The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-06-16
SLAUGHTER SEATED.
SMITH AGAIN UNSUCCESSFUL IN
HIS EFFORT
To SqueeEe His Way Through the
County Court Into the
Chair.

The third act OF the Smith-Slaughter
farce is over, and those who have had
any doubt as to whether OF not Chair
man Slaughter received twenty-oue
votes on the famous first ballot last
January will entertain them no longer.
Justice Smith himself will be COM
PEELED to admit that his opponent re-
ceived msjority Of the votes cast on
the first ballot. The trial, which was
resumed in the County Court yeser-
day at 10 o'clock, occupied the greater
part of the day. No new facts were
brought out. Justice Powell appeared
and testified that be voted for
Slaughter, making twenty who have
given the same testimony. Justice
Stewart was sick in he'd at his homein
the First District and unable to appear,
but Il is known beyond a doubt that
he also voted the same way, making
the total for Slaughter on the famous
ballot tweDty.one, Speeches setting
out these facts were made by the at
torneys on both sides and the court by
an overwhelming msjority declared,
after hearing everything that could be
said on the subject, that Chairman
Slaughter was fairly and squarly
elected and was entitled TO his seat
He took il at once and one or two
other trivial matters were brought up
before him. Justice Saith, on his part,
took his usual remedy, an appeal.
The spectacle, on the whole, was
a very peculiar one The court tat es
a tribunal u Try the Ca-e. lts mem
bers appeared as witnesses, and, after
hearing argument based upon their
own testimony, took a vote snd de-
cided the case before them. The
oddly of havirg an election before a
full court, and aiterward trying it be-
fore a half Cour', has already been
noticed. But whatever the oddities
of the case may be, it is clear that
Slaughter is in fact the chairman, and
| Judging from the manner in which
| he was supported yesterday and the
| day before by his brother magistrates,
some of whom were opposed to him
before, it is perfectly plain that they
have been pleased with his admins
ration of the office, and intend TO
keep him there. On account of the
disturbed condition Of things he has
not az yet made any great progress
towal 4 reforming the many abuses that
exist in the county, but he
| Rad done something, and thoie
who know him predict hat he will
make an enyiaOle reputation for him
self during the years he will be per
mitted to enjoy the office. Such hes
been bis record in the numerous re-
sp9nsible positions to which he has
been elected by the people in the p 'sl
Anyone who knows the wire-work'
ings of county affairs can zee at once
that the opportunity to make a repu
tation by doing real good is almost At
great ss that given the President o.
the Police and Fire Commits
sioners. He is the financial agent
of the county and is sup
posed to keep himself thoroughly
posted in county stlai's. The othel
members have their courts to attenC
to, or their farms, or their other duliei
by the performance OF which the!
make their daily bread. He is giyel
a salary to attend to the affairs Of tn,
county, and while the power and tn,
pleasure of doing all iti business ha
in the psst been left entirely with TN
count, the chairman COnten ing him
self with being a figure head, he ma
do a world OF good in hundred diret
tons if he is 60 inclined. That h
will take advantage OF his oppoItunu
there can be no doubt