The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-06-17
HAR| KARI
FOR POO BAH,
Patrick H. O'Neill To Be
Asked to Abdicate
One Of His
Offices.
ALDERMAN OR COLLECTOR !?
Republicans Claim That He
Cannot Legally Fill
Both Places.
'Mayor'' Cleveland Is Preparing to
Steal an Excise March.

The streets are full of rumors concern
ing the possibilities of this evenings
meeting of the Board Of Aldermen Every
one recognizes that the point In contro-
versy is over the granting of the licenses,
and that the immediate form the ques-
ton takes is whether Aliens Excise
Committee, with Alderman O'Neill at its
head, shall give them out. or whether
they shall be disposed Of by the opposi-
ton committee, headed by Alderman
Hoos. It was said today that the Mayor
contemplates taking a hand in the fray.
He has abandoned hope of the triumph
Of the committees made by his hench
man Allen; the other side has too many
votes for them, and he is preparing
to wrest the powers from the hands of
his opponents with a special Excise
Board. He is known to have had / t
in his mind for some time past that he
has authority under statute, musty
with age. to appoint such Board, and
he is not unlikely to act under it. 1t
Is explained that the law was designed to
apply only to Newark and cannot apply
here, but the Mayor will not allow such
tritie as that to stand in his way
WHERE is THE STATUTE?
A JERSEY CITY NEWS reporter this
statutes in the hope of finding the one
the Mayor thinks of acting under. He
encountered several acts passed in one
year or another regulating the appoint
ment of Excise Boards, but they all pro-
vided for the election Of the members by
seems to fit the Mayors scheme most
closely is one in the laws of
1878, and is one that enables
the Mayor to nominate Excise Com
missioners to the Board Of Aldermen.
It is nard TO see how this can help him
any; for If the Board would confirm his
nominees. they would more quickly
solve the problem the way the Mayor
wants 1t solved, by leaving the O'Neill
Committee In charge of the licenses.
There is no statute, as far as a cursory
examination of the books reveals which
enables the Mayor to act independently
of the Board. Even the act empowering
him TO make nominations is under
cloud. Mayor Hopper acted under it
some years ago, and Governor Albeit
overturned it in the courts on a writ of
certiorari. The act the Mayor has in
mind may be away back among the Blue
Laws somewhere. 1t does not seem to be
any where this side of them.
The liquor dealers will be up in arms of
course against any unusual method of
license granting. Their licenses cost
them $3.50, which it is not always easy for
them to raise; and when they have raised
it they will not care to spend it for a
license issued by Board that has no
authority to grant it. 1t may be assured
therefore that they will make weighty
protest against the bringing Of outside
agencies into the controversy, and insist
upon having their papers from o COM
mittee that has the countenance of the
recognized license granting power of
the city--the Board of Aldermen.
TOUGH ON O'NEILL.
Another interesting development which
1t is whispered around. the evening may
see Is movement against Alderman p.
H. O'Neill. Last Saturday a couple of
lawyers, both Republicans, one with in
side sources OF information, discussed
the new move over their luncheons.
1--WE propose" said the one with the in
side lines, TO give Mr.. Alderman O'Neill
his choice between his Alderlnanic berth
and his City Collectorship. He can't have
bothn
ssNo! is that so?n asked the other.'
He can't" was the reply. There is
provision in the old charter which for
bids an Alderman to do any work for the
''Wnen is it proposed to move against
him?''
Next Tuesday night
The clause in the charter to which the
reference was made reads as fOllOWS:--
Section 10. That no officer holding any Office
under the provisions of this act shall during his
Term OF office be directly indirectly interested
in any contract, work, business, sale or purchase
in regard to which any money may be at any
time required to be paid by said city, or any de-
partment thereof, or by any tax or assessment
upon any person or property within said city,
except as In this act specially directed; and in
case any person shall enter upon any such con-
tract, work, purchase OF sale, knowing that any
such officer is interested therein in violation of
this section, each person shall not be entitled to
receive any benefit thereof And in ease such
person shall receive any benefit by reason there
OF, such benefit or its equivalent may be recov-
cred back by said city from such person
and any such officer interested in violation of
the true intent and meaning Of this section shall
be liable to indictment and impeachment there
for, as for maifeasance in Office.
Alderman O'Neill is directly interested
In the work of collecting the city moneys
and receives a salary from the city treas
ury for his services. The same point
would have applied to the Aldermen who
oficiated as assessors prior to the new
charter, but it was never taken against
them.
Runors prevail that resolution
vacating Mr.. O'Neills seat as Alderman
will be offered at the meeting this even
ing, but it cannot escape notice that the
section quoted does not contemplate that
method Of disposing Of the matter, In
dfctment and impeachment are the
penalties pointed out by it.