Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-03-25
MAYOR GRuBB's STArEMEAr
The Matter Referred to the Commit
tee on Elections BY a Vote
Of "a to Il.
One Hundred and Twenty Dollars Knocked
Of the Health Officers BiIl---An
Attempt to Create the Office of
Assistant City Clerk.

Following is the communication Of Mayor
Grrbb, on the subject of gambling, read in
The Second Branch, last evening. and re-
ferrsd to the Committee on Elections:
To the Honorable Council Cfhe City Of
HhseHRg:
GENTLEMEN: When on the 9th day Of
January, | stood before this honorable body
and with uphfted hand swore to perform my
duty as Mayor of the city OF Wheeling, |
did it with no mental reservation, out a
fixed determination to do my duty as | best
knew how.
SSC 5. Defining my duties, declares the
Mayor shall submit a communication to
c, uncil ION or before the second Tuesday in
Narch) in relation to the interests OF the
city generally and making such recommen-
datiLns as may seem necessary or proper.
The present financial difficulty would sug
gtst that something was very necessary and
proper.
The city is deeply in debt, ard her paper
is traded about at q discount. The time
has come when it is absolutely necessary toi
US 10 pay this debt. To pay it We must Sc.
cure a loan. Twice have the people voted
against il, and they would do it again, I'M
less this honorable body do take upon itself
such obligations and pledges as will guar
sntee that no more of the peoples money
will be expended before it is earned. Such
an ordinance will be oferedfor your consld'
GRAFTON.
desire to call your attention to certain
violations Of ordinances Of this city, and the
blind indifference of the police department.
By reference to the books of the collector
of internal revenue, YOU will find that more
than thirty houses of prostitution have
United States license to sell liquor, and ig-
more our own municipal license. This
license, if collected, would amount to over
$4,000. However, they pay q portion OF 1t
in fines, being frequently pulled to the
exclusion OF the gamblers.
But 9 few months ago the report of q PTS
toll was heard within a square OF this build
ing; a human soul was hurled into eternity,
ard the bleeding victim, with the brains
trickling from the wound, was carried from
the gambling house to the new made WldoS
and her fatherless children.
But a few weeks ago the report OF q P sto
is again heard, and the wounded victim /
carried from q gambling house-trom tn
house Of a member of this Council. During
the last year the evil has grown to q mos
alarming extent.
A few days after | had taken nv oath o
Office, | had q conversation with the Ser
geant of the city on the subject, and he de-
sired to let the matter rest until attea the
Legislature adjourned. To this | asssnted.
About q week ago, / again called the stten-
ton of the Sergeant to the subject, aud he
endeavored to persuade me that there was
not much gambling going on. mentioned
q number Of places, pointing out several o.
them, and requested him to pull them, as
complaints had been made. He told me to
tell the complainsnts to swear out a war
rant if they were so anxious to have them
pulled" then made the following prop
osition to him:
Captain, you are a candidate for re-elec-
tion-l am not. Now, if you think it would
iniure your chances for reelection to pull
these houses, pull them, and tell them you
were acting under orders from the Mayor
and was forced to do it.
He answered:
Mr.. Mayor, if YOU want the gamblers
pulled, you will have to swear out a war
rant.
If, as is charged, this is a political war
fare, you have the spectacle of a Republl.
can Mayor conspiring to elect a Democratic
Sergeant TO q second term.
| call your attention 10 Sec. 4S Of the or
diuance in relation to offeuses:
'SgC. 4S. 1t shall be unlawful for any
person whatsoever to keep or exhibit within
this city, any table, instrument, device o,
thing, used for the purpose Of gaming, Or
on, BY or with which money or other arti'
cles may be lost or won, or to keep within
this city any games of chance or skill by, or
at which any money or other article Of value
may be lost or won; nor shall it be lawful
for any person TO keep q room, building,
arbor, booth, stand, shed, tenement, water,
craft or float, or to rent the same to be used
or occupied for the exhibition or keeping o.
any such table, instrument, device, or thing,
or tor the playing therein or thereon of any
such game
Again, in sec. 81
"SEC. 50. It shall be the duty OF the Ser
geant of the city, and each one Of his depu.
ties, knowing or being informed of any vio-
lation of any of the provisions of this ordI.
aance, to make information against the
person so offending, and if the sergeant or
any deputy shall fail to make such informa'
ton, he shall forfeit and pay to the city the
sum olive dollars and costs Of prosecution
for every such ofIense,'
Again, in the ordinance relating to Ser
geant, section Z.
1T shall be the duty of the sergeant to
enforce the ordinances of the city generally
and if, after having been informed of any
oHenses against the said ordinances, he
shall neglect or refuse to institute q prose,
cution against the offender or offenders he
shall forfeit and pay to the city the sum OF
not less than ten nor more than twenty do
lars, and costs of prosecution for every such
| offense."
In the ordinance in relation to Mayor, |
find
Sec. 6. The Mayor shall supervise the
conduct Of all the officers Of the city, exam.
inc the grounds of all reasonable complaints
made sgsinst them, and cause all their VIC.
lations Of duty to be promptly punished or
reported to Council"
In the charter of the city Of Wheeling,
under the head Of executive department
in Sec. 8, it reads:
at shall be the duty of the Mayor of said
city to cause all the laws and ordinances
thereof to be enforced"