The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-10-19
Makes Reply to Martin
Communication from Alderman Thorn
as Regarding the Sanitary De-
partment Controversy

Star, IS undoubtedly unfamiliar with
Webster's dictionary and at the same
time has very little regard for the
ninth commandment, which reads:
Thou shalt not bear false witness
against thy neighbor."
Mr.. Martin heads his letter by say
ing, "Why l Was Fired" then further
on states that he told me if his ac-
tions had become so unsatisfactory /
might put man in his place. Now,
would you consider this quitting or
being fired?
Getting back to the first part of his
letter. where he stated that he Qast
Sunday morning) approached and
spoke to me that my reply was that
81 did not like it a - bit the way
he was acting" l want to say right
here that this part of Mr.. Martins
letter is absolutely untrue. When
Mr.. Martin walked over and spoke to
me, greeted him as courteously as
] usually do any one. | then told him
that / appreciated his calling my at
tention to the matter of Will Taylor
twho is the negro in question on Mr..
Akin's pay roll) but l did not appre-
ciate the actions and the authority he
had taken in the matter since / told
him l would investigate and look into
the matter myself. So much for his
acquaintance with Webster's diction-
airy and his regard for the ninth COM
mandment.
did not boast to Mr.. Martin, as he
says, in reference to being alderman
at-large of this city, for it was not
necessary as the general public knows
that / have been filling this unthank-
full Office for practically four years.
Neither did l tell him that l had a
man to take his place the next morn
ing, and this he very well knows.
After he told me that if his actions
had become so unsatisfactory that l
might put man in his place, l asked
him when he wanted to quit and he
said that right then would suit him.
l told him very frankly that if the
present suited him, it also suited me.
I phoned Mr.. Akin Sunday night to
get Mr.. Martins crew out Monday
morning and get the men started un-
ii! / could find some one to put in
charge of the work, which, | think,
7 L.l of NJ
Martin.
Mr.. Martins story about the Akin
matter is absolutely correct and the
readers of the Star will note from his
own letter that he interfered very
much after / told him would investi-
gate and handle the matter myself.
After Mr.. Martin made his second
report to me, which was to the effect
that he could only find one Will Tay-
lor and that he was working for Ray
& Thomson, then told Mr. Martin
would handle the matter and l really
expected him to drop it absolutely
unless otherwise advised by me.
then went to work trying to devise
some scheme or plan to catch Mr.
Akin, if guilty. l said nothing to any
one about the matter and finally de-
cided to watch Mr.. Akin's pay roll
and if the negro Will Taylor appeared
on it as usual, would o. K. same and
notify Mr.. Akin and also Mr.. Martin
at noon Saturday, the 18th, to have
all their men at the city hall at five
o'clock that afternoon, as would pay
them off myself. By handling the
matter in this way, if the negro in
question, Will Taylor, refused to
show up for his check / would have
then known that Mr.. Akin was guilty
without the shadow of a doubt. Or
the other hand if Will Taylor had ap-
peared and called for his check il
would have proven Mr.. Akin innocent
| Mr.. Martin according to his owr
statement after making his second
report to me broke up my plans by
his actions, for he admits that after
| told him l would investigate anG
handle the matter myself he ther
went to the Munroe & Chambliss
Bank and talked with Mr.. ]. NJ. Thorn
as, vice president, about the matter
He also admits that he then went tt
Mr.. Gordon, chief of police, and in.
structed him to have Mr.. Akin pro
duce Will Taylor. He also says ne
had a talk with Mr.. Fred Hooker, city
attorney, who advised him to report
the matter to me. He states that hi
then went to Mr.. D. E. McIver, presi
dent of the city council. By this time
of course, it had become general tall
all over town.
| don't know why Mr.. Martin tool
so much authority after / told him
would investigate and handle the mat
ter myself, but my opinion IS III
wanted Mr.. Akin fired on circumstan
| Do