Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-03-08
Local and state Items.
Town Meeting

Some five or six hundred of the voters
of Rutland staid at home yesterday and
let town matters take care of them
selves. The consequence was that the
"Finnegans" had it pretty much all their
i own way. The ballot for Moderator re-
suited in a tie, the two candidates, d. S.
Chatterton and John Cain, having each
314 votes. The candidates then drew
cuts" by an arrangement between them
selves, to determine which should act as
Moderator, the object being to save the
time which would be consumed in tax
| ing another ballot. Mr.. ChattertOn an
nounced that he had drawn the short
cut" and therefore Mr. Cain was Moder-
ator. AS this was evidently not legal
mode Of electing Moderator, it was then
proposed that few ballots for Mr.. Cain
should be deposited in the box and
counted, and he should thus be declared
elected. Some votes were deposited for
this purpose, it being announced from
! the Moderator's stand that the ballot
box would be turned In five minutes.
Meantime a protest was made against
this method Of deciding the election, a
regular ballot being claimed by some,
and several, as we understand, pressed
| forward TO vote, who were unable to get
through the crowd around the box in
season to deposit their ballots before the
box was turned The box was turned
according to annOu nCement amid great
noise and confusion, and Mr. Cain took
the stand as Moderator. A ballot was
still demanded by some, but the meeting
went on, and the ballOting commenced
for town officers. Some Of our best law
yers, we believe, regard this organizs-
tion of the meeting as not in compliance
with the statute, and therefore illegal.
Whether, if so, it vitiated the subsequent
proceedings of the meeting, is ques-
ton for legal gentlemen and we leave it,
for the present at least.
Many who had voted for Moderator
abstained from further voting. The bal
lot for town officers result ted in the cleo
ton of the following;
Town Clerk-James Brown.
Selectmen-Frankln Billings, Moses
Hayward, David Wing.
Town Treasurer-Walter c. Landon.
| Overseer O. the PoOr-Daniel Wing.
COnstable-D. S. Chatterton.
Listers-Samuel Hayward, J. B. Proc
tor W. II. B. Owen.
AuditOrs-Wm, Gilmore, N. s. Stearns,
Grin Thomas.
Trustee of Public Money-W. Fl, 3.
Owen.
Fence Viewers-Nahum johnson, Ca
LED Buffum, Alpha Fl. Post.
Grand Jurors-James L. Gilmore. J.
G. Griggs, Daniel Verder.
Inspector of Leather-E. F, Sadler,
Town Agent-Franklin Billings.
superintendent of Schools-Rev. H.
M. Grout.
Mr.. Verder subsequently was excused
at his own request, from serving az a
Grand Juror aud Col. C. H. joyce was
elected by VirG eOee vote in his place.
Articles three, four, five. six and
seven Of the warning were severallV dis.
missed by d succession of "Finnegann
yells. Article eight, in relation to rails
ing money TO defray the town expenses
for the year ensuing would have met
with the same fate, had not the Modera.
tor given il as his opinion that tax of
30 cents on the dollar of the grand list
was necessary and would he sufficient
hr. Chafee moved shat tax of 25 cents
on the dollar he voted, with a dedsction
Of 5 cents II tha tax is paid 70 the Treas
urer by the 18th orJuly. Sever al Efforts
We're made 20 increase the amour, of the
tax but uDsuccessfuliy, and Mr. Chat.
fees motion prevailed. This tan will
not amount 10 $4,000, as was stated
while the amount OF the towns liabil;.
ties for the ensuing year are given nv
the Auditors as $4,000. How TO nav
$4,000 with $4,000, we think would
puzzle even Secretary McCullocb
Il vas voted on motion ofMr Rvsr,s
10 exempt the polls Of members NJ .bs