Criticised City Treasurer's Unauthorized Bond Payments

Ald. Clancy offered the following resolution Monday night:

"Resolved, that the city treasurer Is hereby instructed by the city clerk to put back in the city treasury the money he paid out for bonds without a warrant ordered by this council and signed by the mayor and clerk as required by the charter.

"Resolved, further, that the city treasurer be required to furnish the council at its next meeting with a detailed statement of bonds due, so that the proper warrant for their payment may be authorized."

Consternation was visible on numerous countenances. A sensation had certainly been created. The resolution was lost by the following vote:

Yeas- Aid. Koch, Schlenker, Clancy, Kearns- 4.

Nays- Aid. Hamilton, Douglas, Johnson, Roberts, Grose, Coon, Fischer, Pres. Haarer - 8.

When the city treasurer's report had been read earlier in the evening, Ald. Koch wanted to know if the treasurer had a right to pay the bonds without an order of the council.

City Attorney Sawyer said the bonds were an order in themselves.

Ald. Koch said he was not an attorney, but he claimed that the treasurer had no such right. We make contracts for work at a certain amount, but it can't be paid until the council allows the order.

Atty. Sawyer was sure the treasurer had the right.

Ald. Koch: "Why should the treasurer pay bonds not yet due and let the people go without their pay?"

City Attorney Sawyer: "Because we have no right to take the funds of the paving districts to pay other funds.

[The city attorney's attention is called to the fact that the city funds on which orders are refused show balances on hand, while the paving and sewer funds out of which payments have been made are overdrawn. See treasurer's report.]