Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-07-25

An attempt was made to hold caucus
Of the 10 Republican members OF City
Council, Tuesday night, but only four OF
them-Messrs. Chambers, Cotton, Roberts
and acknowledgements Tn SO four
meandered sipgly into the police station
and quietly slipped into the private office
of Chief OF Police Swiggett. Here they
waited for the other six, being unable to
hold q meeting without a quorum, but
the other Six failed to turn up, so the
four held little caucus all by them
selves. The object Of the caucus was to
prepare and introduce In Council sn or
dinanoe requiring the official bonds OF
CITY officers to be entered up in
the prothonotary's Office OF the
court house, the existing custom being
for the bonds to remain in the bond book
in the office of the clerk of City Council,
ready to be entered mp In case any emer-
gency arises. This is justly held by
many people to be exceedingly risky, az
before the emergency rises the sureties
might do away with their properties and
make the bonds worthless. The four
Republican members fully discussed the
grave question, and decided to give no.
tice at tomorrow nights meeting of
| Council, of an ordinance requiring the
bonds OF all city officials to be entered up
without undue delay.
Behind the apparently proper public
purpose of this move is q factional
motive, the affair really being blow at
Captain Edmund Mitchell, Jr., the
recently elected assessor and col
lector for the Northern district, and
another dig at the ribs of j. Edward
Addicks with the sharp lance that ena-
tor Anthony Higgins constantly carries
for that enterprising capitalist and poll
tician. II was knowledge of this fact
that kept six OF the Republican members
away from the secret caucus In the pri
vste Office OF the chief of police. 1t is
urged that the present syatem has con-
tinued for years without loss or detri-
ment to the city and that to introduce
il now is Just to annoy Captain
Mitchell and make IL troublesome for him
to procure bondsmen. The greatest OBJ
lection many men have to going on an
official bond is that it may be entered up,
thus making trouble for them whenever
they have occasion to sell piece Of prop
er,y The bondsmen offered by Captain
Mitchell are j. Edvard Addicka, Samuel
n. Baynard N X Benson and DIR. Abran
Z Frantz but thus far Mr.. Addicks alone
has put his signature to the bond. The
latter, by the way, by standing by Gap
tain Mitchell and helping the
Young Mems Republican Olut
financially, ia getting stront
hold upon the young Republicans o
Wilmington. For this reason, IL is said
Senator Higgins ia at the bottom Of thu
move attempted to he started In Ohie
Swiggett's private Office last night. l
he can, by getting his henchmen IL
Council to have an ordinance passed re
curing the bond to be entered mp ant
thereby possibly interfere with Mr.. Ad
dicks real estate transactions in this city
the latter may be induced to Withdraw
| from the bond, aud thereby lose some o
the political prestige he has obtained.
The officers who will be- affected by tn
j passage OF an ordinance requiring tn
bonds OF city officers to be entered u
are the city treasurer, tax collectors, cit!
auditor, building inspector, plumbing
, inspector, chief engineer of surveyin
J department, chief OF police, clerk O
municipal court and police officers. Tn
: latter are in stew over the proposition
Each officer IL required by the city CHA,
= ter TO give bond in the sum of $500
,. and they fear that their sureties may oh
/ ject II the bonds are entered up. Thes
bonds are Of no account anyway, as l
case the officer fails to perform his dut
: the mayor can dismiss him and that end
y the matter. Mayor Harrington Is ais
!. understood to be opposed to the bon
!. scheme and Indignant at the motive bac
of 1t.
Altogether, the secret caucus held
!, Chief of Police swiggett's private offic'
Q last night, ia causing lively commotio
n in the Republican party. Oaptai
!. Miiohell's friends are swearing vengean,
% and declare their intention of making
hot for any Republican member Of ooul
n oil who may vote for the ordinance, d
e spite the intrinsic merit it undUubted
,e possesses.