The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-02-22

proper for him to have anything to do with
it. Very we'll, I said, thought
10 do that business 1 didn't
see DR.. Drummer again for several days.
then looked for other parties. Several
DAYS after | had some business at DR.. Brun-
ner's office, and while there / asked him if
be had reported this matter Of bribery, as
understood it was being talked about. He
said No DR.. Harris drove up just then
and left"
Alderman Falligant-What was the re-
mark yol made about your being sorry
that Dr. Harris had seen you therel
Alderman SMITH said | was sorry,
since the bribery matter had been talkel Of,
| that Dr. Harris had seen me there. as he
might think there was some collision be-
tween DR.. Brunrer and myself.
Alderman Smith went on e. say that his
sole aim in the matter was to have the
work done at quarantine TO the interest Of
/ the city; if DR.. Drummer had given a
/ favorable answer he said that he int ldet
/ to bring the matter before the harbOr and
| wbarves committee. 1t was his idea, he
sa d, that DR.. Drummer should take the con-
tract at quarantine and get 1000 for
/ looking after 1t. He told DR.. Bruuner, he
said, on several occasions tuat he did not
want TO have anything to do with it in any
way, but if there was anything that he
could do to help Or. Drummer he would do 1t.
THE PLAN BE SUGGESTED.
Alderman Wells-Your idea was that DR..
Drummer was TO take the cOntract3
Alderman Smith-Yes sir. lie was to
be the contractor for the work.
Alderman Wells-How could you guar
antee him 81 900 yearl
Alderman Smith, thought he would
make that much out of the contract.
Alderman Wells-Was that in the nature
of guarantee.
Alderman Smith-No sir. 1t was merely
that thought there was that much money
in the work.
Alderman Cann-Was nothing said about
advocating your plans
Alderman Smith-No, sir; nothing was
said about contract, about me or my
firm. Everything was TO De done through
and by DR.. Drummer. My course was gov
erned solely by what | considered the city's
interest, and | still consider that it would
be to the city's interest to have the work
done that way-by contract. / spoke to
DR.. Drummer in regard to the matter as l
would speak to any body else, since | con-
sidered it my duty to look into the matter.
MAYOR Schwarz called the alderman's at
tention to the rule of council, which is to
the effect that no alderman shall be present
when any matter in which he is interested
is acted upon.
Alderman Smith addressing the council
said that while he had perhaps been indis-
Greet in his action, he had no idea of offer
ing bride 10 DR.. Drummer, and he begged
to tender his resignation as a member of
the council, but, he added, with no feeling
Of guilt on my part"
Alderman Myers moved that Alderman
Smith be permitted to Withdraw from the
council room, and there being no objection
the alderman retired.
Alderman Wells moved to lay the resig-
nation over until the next meeting of coun-
Gil
Alderman Harmon said he could see no
reason for delay; that the council was as
well prepared to act then as at any other
time.
Alderman Myers agreed with Alderman
Harmon. The council had heard the state
ments of both parties Alderman Smith,
he said, had been indiscreet, to put il in
mild terms and had showed that he was
lacking in some Of the qualifications of an
alderman.
A vote on the resignation was taken and
it was accepted without a dissenting voice.
MIR. SMITH TALKS.
Mr.. Smith was seen ter the council had
adjourned When informed that his resig-
nation had been accepted, he said he was
glad of it.
Il should have resigned at the outset he
said, "but wanted the council to hear a
plain statement from me under the solem-
nifty of an oath, before resigning a position
which | did not seek. had no object Of a
personal character in becoming a member
of the council Ny name was used with
out my consent or knowledge dur
ing my absence at the north,
and on my return was placed on both mu-
nicipal tickets without my solicitation.
Had | consulted my own interests in the
matter | should not have consented TO
make the race. took little interest in it,
and was at the polls only twice, and that
for short tmo, on the day Of the election
Feeling this way, | resigned rather than
serve with those whom felt wanted an ex-
cuse to be rid of me.
And now to the charge brought against
me by DR.. BrUnneT. There is not a word
OF truth in his statement that / sought di-
rectly or indirectly to bride him. He was
in no position to benefit me by vote or
otherwise. The facts of the whole matter
are substantially as follows:
ION the return of the aldermen from the
inspection of the system of dscharging
ballast 1T the quarantine station, and while
coming up the river from Tybee about
three weeks ago, invited DR.. Harris, chair
man of the health and cemetery committee,
and DIR. Brunner, as health officer, to come
down the next day to the savannah Florida
aud Western railway wharves and inspect
my method Of dlscharging ballast and car
goes, with the view TO showing them tine
advantages Of improved facilities Some
talng prevented our going down the day
agreed upon, but the next day drove down
with DR.. Drummer. Something ensued so
that DR.. Harris did not meet us there, but
on the day following DIR. Harris and went
down.
THE INTERVIEW AT THE wHARVES.
ITO return TO the subject of Dr. Brun
ner's visit. After witnessing the methods
employed by me for loading ard unloading
vessels by steam power, DR.. Drummer ex-
pressed himself pleased with what he saw.
was then, and am now, strongly con-
WINGED that the contract system is the
proper one for the dscharging Of ballast at
quarantine for the reason that men work
ing under contract manifest more energy
and are more efficient than when doing
work by the day. Being so convinced, IL
remained u find the man, and it occurred
to me that the health officer would be tho
proper person to take hold of the work, as
it is one which had been informed was
done in many other cities.
"On our way back to the city exchange,
and during the ten minutes drive from the
wharves, | suggested 70 DR.. Drummer o
advisabllity of his undertaking the work,
first discussing with him the propriety Of
his so doing he being city official. l was
very clear and explicit at the time in telling
HIM that while / would be willing to assist
him, that wanted no part of the work or
the profits thereof.