The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-28
BARDSLEY OUT OF OFFICE
THE CITY COUNCIL AOORPTS HIS
RESIGNATION.


Unsuccessful Demand That He be
Impeached-The Council Votes for
Oellers for City Trea surer-A Lively
Tilt over the Authority to Choose.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, May "a. Both
branches Of the city council met in special
session to-day for the purpose Of acting
upon the resignation and electing success
sor to City Treasurer John Bardsley, who is
now under $4,000 bail for malfeasance in
Office and smbezzlement of city and
state funds. A lengthy opinion
by City Solicitor Warwick was
read in which it was undertaken
to show that Mr.. Bardsley had the right to
resign and that the power TO elect his sue
cessor is vested in the councils, and not in
the governor. In the common council
little or no opposition was developed
against the acceptance of the resignation Of
Mr.. Bardsley, but in the select branch a
stubborn but hopeless fight was made
against it by the democrats
FOUGHT BY THE DEMOCRATS.
For three hours the democrats resor.ed to
every expedient OF parliamentary law to
delay the inevitable acceptance Of the res
ignation, contending that the accused treas
should be impeached. When finally, by a
vote of 90 to 9, Mr.. Bardsley;s resignation
was accepted formal protest, signed by
the six democrats, was entered against al
lowing a man accused of the serious crimes
that Mr.. Bardsley is accused Of to resign his
Office.
ELEoTING A sUCCEsSoR.
Immediately after the acceptance of Mr..
Bardsley's resignation the select and COM
mon councils went into joint convention for
the purpose of electing his successor.
acceptance Of Mr.. Bardsley's resigna-
ton and the convention to elect
his successor not a democratic MEM
ber of either chamber attended the
convention. But one ballot was cast by the
convention, and OF the 80 votes recorded
Richard q. Oellers the business manager Of
the Daily Record, received 92. Mr.. Oellers
was thereupou declared elected to fill the
unexpired term of John Bardsley as city
treasurer, and the convention adjourned.
TWO CITY TREAsuRERs.
Mr.. Bardsley's resignation will take effect
on Saturday next, and then Philadelphia
will have two city treasurers. There are
now three powers who claim the right to
elect,a city treasurer-the city commission
ers, who yesterday elected Oellers, the city
councils, who came to the same conclusion,
and Gov. Pattisop, who, on Monday, nomi-
named W. Redwood Wright for the office.
The situation is complicated one and will
undoubtedly be one for the supreme court
to settle. As it stands now the city COM
missioners claim the right not only to elect
a treasurer, but to issue the necessary COM
mission and approve his sureties. The
councils, although BY q tacit understanding
they have elected the same man as the ojty'
commissioners, in the abstract deny the Ru-
thority of the city commissioners to elect
WHERE THE GOVERNOR HAS THEN.
II the claim of the councils to elect is COR
rect, and the commissioners are wrong, the
councils may approve the sureties, but it is
said they cannot issue q commission, but
that it must be done by the gov
ernor, who, of course, in the present
instance, would not do so unless so
ordered by court. In the case of
commission, but his right to approve the
sureties is doubtful. By resolution of the
council City Controller Thompson is at pre-
sent practically acting as city treasurer.
The Farmers and Mechanics Bank has been
authorized by State Treasurer Boyer to act
for the present as the states fiduciary agent
in its dealing with the city.
oELLERs NAMES HIS SECURITIES.
After the adjournment of the convention
each branch of the councils re-organized
In its own chamber. and an ordinance ap-
proving the sureJies of Mr.. Oellers was
presented and referred to the finance COM
mittee. The committee acted favorably
upon the ordinance approving Mr.. Oellers'
sureties. and 80 reported to the councils.
The ordinance was then laid over to be
printed and will be passed when the councils
meet tomorrow.
The democratic members Of the councils
met while the joint convention was in pro-
gress and Endorsed for treasurer w. Red
wood Wright, Gov. Pattison's sppointee.
BARDsLEY's STOCK DEALS.
Another phase of Mr.. Bardsley's Third
street operations which was not disclosed
yesterday developed. to-day. He brought
Glendenning and Company number of
stocks which were not pur-
chased for him by them. The
deduction is. of course, that Mr.. Bardsley
was engaged in transactions with other
stock brokerage firms, and that some of
these were probably speculative. The
name Of another brokerage firm which
does an extensive business with small
speculators was mentioned to-day. 1t
was said that Mr.. Bardsley was
frequent visitor at the Of
fee of the firm alluded to, and that he
Aepb opeSulubiNo oSSOuhe WIN H. Ano
name of this firm was banded about on
Third street to-day, and it is probable that
the investigation committee Of the councils
will summon the members to appear before
it and show their books in order that the ex-
tent of Mr.. Bardsley's speculations with it
may be laid bare.
District Attorney Graham to-day caused
TO be issued another warrant for Bardsley's
arrest, accusing him Of perjury in violat-
ing his oath of Office in using public moneys
for his own gain.