The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-11-05
his Commission.

anxious TO DC the recipients OF stray bullets, and
| kept away. Among those present were Three
thousand-dollar corin, II. H. y. Byron p. J. Coo
] gan, S. Thomas, ST., G. W. Clark, Rev. Ii. ".
ss2sllicks, COL X. w. Seymour, several merchants,
and some visitors from Columbia, who were at
tractcd 10y the recent proceedings IN the august
body. The interest in the meeting OF Council was
quite lively among the outsiders, and the corners
! In the vicinity were thickly peoplcd with anxious
| constituents OF the Aldcrmanic magnates.
The entrance OF the Mayor ut quarter-past I
| was signal for general move, ana when the
| gavcl fell the following Aldermen were present:
E. W. NJ. Mackcy, Greene, Gcddings, Potter, YoIgt,
Cunningham and Collins, white; Howard, Mc.
Kinlay, L.. I. Wall, L. =. Wall, Hampton; uollo-
| way, Brown and Small, colorcd.
| Council was declared ready TO proceed to busl.
ness and the Mayor stated that 1t had been con.
vcncd to try the charges and specifications
against Alderman 7. ]. Mackcy.
! Alderman Gcddings offered resolution that
| the City Attorney he requested to be present and
to conduct the charges against Alderman T. j..
Mackcy.
| AZ this stage the Alderman In question came
In as cool and unconccrned as If he were not the
| bone OF contention.
City Attorney Corbin, who promptly came to
the front. requested that Alderman T. J. Mackcy
be called and that the Clerk read the charges and
| specifications.
After the reading the Clerk was again directed
by the CodiGer to demand OF Alderman T. ]. Mac.
key II he was guilty or not guilty.
| Colonel r. w. Seymour, who was sitting near
Alderman T. ]. Mackey, rose aud stated that he
represented the Alderman and desired FIRST to pro-
test against the Jurisdiction OF Council in this case
as 1t was already presented before higher trIbu-
nal and until that decision was rendered no &c.
tion could he taken by Council.
Alderman Mckinlay rose toa point OF order,
| and asked In what capacity Mr.. Seymour was nd
dressing Council. On the statement being made
| that he was the counsel for the accused, Alder
man McKfnlay subsidized.
D. T. Corbin stated thnt the plea against the ju-
rsdiction OF Council should be presented In writ.
ing.
Alderman McKinlay took issue with Mr.. Scy.
mour, and argued that the power OF Council to
try was unqucstioned.
The City Attorney claimed that the assault
having occurred in Council Chamber during
| session, was OF Itself sufficient to warrant the
trial.
Alderman Geddngs offered resolution that the
plea against the jurisdiction be ovcrrulcd and
that the trial be proceeded With. This was car-
ried unanimously, when 7 ]. Mackcy rose and
desired to make q few remarks. lie kept the
floor for some time, and made an elaborate
speech, quoting from authorities, and showing
fhat Council had mt tha jr~i""'"'i~. - tho
case. During this haraugue Alderman Geddings
rose to q point Of order that the Alderman was
not combining himself to the question, but indulg-
Ing In rhetorical lourlshes
The Mayor decided the point we'll taken, but,
| though interrupted frequently, Alderman IT. ].
hackcy Kept his ground, and gracefully conclud-
ed his pereoration.
Alderman Gcddlngs rose with open book In
| his hand, and said that lie had learned to read
when young, and still did so, and commenced
quoting some authorities.
DISPOSITION TO BOLT.
Alderman T. ]. Mackey interrupted him ut this
point, and warned Alderman Gcddngs that lie
| would permit no personalities, or he would use
| Ills privilege as an Alderman, and show up the
past record OF Alderman Geddings, and strip every
mask from his corrupt body. TAT this statement
there was an evident disposition OIL the part OF
the coored spectators to bot.)
Alderman Holloway called for the previous
| question: and Alderman f. W. NJ. Mackey called
for the yeas and nays. The question was put pira
soce, and the plea against the Jurisdiction OF Coun.
! Gil decided ovcrruled.
| The City Attorney then asked that the trial be
proceeded with, and Alderman #. J. Mackcy be
made to plead guilty or not guilty.
| Alderman T. J. Mackey called for tile yeas and
nays on tho previous question, but the Mayor put
/ ~ a.
| The clerk then called Alderman T. ]. MacEey,
who responded mot guilty, ,"but stated that he
was unprcpared to go to trial, ns he had several
Witnesses whom he desired TO summon.
| The City Attorney here called Alderman Yolgt
| to the stnnd.
Mr.. Seymour stated that his client was not
| ready, that his witnesses were not present and
| the case should be postponed. He made n long
and eloquent appeal to Council, and on resuming
his scat was applauded by the audience
Alderman McKinlay desired to know what time
was wanted, and was told until Tuesday next
The City Attorney stated that Council had the
power to act rs they chose; there was no occasion
for further time, Us there were q number OF wit
nesscs present.
Alderman T. ]. MacHey rose to explain the
reason for demanding time, and on movement
from The City Attorney ho said that Ire would not
| bc inteErupted that the case under consideration
was not Tor three thousand dollars, nor was 1t IN
action against the City Treasury
Alderman Cunningham exclaimed against the
use OF such language.
Alderman Holloway moved that the trial be
| proceeded with.
Alderman T. J. Mackcy called for the yeas and
nays.
Alderman McKnlay moved to postpone the
trinl to next Tuesday.
The Mayor stated that the motion before the
House wast TO take the testimony.
Alderman T.. W. NJ. MacIey moved to adjourn
10 next Tuesday, seconded by Alderman McKin-
lay; ana Alderman T. J. Mickey called for the
| yeas ana nays, which resulted ms follows:
Ieas-Greene, Hampton, T. ]. Mackey, E. W. NJ
Mackcy, McKinlay and +. r. wall-o.
Nays-Barrow, Brown, Collins, Cunningham
Geddings, Holloway, Howard, Potter, Small,
| Volgt l.. +. Wall md tho Mayor-l2
Alderman I. j. Mackcy then moved to 10y on
the table the motion to proceed in tho trial. The
yeas and nays being taken, the result was the
same as the previous vote.
Alderman Gcddings said that ealy in the even.
Ing Council had requested the City Attorney to
conduct tho trial, and thought that time was
being wasted In these frivolous proceedings, and
moved that the City Attorney proceed with the
| trial.