Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-22
LOVING DENIES
ANY DISCREPANCY
South Richmond Deputy City
Treasurer Answers Admin
istrative Board.
BOOKS ARE BEING EXAMINED
Mayor Inclined to Believe Board
Has Passed Along Mere
Street Rumor.
BOOKS ARE BEING EXAMINED

Emphatic denial CT any shortage or
discrepancy in his accounts was made
last night by r. Scaton Loving, deputy
to the City Treasurer. in charge Of the
South Richmond Office. Books in the
Office are being examined at Mr. Low
inSs request. according to City Treas
urer James y. Pace who declared he
knew of no shortage in tho South Side
ciiice. Mayor George Ainslie. after a
conference with the City Treasurer
said there was no action to be taken,
since from what he could learn there
was no discrepancy in the accounts.
Developments in the matter. which
had bccn widely discussed on the street
for several days. came fast yesterday.
shortly after convcning. the Admins
trative Board called on City Attorney
H. l.. Pollard and told that officer that
the board had been informed that "A
shortage in tho accounts of the treas
urcr's Office in South Richmond existed.
Mr. Pollard told the board that it could
lay the matter before the Mayor.
BOARD OFFICIALLY
NOTIFIES MAYOR AISSLIE
The board then adopted resolution
reading as follows:
The Administrative Board notifies
His Honor. the Mayor. that they have
learned that there is misappropri-
alton OF public funds in the treasurer's
Office on the South Side, and hereby
notifies him of tho same for such ac-
ton as may be deemed proper and
Commissioners Fclkes and Mccarthy
arc appointed committee to notify
tho Mayor at once. II a. NJ
The two commissioners appeared be-
fore Mayor Ainslic at once. and told
him of the boards action. They said
that formal notice would be sent
to him later in tn; day. Mayor Aims
lie said yesterday afternoon that this
was the first intimation OF difficulty
he had received. lie Immediately
called in City Treasurer James B. Pace
Mr.. Pace declared that. so far as he
knew, there was no shortage in the
accounts of the Office. The City Treas
urer admitted that he had heard GER
tain reports OF shortage in the ac-
counts on the South Side, but that he
did not know this to be fact. The
books in the Office were being cx-
amined, he said. at the request of Mr..
Loving, AMI whatever condition this
Inquiry disclosed would be made public.
RELIEVES BOARD HAS
PASSED ON STREET RUMoR
MAJOR Ainslie was inclined to believe.
on the face Of information before him.
that tho Administrative Board had
merely passed along n street report.
He asked members of the board if
they considered preferring charges
against Mr.. Loving, and they replied
they did not. II was also author4ta-
lively stated that members C. the
board told Mayor Ainslic that they did
not have any direct evidence which
they could present 10 him.
Investigation yesterday afternoon
showed that the matter had apparently
been discussed in official c!rcle:' for
several days. Various city officers were
quoted as making certain statements
and with quoting other officials with
making other statements. In fact
many reports and ;Imors have been in
circulation for several days
Mr. Pace declared TO newspaper men
on Wednesday. when asked about re-
ports. that lie knew of no shortage
in the accounts on :he South Side. AT
that time II was also reported that Il
successor TO Mr.. Loving would DC ap-
pointed in the next few days. The re-
port connected the name of Council
man with the position. Mr.. Pace also
denied this rumor. and said he had not
given the matter any consideration as
yet.
COFER FINDS NO SHORTAGE
IN CITY'S FUNDS
City Accountant Cofer said yesterday
afternoon that there was no shortage
in Tie city's funds in the office. He has
just completed an examination Of the
books. This inquiry began several
weeks ago. and was only concluded
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