Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-04-23
A GREAT CASE.
The History OF the Salary Of the Eiee.
trician-EccIes vs.. City.

tF1cIan-EccIes vs..
On Saturday morning the jury in the Ec-
cles case bro ght in verdict in favor OF
Eccles for $lS3.75 being principal and in
terest of the entire amount OF his claim.
In October 1850 the city acquired its pres
ent Electric Fire Alarm, and for eight
months left it under the management OF
late Chief OF the Fire Department At
the end OF that time the Council employed
ECcles as Electrician at salary of $3.50
year to look after and operate the alarm,
but at the same time by some lapse
Of perception as TO the connection between
this and that, strangely omitted to provide
back pay for the past service. This did
not strike the late chief as exactly the
thing, and in his mind it did not find an
appropriate and permanent lodgment. In
fact the late chief understood the value of
dollars and cents and saw no reason why
he should not be paid for the previous
eight months, when many commendabIe
kinks in his meutal apparatus inspired
him with the idea that ne could put that
back cash where il would do the most
good. Sometime after the Council fired
EcCles out of the Marshslship he pre-.
stnted q bill to that venerable and august
assemblage for services which he valued at
1896. Council kicked, members swore,
one going so far as 10 express his
readiness 10 spend a thousand dollars of
the city's money, rather than see the lat
pockets Of the ancient fireman swollen and
distended with this princely, nay, lmperl'
al wealth; and in spite of the indignant
protests OF Uncle John Boring, Messrs.
Haterfeld, Stanley and the great CIm-
moner from the Fourth ward, the claim
halIal npr Of fl,a vii
ed old Ark, amid cries of derision Kisses
and sundry and odd Indian war dances or
stray Spanish fandangoes. But the chief
was no whit discouraged, and here 1t
may as well be said that when there
was money in sight he was never accused
OF a tlmorOus heart or faltering steps. he
remembered the dauntleSs manner in
which he had confronted and over
thrown hostile Council when they raised
such dell of racket over the oats that
fell oat-Dy oat.from the city crib into the
open mouth OF the valiant steed that drew
him as he hied himself in his days OF rule,
TO many q well remembered fire. His
pluck rose, and as il grew into galor he
could see the money just ahead, and see
ing, made bee line for it. lie retained
Messrs. John s. Robinson and john o.
PendletOn ana instructed them 10 bring
suit, which they forthwith did before
Squire Peterman.
The city fathers sent City Solicitor Frs.
kline 10 the defense. Witnesses were sum-
mOned, the lawyers ranted, sputtered and
tore their hair in their efforts to pack
sound law into the heads OF Squire Peter
man and his jurieS, the times were big
with poTtentS, the case was tried, EccleS
came out lengths ahead, judgment was
rendered for the entire claim and costs,
and the heart OF the late chief bounded as
D. raali1n1 biS ranil prp ,raSS N the tinppr-
ing Of the cash. Then there was hot time
in the Council. John Boring let fly
whole chunks of SolomoniC wisdom, the
great GOmmOner let loose streaks Of Cicero
MAN eloquence, fired barrels OF common
sense ana sound logic into the peryersely
constructed mental superstruCtures of the
Solons, and John Habertied and Barney
Stanley also made lots of chin.muSiC in
favor of the payment OF the Judgment.
Bcdlam seemed 10 have broken loose, some
bystanders thought the Weston lunatic
asylum had been temporarily moved and
planted on the floor, and many left for fear
the old rat trap might come down ABOUT
their ears, as Lewis Jones, with rush OF
eloquence repeated his desire TO devote
thousand dollars from the city cash box to
the defeat of Eccles. 1t Tas all in vain;
the Council had no money for
their old servant, and sent for the
City Solicitor 10 explain why this had
been so unexpectedly changed into thus"
Mr.. Erskine explained: Nothing would do
the city ancestors, and nothing heal their
woes, but they must appeal to the Circuit
Court, and so they did, and here they have
landed A claim they might have settled
at 800 in the beginning, will now cost the
city, with costs, interest and expenses
about $500. The justices, the juries, and
the courts have gone back on the Council,
and Eccles and his lawyers are in sight of
the cash. Mr.. Eccles' counsel say they will
never ask the Council to pay a cent of the
claim, and indicate that they will issue ex-
ecution and collect the whole matter from
the city's bondmen leaving them to get
what they can can out of the Council.