The sun., 1891-06-10
mI. WAGSTAFF IS THERE.
.vo BIO JANrToRs GUARDINa THE
BRIDGE OFFICE

.u Takes n second ThouGht an,
r.,,,.ae. Ito IL SIN President OF th'
hedge Trustees, but He VIII Have Il
,..ve ,t In Court-A Breezy EncounteI
,.,ween tho Rival Presidents.
u,.r tho meeting OF tho Bridge trustee
h,opoht 10 n close on Monday afternoon
W. csneraIly accepted that tho control hat
.,,nd from the hands OF Brooklyn to those o
= YORK BY tho election OF ex-senator ALFRED
a.cstafY TO succeed James Howell as Presi
w., bv n vote OF 10 to Z. None Of the Brook
y, man seemed to question the legality OF Col
wars,nrs election. Mr.. Howell himself ap
..rsntly fully believed in the regularity OF the
.,ocsedincs. for he voted for President, Vice
p,ssident, Secretary. and Treasurer. In nc
..so In,erposing any objection. and also he
ssrr,nlly accepted the place OF Vice President
Mr. Howell and his six Brooklyn associates
no were present admitted that they had
Nan caught mapping by the New York
.,r.,ess. but mono OF them intimated tha,
,h.re was going to be any controversy over
~. Presidency Had Mayor Grants oour
n..p anticipated. there Is no doubt that Mayor
rhedn. COMPTROLLER Jackson. and Gen. Barnes
,h. Brooklyn nbsentees. would have been on
h,nd. and under such circumstances Il 10
Ntsly that there would have been o tie vote on
N. Pros idency AMI tho control OF Mr.. Howell
con,lpued. So confident was Secretary Bean,
ia. tho meeting would be an unsvenful one,
IN, he notified Mayor Chaplin and Comptroller
j.ctson on Monday morning that no impor-
,ant business was going to come up. Had II
mt been for this communication from the
Secretary. both tho Mayor and Comptroller
vould have been present The Now York
trustees had hardly recrossed the bridge and
eot through with mutual congratulations that
for tho first time in it's history the bridge was
Going 10 he under the MANAGEMENT Of New
York man. that new light dawned
upon Mr.. Howell. On his way up
town he called at favorite resort OF the
Democratic leaders. and to their surprise an
nouuced that he had been deposed from the
bridge Presidency. Mr.. Howells political as
socates wero dumfounded by the news 1t
had long como to be regarded ns o fact that
Mr.. Howell had virtually q life tenure Of the
Presidents chair. md his unceremonious OK
pulsIon was something which the Democratic
managers 10 Brooklyn could not understand.
Under their first impulse OF surprise and dis
appointment some remarks highly unfavor-
able 10 Tammany Hall In general and Mayor
Grant In particular were uttered. II was also
suggested TO MIR. Howell that he should not
surrender the place without o struggle. Mr..
Howell very readily adopted the advice. es-
psclnlly after 1t was fortified by the opinion Of
Messrs. BERGEN l. Dykman. the counsel for the
bridge and yesterday The spectacle was pre-
senied to the people Of both cities Of two men
sitting SIDE by side and each claiming to be
President Of the bridge.
Mr. Howell reached tho office an hour before
COL wagstars arrival Col .NaRstan was
accompanied by Trustee Hilabrand. and
while passing to the oiflce he was
greeted by some Of the employees with
Good morning Mr. President" Mr.. howell
papsrs " whan ns Ing
sea H. HeKs 6o oI
spse Prs.asas 81 she iss new Yoak
and Bro ,klyn Bridge. and that he had deter
mined to stick until tho matter had been lu-
cred The action takon ut Mondays meeting
.sdsF q a ta' %Sqylss q counsel: NJ Howell as
put the most friendly feelings toward him. and
mat he hoped that nothing unplensant would
occur occur rsndlRg the settiement Of the contro-
tonishmeut at Mr. Howelis attitude, In view OF
!as iaet that he had rartieipated in the pro-
seedinCs Of tho meeting without making any
hSise.i resldensy took his departure: but not
Ga GHSiore no had b ief talks with Superintendent
~. Martin ,. and sesresary Beam and had informed
MagstaI then CROSSED to Now York and pro.
S nsey t. at nnsGs hs ssns O sss u M
n" 81 am acting under the advice Of Bergen &
ss I0 'Is Tor OEssssR R.a sn 4orf &
sIsc ion was iiegaiSin fact that there @ was no no
Sss sSs ssSG m1 "
own should wish to be relieved"
u 10 understood that the lawyers on whose
election was Invalid. rs tho Board OF Trustees
Is Is constituted on Monday was not legal
SSody SsSI since only one New York trustee had
new ~ body could not organize. Another dis
;3aallisng Tact It Is said. was the failure Of all
,"S Tsst tntooSyn 20 men; WIG were appointed last
s3cepllon Of Mr.. Riley.
/! ~ was generally accented. oven by the
sIsc,iSp5 I@iHS5adG ~ d poWisians in that ,ne
i., ASysII was oiitczed Tor having allowed HIM
'ofG' msn l.s 'rTfIiIees' w;Ii on Monday said;
:; as;;eidsnts, | reg ard the affair Simply as ono
Incidents Of political llfc Il wins great
70 move Mns We ds.
iSuL the election seems TO have been perfectly
"t.umae. hni don't 800 nnv outrage In It,"
.A.noon, when the rival Presidents had both
ts.sr ttsspsr,ed. Secretary Beam was asked which OF
Gsn ne recognized. Ito said:
IA p.vaie ms are gong along trapsactipg buslness
mere + about i at present"
n a1, y. Beam said he had understood. through
iiamI,nrer Mcclellan. that Mayor Grant had
y trInsuctod at Mondays meeting and that |
I,s 10 eiestion OF officers would b0 laid over for
CoI. Wagstair. fortified with legal opinions as
Ia 'he Validity OF his election, returned 10 !
o,n uU ppiriuGe oico ut o'clock. resolved |
ooE oEEa'iy to assert his authority. He |
y nd MS ms seat at the. Presidents desk |
,Sssn ss's "a. ana Charles Kennedy as janitor and
'us,h 'us !. stalwart New York Democrat. and |
esnaSd ssnaSSdy Is Democratic leader IN the Seyen-
S.natn SSentn ward Of Brooklyn. Col. Wagstaf gave |
hn, hin ~ uelnite Instructions az to the guardian.
1Ip OF The Presidents desk and chair.
M naesiaf Afterward said:
h. Ame appnln'ment OF the JanitOr is one OF |
~ hS,,'ea ,mneahs ! have takOn to indicate my au.
etion' ~; ! am IN possession now. and IL any
IL i Howe. Il oe brought " the courts 1t is for
J, 1JI,";nnnDeont,ng the Executive and Finance CON.
iit.,ees it.s hG. Howell returned TO the office lust
~ ,ec a., nol. WasstniI had handed the names OF
mn othInittseS to Secretary Beam. Col. Wag-
III erected him iocosely with:
NJ NOV no YOU do. Mr.. PresidentY
~ .t' ~ Hcwei did not reply. hut took seat at |
So sue ol tho desk. a few ieet from where Col
" IA