The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-11-24
Chapman Asked to Resign.

4
Alfred F. Sears jr. and w. L. Chit
enden, constituting majority OF the
special committee of the common coun-
Gil of the city of Portland, appointed to
investigate the charges against Mayor
Chapman, in reference to the Chapman
Besser contract, by which Besser was to
furnish the money necessary to secure
the nomination for Chapman, for which
they In turn were to be appointed to
office by the Mayor, for which Besser
was also to pay Chapman one thousand
dollars, when confirmed, ETC., make the
following report:
That the authenticity of said agree
ment is established, and that the par
ties aforesaid entered into the same
with full knowledge of its import;
that the conduct of said mayor in the
premises is entirely reprehensible, and
without excuse or justification; that his
to obtain his election to the Office which
he now occupies, by immoral and lille
| gal means, and when In the occupancy
of that Office to secure pecuniary COM
pensation unwarranted by law and in
defensible under any canon OF ethics or
morality. Plainly the intention was
! bribery and the conduct of the highest
officer of the city disclyses corruption
ct the fountain head, defiling the entire
municipal government.
The power of impeachment or re-
moval from office IS not directly vested
in your honorable body, but the law of
fers remedy, which your committee
believes it to be the duty of the COM
mon council, as the representative of
the people of this city, to apply:
| Section 6, article 2, of the organic
law Of the State of Oregon IS to the
following effect:
"Everv person shall be disqualified
from holding Office during the term for
which he may have been elected, who
shall have given or offered a bribe,
threat, or reward to secure his election.
And section 354 Of the civil code
provides as follows.
can action at law may be maintained
in the name of the State, upon the in
formation of the prosecuting attorney
or upon the relation of a private party
against the person offending in the fol
lowing cases;
(D. When any person shall usurp
intrude into or unlawfully hold or ex
ercise any public Office, civil or militia
ry, or any franchise within this State
or any office of a corporation eithe
public or private, or formed by or un
der the authority of this State; or e
when any public officer, civil or mill
tary. has done or suffered an act whicl
by the provisions of the law, makes
i forfeiture of his office.
1t is believed and respectfully sub
mltted that the acts of said J. A. Chap
man above rcferied to, have made
forfeiture of his Office" for while II
3 evidence has been discovered shown
the payment of money to the mayor, o
t by him, yet in the opinion of the CON
mittee he has made promise of re
: ward to pr ocure his STATEN.
e Therefore, your committee recon
: mend that a committee be forth witt
: appointed by the common council, EN-
powered and authorized to employ con
: petent counsel, ard directed to institut
proceeding against the said j.. A
), Chapman, mayor of the city of Por
]. land, to have the Office declared vacan-
II The report was adopted by the cour
d ell by vote of FIVE to three. The ma
ter will now go before the court fo
. white washing.
.