The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-04-26
MR.. LHMBBCK DECLINES.
He Does Not Believe the
Charter Will Hold, and
SWearS in Under the
Old Government.
TWO COMPTRoLLERs TOGETHER.

The Mayors Appointee Still Serv-
ing the Comptroller, Dickinson,
as Chief Clerk.
Mr. Henry Lembeck formally qualified
as member of the old Board of Finance
this morning before City Clerk Scott.
Accompanied by Commissioner Warren
he appeared early at the City Hall. Mr..
Scott Immediately proceeded to admin
lister the oath to Mr. Lembeck, but before
doing SO, asked him in which capacity he
wished to be sworn, as he had been ap
pointed Sinking Fund Commissioner
and a Commissioner of Finance.
Don't ask me that" said Mr.. Lembeck.
Il have sunk deep enough now and do
not intend to sink deeper"
He then took the oath of office as q
member of the Board of Finance. Subse-
quently asked him upon what grounds
he had declined the Mayors appointment
and he said:-"I was at Watkins when my
appointment reached me. l decided to
decline the appointment because l think
the new charter will not hold water and
contains several provisions which it will
be impossible to carry out.
81 have accepted the position OF Com
missioner of Finance to which the Alder
men elected me last night, and | will do
all in my power to retain the office"
NOT TO BE PRESENTED TODAY.
At about eleven O'Clock this morning
ex-Judge Allan L. McDermott walked
into the Mayors office. He had called to
keep an appointment with Ex-Governor
Albeit. Senator Edwards had, it was
said, been directed to prepare the petition
to be presented on behalf of the Mayors
government to Chief Justice Beasley. BY
this document the Chief Justice will
be asked to designate the officials who
shall administer the city offices during the
litigation in the courts over the legality
and constitutionality of the charter. The
paper may be ready this afternoon, but
Judge McDermott will not place it in the
Chief Justices hand at Trenton today.
1t was the original design to have had
the papers presented today.
"But,' Mayor Cleveland said, "that
will not be done. There is no hurry about
it. propose to meet the crisis with cool
deliberation and the dignity it demands" "
These proceeding are taken in pursuance
of the act passed towards the close of the
legislative session for a summary settle
ment of the CONTROVERSY between the two
city governments. The act is said to be
so palpably and indisputably unconstitu-
tional that some interested people believe
the Chief Justice will refuse to act under
it.
If he should determine to act, and de-
eide to make the Mayors government the
temporary local authority, there is some
talk on the part of the old Board of refus-
to the Court of Errors. The possibility of
the other side meeting this
emergency by invoking police au-
thority to secure control OF the
city's financial offices is discussed. But it
is scarcely believed that either contingency
will arise. The cooler heads among the
old Board officials advise quiet submis-
sion to the dictum of the Chief Justice,
even if it be adverse; and they will proba-
bly, quietly abandon their offices on the
command of that high State dignitary.
TWO CoMPTRoLLERs WORKING TOGETHER
Up to this writing everything is going
along with lamb-like peace in the City
Hall. Citizens were paying their taxes
into City Collector Loves hands and
taking receipts from him. City Treasurer
Nugent is pursuing the even tenor of his
way, too; but the most remarkable spec
tacle of the day is that of the two warning
city Comptrollers serving in one and the
same office.
Mayor cleveland, it will be remembered,
appointed Comptroller Samuel ID. Dickin-
IL. IL,
officiate as City Comptroller. Mr.. Hough
has not made demand upon Colonel
Dickinson for his office yet, and when l
called at the office this morning was even
discharging his usual duties as Chief
Clerk there.
1.-THE new City Collector, Mr.. o'Neill,"
he said to me, has not qualified by filing
his bonds; nor has Mr.. Cleveland, the new
City Treasurer, yet qualified / am the
only one of three financial officers of the
city in position to make a demand for the
offices Acting under Senator Edwards
advice shall not make demand till the
whole city government is in order to
swing in"
when will that bea'' 1 asked.
Probably not till the first of
next month";" was Mr.. Hough's re
ply. Interest on our bonds falls
might prevent its payment and throw the
city into bankruptcy. So there will prob
ably be no rupture till that difficulty is
averted'
somewhat from the particular branch Of
inquiry J had on hand, lit has been re-
ported that yours is merely temporary
appointment designed to hold the office
for Postmaster Kelly.n
1T is not }t, so,' was Mr.. Hough's re-
Office during good behavior. have no
idea OF giving up my place to Mr. Kelly
or any one else.
IN THE CITY CLERKS OFFICE.
City Clerk Scott's office is not much dis
turbed, of course, by the existence of two
governments in the city. His Board of
Aldermen is good under either the old or
the new charter. But interesting ques-
tions may come up for him to decide in
the event of the controversy between the
two governments becoming warm This
mainly In the matter of warrants for the
payment of city moneys. To whom shall
the City Clerk send them for signature?
To the old City Treasurer and Comptroller
or to the new? Just now he sends them
to the old officials. But there may come
time when the question will not be so
easy of solution.
A POLICE MUDDLE.
The attitude of Chief of Police Murphy
towards the two Boards claiming author
ity over him was stated with precision in