The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-06-24
The Council Hear the Charges---Thc
Mayor and the Witnesses Face
Each OUhcr. The Evidence
and the ,Tud Oyucut.

the city council of Palatka convened,
and the meeting was opened by Marshal
| .asseter. The commanding figure Of
Ex-Mavor Teasdale presided as president
of the council; on his right were the
alert, active forms Of Messrs. Kennerly
and Loeb; on his left the aldermanic
proportions of Augustus Mann thanked
by the intelligent, attentive face of |. l..
Purcell.
Tn few well chosen words, the pres
ident stated that the session Of the coun-
Gil was a special one called to try the !
MAYOR Of Paatka on certain charges |
preferred by the citizens. On the mo
ton of Alderman Kennerly the reading |
of the minutes was dispensed with, and
the council took up the consideration Of
the demurrer prosecuted at the last meet
ING bv the defendant. On the right Of
the table sat Judge f. NJ Vary counsel
for the accused, and behind him sat his
client James G. DOnnelly, Mayor of
Palatka, lately elected, now on trial, on
matters affecting his continuance in
Office On the left at another table, sat
T. s. Haughton. County Judge, and W.
II. Wigg, ESQ, counsel for the prosecu-
ton. Farther back sat officers Of the
court and witnesses. and the body of the
large Opera Hall was full of interested
spectators, colored and white. The sober
faces of the reverend seigniOrs of our
city, the careless youth, the gay uniforms
of the Gem City Guards, the blooming
comtenance of the anxious reporter and
the perpIexed brow of the colored broth
err, were all noticed in the motley assem-
| bIage and all seemed interested. An
excited buzz went round, but this was
speedily hushed by the marshal.
The president then announced that the
! council was ready for business and Judge
Vary rose with the demurrer in his
hand and proceeded to read it. He ar
gued that the mayor was guilty as
charged claimed that if he had done all
with which he was charged he would
not have been guilty of malconduCt in
ONCE anu LiI'IHy IildU INC ''"iIOii il''N
not the jurisdiction to try such ohehSeS'
He sought to strengthen this position
with much learned argument-adduced
learned authorities. and asked that the
council sustain his demurrer and release
the prisoner. He sat down.
Judge Wigg for the prosecution. did
not think the demurrer should ever have
been brought into the case. lie sad the
very presence OF the demurrer was plea
of guilty and reminded the court that the
objection to ITS jurisdiction had been IN
PRODUCED before, oVerruled, and now
abandoned. Judge Vary here corrected
the speaker and a hum of applause arose
which Judge Wigg suppressed by ar
emphatic declaration that the claquers
of His Honor could not intimidate him
He labored to show the jurisdiction OF
the court by citations from Mcclellan
digest he read various authorities OF
corporations, declared the appointment
OF such man as Knight and the attemp
, to compound a felony as charged IN the
memorial high crimes and mlsdemean
ors, and asked the impartial action Of thu
board without fear or favor. lie Sa
down. smiled and mopped his brow.
? Inc president then asked what dIspo
I Slt'oh would oe maze OF the demurrer
1 Where"on on the motion OF alderman
a hennerIy 1t was dismissed anu the wit
u nesSeS called LOT.
! Judge NIgg then read the memorla
= aud asked what the defendant would do
o Inc defendant declined 10 plead where
r upon the president ordered plea o
/ mot guilty to be entered, and the frs
e witness was called.
h Marshal Lasseter deposed that he ha,
t been marshal Of Palatka, and on the da.
OF election was deputy sheriff, He hao
l. known one Albert Knight to be arraigne'