The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-03-08
CIT Y AFFAI IRS.
WHo rs o1IY TREASURER 2

WHO rs CITY EREASURERf ~.
Proceedings Of the city Fathers Last
Evenfng-Mr. ThomaI'si Pies THE
Council Decides in Favor OF s1r.
Coogan. -FsSi:
Il A special meeting of Council was held last
evening In the Mayors office. Present-the
Mayor, and Aldermen 0rNeill, Bowen, Gage,
Smith, Moran. Brown, Johnston, Kenny,
Glover, sweegan, Garrett, MIchaels, Voigt
and SIgwald. 1sr
Major Stone was present In the place OF City
Attorney CorbIn, also Treasurer Thomas and
the treasurer elect, Mr. P. J. Coogan.
The resolutions offered by Aldermen Swee.
gan and Gage, and passed at the last meeting,
relating to the Office Of the city. treasurer,
were read. Mr.. Thomas was then requested
to read his objections to vacating his office,
aud In response to this he asked to be allowed
the privilege of being represented by counsel.
Alderman Sweegan inquired Of the city at
torney whether this could be legally allowed.
Major: Stone said that, in his opinion, 1t
would be legal 1t the Council eawf fit to allow 1t,
Alderman; sweega1 then moved that this be
allowed. s..gi, gr1,i szg.-y 81 .Gtai!..,
Alderman Voigt here objected to the admis-
sIoH of counsel, as contrary to the purport Of
the resolutions passed. at the last meeting, but
afterwards consented to withdraw his objec-
tions. ..==s....,.. ~.
The motion, seconded by Alderman O'Neill,
was put and carried, that Mr.. Thomas be allow
ed to be represented by one counsel. .,;.,.
Mr.. Thomas then sent for his counsel, and
shortly after Major Theodore G., Barker was
introduced, who read the answer Of Mr..
Thomas in response to the resolutions passed
by Council, claiming that he was legally elect
ed to his Office 10 July, 1869, for four years,
was faithfully performing the dulles OF the
same without any complaints being made
against him, and that he did not now deliver
1t to P. J. Coogan, because the latter, as he
was advised, was not legally entitled to the
same. The positions of the answer were sus-
tanned by Major Barker In an elaborate argu,.
ment, to which Major stop" responded In the
place of Major Corbln, claiming to represent
and advise the Council, without being attor-
ney for Mr.. Coogan. -.., "a
Major Barker hsvlnx been heard In reply,
Alderman Sigwsld moved that all who were
not memters Of Council (reporters excepted)
be requested to retire. The motion was car
rled, and Council then wentinto the consldera-
tlon OF the case, the city attorney being pres.
ent.
After discussing the matter for some time,
Alderman Smith said he was not ready to vote
intelllgently on the question. They were sit
ting In a judicial capacity, and many argu-
ments had been suggested, and much law cited
by both OF the counsel, which required time to
think over. With thls view only he moved an
adjournment. The motion was pnt and lost:
At the advice of the city attorney, Council
then went in a secret session to dispose Of the
legal question. Every one but Council and its
clerk retired, when the following preamble
and resolution were passed:
Whereas, The City Council Of Charleston,
on ihe 7th day Of March, 1872, In Council as
sembled, have, after full hearing Of the case
Of Stephen Thomas, late city treasurer, who
was duly summoned to appear before them
anu show oauso why he shnnld not be remov-
ed from the office Of city treasurer for rerus-
Ing to deliver up the books, papers, &C.. OF
his said office, and to transfer the same 10 MS
signed BY said Stephen Thomas Is Insufficient
10 sustain bis said refusal:. Now. therefore,
Be II resolved, That the said Stephen Thom-
as ia hereby removed from the said ONCE,
which he assumed to hold in violation OF the
ordinance of the City of Charleston.
The removal of Mr.. Thomas being thus re-
solved upon, the Council then passed the fol-
lowing resolution to carry their decision into
effect:
Whereas, At meeting of the City Council,
held on the 7th day of March, 1872, Stephen
Thomas, late city treasurer of the City OF
charleston. was, upon sufficient cause, after q
fun hearing of the case, declared duly removed
from the Office Of city treasurer; now, there.
BE it resolued, That the committee of ways
and means be instructed to iGstal forthwith p.
]. Cooean, the present city treasurer, into the
said Office, and, for this purpose, they are
required to call upon said Stephen Thomas to
surrender to P. J. Coogan the said Office, and.
In their presence, to deliver to him, the said
P. j. Coogan. all the books, records, archives,
moneys, bonds, stocks, vouchers and all other
property and papers whatsoever belonging 10
said office; that they verify the receipts 10 be
given for the same by the said P. j. Coogan,
City treasurer, and that they cause 9 copy
thereof to be made for their use, which copy
shall be filed with their report to the Council
OF their action herein.
And be it further resolved, That In case the
said Stephen Thomas shall refuse to surrender
the books, records, archives, moneys, bonds,
stocks, vouchers and other property and papers
connected with the Office Of city treasurer,
which he NAV have In his possession, then
the said committee shall take possession Of
the same, and shall take such steps as to them
shall seem necessary for the security thereof,
until such time as the said Stephen Thomas
and surelies upon his official bond shall have
been notified that the said property Will be
delivered by them to Ethe said P. J. Coo
gan, city treasurer, at day and hour
to be by them fixed, ct which time the Com.
ml.tee shall proceed, In the presence OF the said
P. ], Coogan and the said Stephen Tnomas
and his suretIes, II they desire 10 be present,
to make out a full and careful inventory Of all
The property, of whatever kind, In said Office,
and belonging or In anywise apperta,ning
thereto, taken possession Of by them, and
shall deliver copy of said inventory TO the said
P. ]. Coogan, city treasurer, and Shall lake
from said P. ]. Coogan duplicate receipts
therefor, one of which receipts shall be Tor the
said Stephen Thomas, and the other shall be
retained by the said committee, and carefully
preserved with their minutes; and Immediate.
" upon executing such receipt, the said T. j.
Googan shall proceed to. discharge the duties
of said office.
Council then adjourned.
DEATH OF A SCHOLARLY D1yNE.-The Au-
u, loo&t sc Dar TNhY