il not a ma
licious disregard of anothers reputa-
ton.
The charter amendments referred to
resulted from the unanimous action
of a committee composed of Messrs
G. X Pollock, II Al. Reads. r. q. Rem
nolds, John r. Don Leavy and John ].
Lynch Of The -eeaneiir- aud -Messrs-- &
" Meredith, l.. n. Morris and II. w.
Rountree, as a citizens committee.
That -eaptais, "A Mccarthy H. ignorant
OF the facts whereof he speaks. and
that he is without any justification
me, is made plain by the following
communications, to which the atten-
tion OF the public Is invited
Respectfully,
= III. II. POLLARD. !.
From Members OF COMMITTEES.
G. V. Meredith. Preston Cooke.
MEREDITH 4 COOKE
Law Offices
Travellers insurance Building,
Richmond. Va.
September ?. 1912.
Mr.. Henry r. Pollard. City.
My Dear Sir,--At your request I
write to give you my recollection as
to how the act. creating the admin
istrative board. contains the provi-
sion, that the city attorney should be
elected by the city council instead
OF by the board.
I am very positive that you made
no suggestion whatever along that line,
nor took any part in the discussion
over that feature Of the act. I am
equally as positive that the suggestion
came from me. My recollection IN
that I offered as reasons for that
course. the following:
That as the city council was to re-
main the Legislative body. and hence
to initiate and adopt all legislation
FOR The government 'of rne cit5, and
would have to provide for the pay
ment of all judgments and other OBJ
legations OF the city, II was proper
that body should have the selection OF
It's attorney That It would be useless
to have another attorney for the ad :
ministrative board. AZ the city attor-
ncy could sct FOR both bodies. My
recollection Is that. without further
discussion. Il was unanimously agreed
that that act should Kive 10 the city
council the power to elect the city