The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-04-04


ing, Mayor Butler stated that he had inyit-
ed Mr.. VIM. II. Gest to try and explain
away the opposition to him as city attorney.
Mr.. Gest then arose aud said that as he
understood the case the opposition to him
was on the following grounds:
1. That he had charged an exorbitant fee in the
Union square suit.
O. That he was a working and inscriptions
g. That he had refused to give counsel TO alder
men who called on him, giving as his reason that
he was too busy.
As to the first objection, he wanted to
leave the question with any three attorneys
the council would name, and if they said
the bill was too large he had nothing more
to say.
Aid. Lundy then said that he had asked
several lawyers if the bill was too large
and they had all answered in the negative
He then asked Mr.. Gest if he would leave
| the bill with ~ honest taxpayers of the
city who bad to pay the bill, and abide by
their decision Alderman Lundy said he
didn't believe lawyer could be found who
would say that the bill was too much-bu
| it wasn't the lawyers that they were acting
for; they were there to act for the tax pay
ers, those who had to pay the BILL Ap
plause from the audience greeted this ex
cellent hit of Aid. Lundy, and the mayor
raped angrilv, for order, aud frowned OIL
the people who thus expressed their ap
probation of Aid. Lundy. Mr.. Gest did no
answer the questionable was very bus,
with the city clerk.
Aid. Carse said. in reply to Aid. Lundy
WED better have the taxpayers COM
here and run the business" Aid. Cars
ought to know that the Taxpayers are sup
posed to run the business. by their agents
the aldermen, and that when the aldermen
become the agents of the lawyers it is tim
for the taxpayers to attend the council il
a body and watch those who prove recre
ant to the interests of the tax payers.
Gest then said that in the old counc
the bill had passed without any opposition
Aid Wollenhaupt corrected him o.
that point, and said that not only Mayo
Davenport and the members of the oil
council had thought the bill very large, bu
that the present mayor had also give
, his opinion that the bill was an exhorbit
ant one. But the bill was allowed on tn
ground that nobody could tell anythin
about lawyers bill.
Aid. Carse-Then the people will hol
{ us the old council responsible for it.
A voice from the bystanders-''We do.
I'VE do"
Mr.. Gest then spoke of tn
: hard work he had had in securing til
testimony of witnesses, taking deposition
etc., but was quieted when asked by ALL
| ell L. 10 To-
bic in getting testimony than Maj. Come
, ly had, in the first trial of this case. II
didn't know as he had. Then, sal
: Aid. Mosenfelder, 'how is it that your b
: is nearly twice as large as Maj. Connolly
bill?" MIR. Gest did not answer this, bl
referred to letter he had received fro
J Judge Wilkinson, in reference to COZ
, munication in THE ARGUS Of Feb. 2St
J entitled RES Geste," and signt
"Causi joel" in which the writer hi
J said that it was reported" that
y had sat like a wooden-hea at Il
o trial in Chicago and that Judge WilkinsI
. had done all the work. Mr.. Gest sa
U that he believed Col. j. B. Danforth, j
had written that communication for poll
cal purposes. Judge Wilkinson's lett
!, was read, in which the judge said
e thought the communication was unjust
q Mr.. Gest, and closed by saying that
considered his (Gest's) bill very reaso
&c able, and if he had taken his advice t
Is bill would have been twice as large.
IL As to the second objection, he said
+ had seen in THE ARGUS that he was
= 'unscrupuloQs" politician. Aid. Lun
L. remarked that the word 'unscrupulou
was not used by any alderman, what tn
" said was that he was rank and raj
I'd politician. This seemed to satisfy I
- gentleman, and he closed his remarks
this question by saying that, "as
- American citizen l have a right to take
en- interest in politics.
/ AS to the third objection, he said A
n, Yates met him in the hall near bis Off
when he was busy on the case OF
City VS.. Anawalt, Denkman Il Co. a
and that he had asked him to call aga
which he had not done.
Us Aid. Yates-Yes, sir, l did call ag
Ir. aud you said that you had forgotten
lat about the matter.
., Gest-You was never at my Othc
second time, Mr.. Yates
ID Yates-I was sir.
IN. Mr.. Gest then got down off his h
eff horse and said that he did not remem
~ anything about the second visit, and
u knowled that he did not give the inforl
er, ton in question Sidewalk ordinance
ed Arsenal street, until it was too late to
ed port to the council at the next meeting.
These are the facts in the case, and
people can judge whether or not they W
us good reasons for the council to refuse
rk. confirm Mr.. Gest as city attorney.
is ----
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