Show I IWAS PAYROLL WAS PADDED American Councilmen Start Backfire on Tithing Charge Against Them p ACCUSATIONS ARE DENIED ALLEGATIONS MADE AGAINST MYSTERIOUS PERSON To offset the exposure of the Airier Amer American lean ican can party tithing extortion a charge charDe was vas made in t te e city c council last last night that hat the payroll in the street depart department nent ment was padded last October to secure funds for the Democratic city cam campaign campaign The charges were made mado against some anonymous person In the form of an affidavit signed by four men men who vho are now in the employ of the American street department and were cro met by a prompt demand upon the he part of the Democratic members of the he council for a rigid investigation of the he charges S M T Seddon street supervisor at the time denied the tb charges absolutely after the council meeting and an said they would be dis disproved disproved proved The matter mattel came up when the two tv reports on the investigation of the charges against Supervisor J T Ral Rai Raleigh were laid before the council for The majority report signed by Councilmen Mulvey and Crabtree both Americans whitewashed Mr lIr Raleigh of the charge of extorting money for campaign funds The majority report signed by Councilman Fernstrom Dem Democrat Democrat Democrat found that the charges were sus sustained sustained tamed and censured the street super supervisor supervisor supervisor visor Black Springs Charges Councilman T R Black denounced that portion of report which accused the American party part of increasing laborers lab ore wages in order to swell the party campaign fund He said that the Americans intended to collect only 10 per cent of one Ine months pay from such as were wore willing willingto to contribute Then Black flashed Hashed an affidavit vIi which he asked the recorder to read r ad The affidavit which was signed by br D H Crowther Thomas Robinson Charles Harmon and James Knight four men who are nov now working under Raleigh declared that the tho th signers were working In the street department last October when S M I T Seddon Demo Democrat Demorat Demorat rat crat was street supervisor that they were asked by s me unnamed person to contribute ute 10 per cent of their Octo October October ber her wages to the Democratic campaign fund and that the demand dema d by the he un unnamed unnamed unnamed named person was Coupled with the threat that if lf f they did not contribute they would be fired The signers then went vent cn en to declare that being Republicans they refused to contribute ute They then say Sy that the proposition vas made by the unnamed person to them that they be he credited with an extra day on the payroll a clay day which they did not work and that they turn the money for that day da amounting to lo about 4 apiece over oer to the tho Democratic campaign fund either through the city treasurer or the street department This arrangement nt with the mysterious mysterious mysterious rious person the affidavit declares was carried out They drew the extra money they declared and turned it over Attached to the affidavit were receipts from P J Nelson for money paid ald by y Harmon H and nd Knight T though l is show what the money was paid for or 01 from what source It was derived Fernstrom Denounces It Fernstrom was quickly on his feet when the reading of or th affidavit was as finished and demanded deman ed that the mat matter matter matter ter be referred to the street Committee for investigation I brand this as a lie He he lie declared I believe these men have committed perjury If anything like this was don dona under the lost last administration I know of it It if was done I condemn it I wont stand for it under any ad administration administration administration ministration 7 Councilman Carter declared that the four men told him that the proposition to pad the payroll was made in the presence of Councilman Fernstrom F I That Th tt is the biggest He lie cn en earth carth re retorted retorted retorted Fernstrom om Hobday made a long rambling speech in which he accused the Demo Democratic Democratic Democratic cratic administration of holding up women In the employ of the city for 20 and 30 per cent of ot their salaries for campaign purposes oses Wells Scores Americans Councilman Wells WeBs made a speech in which he said he did not object to the party In power getting campaign con contributions contributions from its employee It was the manner In which it had been done by coercion and threats to which he objected He also declared that sala salaries salaries ries rles In iii his judgment had been raised in order to promote this American movement He and Mulvey had an interchange of words in which he re reiterated reiterated reiterated II iterated his belief bellef Wells Wens declared however that the charges made against the Seddon ad administration administration administration ministration of the street department were serious and he joined with Fern Fernstrom Fernstrom Fernstrom strom in the demand for a rigid investigation investigation investigation Fernstrom like Wells said he had no objection to campaign contributions from city He said however that the collection of political tithing had commenced April 1 and that a athe at atthe the tho time he moved for an Investigation tion there was every indication that tha It was to be kept up indefinitely The rhe exposure he declared had caused that tha plan to be dropped The investigation had therefore had a good effect This other matter this charge that tha the payroll was as padded under the last las administration I propose to follow to the end said Fernstrom You can cant investigate the last administration too much to suit me It can stand the Ugh light of day That Caucus Resolution Mulvey made m de a heated speech in which he accused Fernstrom and Well w Us of being mischief makers Ho flashed a copy of a resolution which he lie de declared declared dared was adopted in an American party caucus which pledged sue such American city as saw fit without coercion to contribute one tenth of one months salary to the cam campaign campaign fund this contribution to be paid pale In three payments July Jub 1 I Aug 1 and Sept 1 He declared tills this was the ex ox extent extent tent which it tt was Intended to levy con contributions contributions contributions up city Mulvey y in the course course of an angry I speech defended the conduct of Crab Crabtree Crabtree tree and himself in investigating Ra Raleigh Raleigh Raleigh leigh Their Investigation he declared was thorough and impartial Fern FernStrom Fernstrom Fernstrom Strom denied this and several speeches were made Hobday making malting three on subject Finally Councilman Mar tin became impatient before the house he de demanded der demanded r Scarcely anything replied O ODon ODonnell Don Donnell Donnell nell who was presiding and a laugh broke the tension Raleigh Duly Whitewashed The vote on minority re report report report port convicting Raleigh was then put and it was lost being the only member to vote for it The ma majority report whitewashing Raleigh was then adopted Barnes Fernstrom Tuddenham Tuddenham Tuddenham denham and Wells voting against It ft The charges against the Seddon ad administration administration administration ministration of the street department were ele then referred to the street com committee committee committee for investigation by unanimous consent The investigation will proba biLy bIL be h ld Thursday night Mr Denial When S M L T Seddon former street supervisor was told last night of the charges made mae in lii the affidavit presented to the council ho he said That is an fn absolute lie le le Such a athing athing athing thing or anything akin to it never hap happened happened happened in the te street department while I was at the head of It I No man was ever credited for a single days work which he perform I will wil say further that nobody in the te department was wa ever compelled to contribute to the theD Democratic D campaign fund Lund Any con contributions COntributions contributions that were made were en entirely entirely I voluntary |