The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-03-14
rhs WAY he People are ohsated.

Shortly after Thomas Murdoch was
elected Mayor, last March, he requested
the City Attorney (P 7. McElherne, Esq
to furnish the City Council with written
opinion, as to whether the city had the
power to remove the ferry landing from
the foot Of Washington street to that OF
Eagle street.-the place previously estab-
ished for the ferry landing by the City
Council. On the 22d of April following,
the City Attorney handed in his opinion,
to the effect that the city had such power
of removal. notwithstanding the ferry
company's charter.
At the meeting of the Council on the
9th of May, Alderman Riley moved That
the opinion of the City Attorney be &C
cepted by the Council as correct" The
vote on Alderman Riley's motion stood
ayes 5, noes Q
Instead of acting upon the City Attor-
ney's opinion, and the resolution passed in
1869 locating the ferry landing at the foot
of Eagle street, Mayor Murdoch not only
refused to remove the ferry landing, but
without any authority whatever, from the
City Council, procured the opinion OF
/ Judge Wilkinson of Chicago, on the same
point
On the oath of August Judge Nllkin-
son furnished Mr.. Murdoch with a written
, opinion. taking the very same position as
the City Attorney had many months pre-
viously
But now comes the rub A few days
AGO NIavor Murdoch handed to the City
1 Clerk, TO be presented to the Council Il
bill of which the following is a copy
= Crry OF Rock ISLAND. Dr.
. 70 WILKINSON. SACRETr BEAN
For counsel and written opinion, at Re-
e quest Of Mayor, upon question OF lurlsuE
i0u Of the city on public landing ana lu'
D, rrgulatiou of Its use by steamboats,, ferry
honf- etc furnished by Wilkinson TO May ,
or Murdoch ON s4th of August 18Th. SI'o'"
e There surely must be some mistake
c here. The amount Of the bill may be rea-
{ s5nablc enough, but we fail to see why the
e City of Rock Island should be asked
I To nav attorneys fees for Thomas Muir
. dock or any other person Judge W likln
SON must have thought MIR. Murdoch had
some authority to employ him on behalf OF
the Cityorhe never would have made out ms
hin rs he did But, be that as it may, We
; insist that when Mr. Murdoch procures a
/ legal opinion for his own benefit and
brochures it on his own and not on the City
Council : authority, be shall pay for it out
of his own pocket Mr. Murdoch knew
that the legal landing place for the ferry was
at Eagle street. He knew that, wher
Mayor Buford built the landing there. he
Jill S, with an express understanding with
Robinson before . dollar Of money wa,
expended that the landing at Eagle street
would be satisfactory to him Tie knew
that the City council had legally establish
, ed the landing there lie knew that i
was occupied one year as the landing
without objection from Robinson He ha,
T. the opinion Of the City Aturne,
" and the order of theCity Councj
< as his authority for action i
70 placing it there. Instead of acting OF
this, the only proper authority for him, Ii
I delayed and quibbled about the matter
then, on his own hook. procured the opu
ion of another attorney, pJmpously decial
ing that he would act on that opinion
\ whatever it might he as soon As received
When it was received, it turned out 10 b
y exactly what City Attorney McElhern
}" had months previously, declared to be til
law-but even then Mr. Murdoch did II.
act. He waited, aud waited, and waite,
; till Robinson had plenty Of time T. &C
\ an order from Judge Peasants To preveI
d. hi moving the ferry dock t. j
-; only proper and legal landing plac
- And after all this playing into the hauO
\ Of Robinson, the people are asked 70 pay
hundred dollars for Murdoch neglect
~ duty. Judge Wilkinson ought To have h
pay Of cour~c-but his claim Is not again
=. the City II is against Thomas Nu
-. dock. And if Capt Robinson were t. e
hibit common gratitude to Murdoch for Il
- aid he has rendered him while in a pla
" where he ought tn have acted for the pc
- pie he would hand him the money to p,
IN thi, bin with