The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-03-03
gounty commissioners.


Considerable interest and not lit
tie excitement has been manifested
by the file leaders of the Democracy
ia the vicinity of the Court House,
Yesterday aud the day before. The
facts originating the excitement, as
we have been able to gather them, are
about as follows:
The Board of County Commission
ers, previous to this week, was com
posed Of PHILIP DECKER, Republican,
and Messrs. HAWKINS and Bowers.
Democrats Mr.. HAWKINS was elected
in October last. Since his election.
he has leased, purchased, or rented a
farm ia Kentucky, upon which be is
now at work, and on which it is his
intention to live. Having resolved
on becoming a citizen of Kentucky,
he felt that he could not retain his
position as County Commissioner, and,
accordingly, rendered his resignation o
Auditor BIsCH On Monday morning
the Democratic leaders ascertained
that the resignation was in the hands
Of the Auditor, and at once took steps
to prevent, If possible, its acceptance.
A committee was appointed to secure
the person of Mr.. BOWERS as soon as
he reached the city, and runners were
dispatched to hunt up and bring in
Mr.. HAWKINS. Whether the orders
were to take him dead or alive, we
know not. All day Monday Mr.
Bowers was kept closely concealed.
aud in consequence the Commits
sioners did not meet until yes
terday morning. At the appointed
hour yesterday morning for the assem-
bling of the Commissioner, Mr.. Bow
ERs was still absent, and it appeared
altogether probable that he would not
be present during the day, as he
had not been on Monday. Under
the statute granting them that
power the " remaining Commissioner.
together with the Auditor" proceed
ed to choose q Commissioners to fill
the vacancy occasioned by the resig-
nation of Mr.. HAWKINS. Mr.. BAR
KER, of Union Township. was ac-
cordingly chosen as his successor.
The Board then proceeded to appoint
Captain MARTIN Trustee of Union
Township, to fill the vacan y occas
ioned by the resignation of SAMUEL
BARKER, and adjourned until this
morning at 9 o'clock.
Frustrated in their attempt to pre-.
vent a meeting of the County Com
missioners, the Democracy became
yet more excited, and dispatched mes
sengers to Kentucky after Mr.. HAw
KINs, that they might force him to
withdraw his resignation. In the
meantime, finding that his conceal
ment was no longer profitable to his
party, and qnite unpleasant to him
self, Mr.. BowERs made his appear
ance in the Commissioners room only
to ascertain that said body had ad
journed until this morning at nine
o'clock. If it is his good pleasure
then to be present and attend to biz
duties, all right, If not, we presume
the business Of the county will be
transacted without him.
This high handed attempt to pre-
vent the County Commissioners from
meeting as prescribed by law, is char
acteristic Of the law abiding and law
loving Democracy. The further at
tempt to compel man who has mad
his home in Kentucky to act as Com
missioner for a County in Indiana
will be condemned by every unprejn
diced citizen. IN the County. Mr.
HAWKINS very properly felt that hi
oiIice was in reality vacated when h
determined to make Kentucky hi
future home, aud as soon as he com
menced working on his farm, he sen
IL his resignation to the proper officer
Mr BARKER, the new Commission
or, il an intelligent and honorable eli
izen of Union Township, and, if "
are not misinformcd, was the ma
most preferred by Mr.. HAWKINS s
his successor. We believe he Wi
make faithful and efficient Con
missioner.