The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-09
TRYING TO BULLBOZE DENNY
An Unseemly Wrangle in the Municipal
Joint Convention Last Night.
The Democrats. Headed by clustering Sim
Coy. Make an Unsuccessful Attempt to
Prevent Mayor Denny from Voting.
THE JOINT CONVENTION.

Prevent Mayor Denny from Voting
THE JOINT CONVENTION.
After a Wrangle Which Comes Near Develop
ing Into a Row. 1t Adjourns.
The Board of Aldermen and Common Council
met in the Council Chamber in joint convention.
for the purpose of selecting the various city
boards A breezy session was expected. but
that some members were to be turbulent far be-
yond the hounds Of decency was not expected.
AS Mr.. Herig did not caucus with the Repub-
licans, il was generally understood that he had
been seen by the Democrats and that they had
him.
Mayor Denny called the convention to order
with the remark that he did so without assum
ing that he had any better right than any other
member of either Of the two bodies to do SO.
Mr.. Rocker moved that Mayor, Denny be
elected permanent chairman
Mr.. Mack placed in nomination the name of
John Rail.
Mr.. Coy-I call for the yeas and nays
Alderman King--Wouldn't it be better to elect
a temporary chairman frst9
After some squabbling. Mayor Denny was
chosen temporary chairman and City Clerk
Shields as secretary.
Mr.. Rocker attempted to renew his motion
that the Mayor be made permanent chairman.
Mr.. Reinecke moved a call of the roll to see
who were present
The clerk called the roll of aldermen, each of
whom, ten in number Mr.. Prier having arrived),
answered present" and then called the names
Of the twenty-five councilmen, each Of whom
also responded Present" but stopped at the
name of the mayor, and did not call it
Mr.. Thalman-I call the name of the mayor as
member-the clerk should call his name. The
mayor and respond present"
Alderman Schmidt offer my protest
After some disorder the protest was read. 1t
was as follows:
'To His Honor, the President. and Members of the
joint Convention of the Common Council and Board
of Aldermen:
'Gentlemen-The undersigned members of
this joint convention hereby protest to the name
of our mayor Caleb S. Denny, being called in
the joint convention OF said bodies for the pur-
pose OF voting for any officers or boards to be
elected by the joint convention. for the reason
that said mayor has right to cast vote in
joint convention Of said bodies under our stat
utes.
'LoRENz SCHMIDT, c. FL. STUcKMEYER.
''SIMEoN Coy. FRANK NJ. DELL.
THOMAS Marley. FRED j. MACK.
MICHAEL j. BURNS. ISAAC KING.
JULIUS F. REINECKE"
Alderman Pritchard-If there is question as
to the mayors right to vote it may as we'll be
settled now. 1t is perfectly clear the mayor is
not member of the Board of Alderman imur-
murs of approval from the Democrats. hold
here the Statutes in which Section 1896 provides
that ''the mayor and common eouncilmen shall
nssitute the Common Council" The common
councilmen." without the mayor" is then no
more the Common Council without the mayor
than the mayor is the Common Council without
the common councilmen. The mayor is clearly
q member Of the Common Council
by statute. [Uneasiness and murmurs Of dis
approval from the Democratic side of the house.
Section 1864 of the statute provides that the
Common Council and Board of Aldermen"
shall meet in '.joint convention" The organ
lied bodies meet in joint convention. 1t being
fixed that the mayor is member Of the Coun-
Gil, he is, necessarily, member of the joint
convention, because the Common Council is
part-of the joint convention. Being member
Of the joint convention, he is entitled to vote
like any other member. A motion that the
mayor shall not vote is as much out Of order and
as illegal as motion that any other member of
the Council shall not vote is out of order and
illegal.
Alderman Schmidt offer my protest.
1t was moved to lay the protest on the table,
on which Mr.. Coy demanded the yeas and nays.
The clerk, who did not call the mayors name,
elected as Republican, voting with the Demo
Gratis. Mr.. Coy moved to adopt the protest. Mr.
Pearson moved to refer it to a committee of Eve.
NJ Gov moved to lay Mr.. Pearsons motion
the table. mr.. Parsons motion was tabled
yeas Is, nays IL Nj. Herlg, elected as a he
MIR. Thalman moved,a a substitute for the
Schmidt protest, that "Itis the of this con-
vention that the mayor is a member of the same,
and has right to vote on all matters that may
come before It," The yeas numbered Is and
nays 1S, and the mayor insisted upon voting on
the question. Mr.. Herig again voted with the
Democrats
Mr.. Rooker-It seems the man we have by
courtesy elected secretary refuses to call the
name of the mayor 1 would like to know by
out
Sim Coy-Thats al. right the clerk is all
right; don't you bother about that
Here Mr., Coy danced out in front and took
charge of the Democratic members.
Mr.. Pritchard moved to adjourn. On this
motion Mr.. Herig again voted with the Demo
Gratis. The motion was lost Mr.. Thalman call
ing the name of the mayor-yeas Is, nays IL.
Another attempt was made to bring up the
Schmidt protest The mayor decided that at
that stage of the proceedings its consideration
was out of order. Mr.. Coy called out loudly for
an appeal from the decision of the chair Mr.
Schmidt said it was for this body to say whether
it would or would not sustain the protest. At
this there was great confusion, but the hard
cider voice Of Councilman Coy was heard
shrieking high ABOVE the embattled hosts. FL
naly Alderman King was heard to say that he
did not like to take an appeal from the chair.
The Mayor-Oh, you need not have any deli
cacy on that point
Mr. Coy-Oh. no; there's no necessity to be
nice about it.
Alderman Pritchard moved that, ''as the stat
ute provides that the mayor and common council
men shall constitute the Common Council, and,
whereas, the clerk refuses to call the name of
the mayor; that he also do not call the name of
the common counclmen."
Mr.. Coy Interrupted to say hat Mr.. Pritchard
had been defeated by one vote.
Mr.. Pritchard-I had majority of one until