New Britain herald., 1915-04-06
MUCH MUD SL|NG|NC
 AT BERLIN MEETING
Administration Criticised, Collector Scored, "Star Chambers" Dtp|eTtd.
BOOKKEEPING SYSTEM ADOPTED

! Accommodations of Special Commit ! tee Acepted-Vote to Remove Tel
 ephones-Resolution Censuring Ex-
 Senator Stevens Defeated.
 Personalities were indulged in and some bitter things which were said made the second adjourned annual town meeting in the Berlin Town hall last evening one of the hottest ever. At times it was almost impossible to preserve order ad frequently speakers were missed. Although the admins tration was scored, as predicted, much of the criticism was directed at Tax Collector Elmer F. Austin and at a certain body of voters who were accused of trying to railroad matters in an alleged star chamber session.
 The so-called opposition faction from Kensington presented a num- Der of resolutions which were passed, one of which provided for the elim- ination of three of the town tele- phones, one for the payment of $50 to each of the three members of the ; special committee, one for the install lation of new and modern system of bookkeeping in the town clerk and treasurer's office and another for the continuance of the special committee until August, when another meeting is to be held.
 Richard B. Murray, the prominent Berlin brick manufacturer, intro- duced a resolution to the effect that ex-Senator Claude w. Stevens, who is the chairman of the special com mittee, be censured for withholding extenuating circumstances relating to an apparent deficit of $S31 in the ac- counts of the town court. It failed to pass.
 Would Print New Reports.
 For several moments after Mod orator Clark had called the meeting and Town Clerk Shaw had read the minutes of the last meeting, there was silence in the room. Finally William H. Webster launched out with resolution to the effect that the original town report with the corrections of the special committee, be accepted and placed on file. After [ questioning Selectman Gibney and } learning that to print TOO copies of the revised report would involve an expense of about ninety dollars, he made a suggestion that the report, as corrected, be printed so that copies could be placed in the hands of those who preserve the town reports from year to year.
 About a month ago, a solemn con- clave was held here" said Richard B. Murray, Ito formulate plans by which expense could be saved. The watchword was economy. Now that the town has gone to the expense of printing the special committees re- port, why not let this statement sup plement the original town report just as it is?''
 Dean After "Star Chamber" Men.
 MT. Murray had barely time to be- come seated before E. O. Dean, a Blue Hills resident, demanded the floor, and in a burst of oratory such as has seldom been heard on the floor of the Town hall, attacked those who had taken part in star chamber" sessions. He had been informed through the paper, he said, that a select body of men had seen fit to meet in the town court room to dis cuss the matters of the town with the town officers. Later, according to the information he had received, another body of voters held another "star chamber pow-wow' in Kensing- ton. T am one of the large majority who did not attend either of these meetings" declared the speaker, "and I am proud to say that did not find it necessary to lock myself behind closed doors with a few other voters, and a fauy town offioarc ooocibl,y +r act on matters concerning the entire town,'' he shouted. ''If these people were acting in good faith with their fellow townsmen. why couldn't every body who wanted to attend their meetings? The special committee was appointed by the whole people of the town and any explanations the members have to make should be given before the voters as a whole and not before only few of the so- called political leaders, The peo- pie of ~oWn of Berlin are capable of han ;, this question and they are going do so, star chamber sessions or nay!''
 Too Tender for Office.
 Turning upon Tax Collector Elmer F. Austin, who sat in the front row, Mr. Dean, alluding to him as the "il- lustrious gentleman questioned him about the 5000 in taxes which have been owed to the town for many years. We demand to know why the other man does not pay his taxes!" he shouted. "I would like to state that when the gentleman came to me, he made me pay mine with full interest. Such stories as those relat- ing to poor widows and orphans are told, being offered as reasons for the large amount of uncollected taxes I know that poor widows and orphans