Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-07-23
CITY COUNCIL.
Meeting of the Board of Aldermen
The Indicted Members Allowed TO
Retain their Seats.
interesting Report of tbe City
Comptroller.

Pursuant to adjournment the Board
of Aldermen met yesterday evening
at four o'clock. On motion of Alder
man Black, Alderman Dyer was called
to the chair, and on calling the roll
the following members were found to
be present, and answered to their
names:
Aldermen Clancy, Joyce, Marshall,
Black, Cartwright, Dyer, O'Donnell,
Cicana, Gallagher, Renner,, Ogden,
Vincent, Ellis and Williams.
The reading of the minutes was
dispensed with and the Chair called
for communications from the Secre-
tary's table.
Alderman Cicalla said before the
board proceeded to business he would
offer the following motion:
ReSOlUed, etc, That the members OF
the Board now under indictment be
excused from sitting in the board un-
til such time as they may have had a
hearing.
Alderman Joyce moved to table.
The ayes and nays were called for
on the motion.
& tAlderman CLANCY said he did not
think the Board had the power thus
to act.
Alderman O'Donnen called him to
order, as the motion was to table,
which was not debatable.
The Chair ruled that MIR. Clancy
had a right to explain his vote.
The votes were then called with the
following result:
49, Gro,av- ATo--hoH Toxvn0
Cartwright, Gallagher, Renner, Og-
den, Wolcott, Vincent, Williams-lO.
Nays-Aldermen Black, O'DOnneil,
Cicalla, MOffet and Ellis.
After the result Of the vote was an
nounced, Renner arose and said that
he had not come to the Board with
any intention of taking "a part IN its
deliberations. He felt that this was
due to decOrum; not that he had done
anything criminal, OF against the
city's interests. He had nothing to
derive by coming there, except to
serve the city, in whose interests he
had worked for eighteen months.
He had made up his mind not to take
any part in the discussions of the
Board, and therefore asked that he be
excused from serving until he had had
his trial on the charges nov pending
against him.
Alderman Cartwright moved that
Mr.. Renner be excused as requested.
Gallagher stated that he hoped the
Board would not eXcnse him. The
mere fact of an Alderman being under
indictment is no sign that he is guilty.
Because he is accused of an infamous
crime, it is no reason that he has COM
mitted il. Then it has not been the
precedent to suspend city officials on a
mere indictment. If he remembered
arightly, there was q City Recorder
here once, by the name of Creighton,
who was for many months under the
indictment for murder in the first de-
gree, and he was not suspended. He
was not in favor of branding a man |
because he happened to be indicted by |
the Grand Jury. They were merely
accused, and, in the eye of the law, |
was innocent until he was proved
He could, if he felt like it,
procure the indictment of any man he
pleased-indeed, of the whole Board, |
for fifty dollars. What if this were
done, and every man of the Board in
dicted? Here Jimmy struck an atti-
tude of horror, as if he were
aghast at the bare possibility of
such melancholy catastrophe.) What
would the city do, with nobody to
legislate for it? why" said the
speaker, "Ive been indicted myself.
l don't hesitate to say it. THAT was
for cowstealing, a few days ago. l
wouldn't give a pinch of snuff for a
big empty champagne basket full of
indictments" He concluded by eX-
pressing the opinion that the Board
COULD not excuse a member. Ii had no
right to do so, as his time and service
were due to his constituents and not
to the Board.
The Chair held that the Board could
excuse a member at his W request.
Alderman Cartwright said he was
at a loss what to do or say. He had
i'll feeling against any member of
the Board. If a member wished to
be excused he did not see why it
should not be done.
Alderman Williams said, whilst he |
did not vote for the motion of Alder
man Cicalla, he did not see why a
gentleman should not be excused from
serving on the Board if he wished to.
thought that motion came with
bad grace from the Alderman of the /
ward, Cicalla.
At this point the speaker was rap
ped to order by the Chair, who de-
clared that he would allow no person.
Alderman Williams proceeded and |
said that when these men have a
trial by jury and are convicted it will
be time enough TO say that they shall
not sit upon the board. He would
vote to excuse on their own
Alderman Cicalla rose to an expla-
nation but was raped down as being
out Of order.
Alderman Gallagher differed with
the Chair as to the right of the board
70 eXcus members from their sworn
and bOunden duty. He held on the
contrary their attendance might be
commanded and they be compelled to !
vote on such subjects as came before
them.
The Chair held that the Board was
bound by common courtesy to excuse
the member ifhe demanded it, and he
put the question.
The question was then raised as to
low long q time the excuse would
hold.
Alderman Renner said maybe one
month and maybe seven.
The Chair stated that on those cir
,umstances he did not feel justified in
that the leave could be given.
And t~hereupOn Alderman Renner
withdrew his request.
This matter being settled, the
Chair called for the documents from
Secretary's desk, and a message /
rom His Honor, Acting Mayor
SWayne, was reported. Ii covered
the usual "wide expanse" of paper,
and treated of every subject in the
range of the city government.
Its extreme length precludes it repnb-
lcation IN columns.
He announces that the streets areip
good order, and that the firemen are
efficient. He urges that a coat of tar
be laid on the Nicholson, and depre-
the watering system. He in
.orms the Board that the enemies of