The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-09-06
COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS

COUNCIL CHAMBER, EVANSVILLE, I
Monday Evening, Sept. O. 1870. J
The Council met in regular session.
Present-Messrs. Van Ripper. Null
hansen, Richardt, Carpenter, Schaum,
Kerth. Heilman aud Doughty.
Mr.. Doughty was called 20 the chair.
The reading of the minutes was de-
ferred.
The allowing of accounts was de-
ferred by consent until the next meet
ing.
The ordinance read st the last
meeting, prescribing the time and
manner of making tax duplicates, was
read by its title and passed.
The resolution recommended by Col.
DENLY, some time ago, as form In
case the Council desired to elect an
acting Mayor, was passed along the ia
bic from Mr.. Van Ripper to Mr.. Kerth,
who moved its adoption, and asked
the clerk 70 read it.
1t was read, and Mr.. Heilman
moved that it lag over one week, Mr..
Schaum seconding the motion.
Mr.. Muhlhausen explained, the
reason of the introduction of the
resolution now, was that the
Mayor was now totally unable to
perform any of the functions of his
Office.
Messrs Carpenter and Kerth sup
ported the resolution. and Mr. Kerth
named Mr.. Van Ripper to Gil the
blank left in the resolution for the
name of the person to be elected.
Mr.. Stackhouse, by permission as
citizen and a tax payer. protested
against the haste; the death of Mayor
Walker, now impending, would re.
quire an election, and there was no
necessity of electing q man to va
cancy that does not exist.
MIR. Schaum asked why this haste
now. lie had introduced the same
measure six weeks ago, and the same
necessity existed then as now. The
| Mayor had for long time been un-
able to perform bis duty, and the
city had suffered in consequence. Il
was probable that Mayor Walker
would die now, and he thoughtit only
decent to await that event.
Mr.. Muhlhausen denied the asser-
ton; the Mayor had done his duty,
he had signed every paper brought to
him.
Mr.. Heilman said it was but decent
courtesy to await Mayor Walker s
| death.
Mr.. Van Ripper understood the op.
position and their motives. It might
DO becoming in him to keep silent as
his name had been mentioned, but
all they wanted was capital. It made
but little difference to the Democrats
of the Council who should fill the
Chair for the brief interval until a
new Mayor should be elected. The
Democratic majority IN the Council
would give the people a chance short
" to vote as to who should be Mayor,
and il came with Ill grace from the
strangers in the Council TO object, as
the gentlemen had objected, to tie
passage of the resolution.
Mr.. Heilman had assisted in max
| ing the very assessments for which the
people now assaulted him, and Mr..
Heilman couldn't deny it.
Mr.. Heilmau resented the epithet
Of stranger. He would not be called
e. stranger in the Council. He denied
the charge that be had helped to
make the Increased assessments. He
had tried in vain to have them made
lower.
Mr.. Van Ripper denied it, and would
swear that Heilman had said the as
sessment was fair. He launched out
loudly and grandIloquently, and sput
tered defiantly at Mr.. Heilman.
Mr.. Heilman admitted that the
proportionate values were fair, but
the whole of the assessments were
too high.
Mr.. Doughty vacated the chair, aad
cid ha Had forw - b
but resumed his seat to allow Mr..
Carpenter to speak.
Mr.. Carpenter spoke to the ques
ton, which he said had taken
strange turn. He would vote to make
the appointment. and moved that the
name of @. w. Doughty be placed in
the blank.
Mr.. Doughty said this was the Sec
ond introduction of the resolution,
and as 1t was argued on It's first intro
duction that there existed no neces-
sity for 1t, he thought argument as
good now as then. His self respect,
however, forbid him saying mere, SIS
his mama was proposed as the candi-
date to Ill the vacancy on that occs-
sion.
Mr. Muhlhausen said be would ex-
pain 10 Ut. OOuSDtys tnac greater
necessity now exists, because the
Mayor was now no longer able to sign
papers.
Mr. Richardt spoke of Mr.. Walkers
inability to act. and that he had con-
tinued until his physical power failed.
The question occurring on Mr..
Heilmau's motion to lay over, it was
lost.
Mr.. Kerth made an explanation.
Mr.. Van Ripper was sorry that per-
soDalities arose, and that ne was the
indirect cause. He paid a tribute to
Mr. Doughty's worth, but deplored
his imprudenco.
Mr.. Doughty accepted the apology
Mr.. Carpenter called for the read
ing of Col. Denby's legal opinion on
the vacancy in the Mayors Office,
whic6the clerk read, when the reso-