Tacoma’s Whitewash That Wasn’t

TACOMA, July 16.—[Special.] The charges of dishonesty preferred personally before the city council Saturday by President Demorest, of the board of public works, against George H. Hollidge, who had an hour before been appointed superintendent of the light and water plants, were not sustained today in tangible form before the special committee of the council appointed to investigate the matter. Demorest charged the committee with desiring to whitewash Hollidge. For this rash remark he was promptly called to order by Chairman Lyster, and notified that there was no wish to whitewash. Finally the matter went over until tomorrow at 2 p.m., when Demorest will be given an opportunity to prefer charges in writing.

Today’s session started with a demand for a statement from Demorest charging Hollidge with dishonesty, in writing. This Demorest declined to do. He desired that the city prefer the charges, based upon his affidavits, and have the matter brought through the board of public works. Demorest consulted City Attorney Wickersham and reported that he absolutely refused to have anything to do with the charges, because it was understood it was not desirable to drag the city into the light and make it responsible for the charges. Demorest also declined to make the charges orally, as he had done at the meeting of the council Saturday. Member Rydstrom of the board of public works had previously refused to join Demorest in signing charges in writing.

The committee prevailed upon Mayor Orr to call a special meeting of the council to hear its report. The charge not having been formally made, the committee reported that it had not accomplished anything, and the council then decided to give Mr. Demorest until tomorrow to prefer charges in writing.

As the matter stands, Hollidge is out for a complete show down. He asks for the charges in writing, in order that he may get back at his accusers. Besides, he has his inside pocket filled with affidavits of his own, and he does not hesitate to say that Demorest does not pay his bills. He has also dug up all his time books covering the period when his accusers claim he was getting a rake-off for overtime charges from the Tacoma Light and Water Company, and buying clothes for a converted horsethief with his ill-gotten gains, and again pocketing the money when the horsethief returned the purchase price of the wardrobe. Hollidge is disgusted with Demorest as a member of the Masonic fraternity, and although the latter expressed a willingness to shake hands with Hollidge today, Hollidge does not want him to look him in the face again.

George E. Demorest, a former wireman in the employ of the city and not related to President Demorest, states that there is crookedness in connection with the board’s manner of doing electric lighting, and alleges discrimination. He says: “It is a fact, known to the linemen in the employ of the city, that the board has allowed a private owner to string wires over the town and utilize his private electric plant, but this same privilege has been refused others, and when wires have been strung, with this single exception, they have been cut, and I have cut them myself under orders from the board.” This Mr. Demorest is not now in the employ of the city.