Morning journal and courier., 1892-03-23
THE MAYOR To ppraTrr

y. NJ. CRAMPTON,
Committee.
THE MAYOR TO PRESIDE.
Immediately after the adoption of the
report of the committee, the mayor arose
and said: 'It is much mooted question
as to who should preside at hearing of
charges against members of the city gov
ernment. For your information would
simply call you attention to the laws gov
erning such cases as they appear in the
charter of the CITY," The mayor then re-
ferred to page Is, section 10, and page 80,
section 81 of the city charter. "But,"
continued his honor, Gin order to allow
you an opportunity to settle the question
for yourselves I will leave the chair and
call upon the alderman from the Eleventh
(Callahan) to preside temporarily
Alderman Callahan Immediately took
the chair and at once Alderman Conner
rose to his feet and moved that the alder
man from the Eleventh (Callahan) be the
chairman while this investigation is going
on. Alderman Callahan stated emphatic
ally that he would decline to serve
Alderman Blakeslee then moved that the
mayor be called upon to preside over the
hearing. This motion provoked . protest
from Attorney Doolittle on the ground
trying the charges and that no one but an
alderman had any right to preside.
Alderman Chatfeld arose and said: Al
present this body is the board of aldermen
and by the rules governing this body nc
one except a member of the board has d
right to be heard upon the floor. I think
that MI. Doolittle is altogether out of order
and shall ask that none but aldermen be
allowed to take part in the proceedings al
the present time.
The motion of Alderman Blakeslee was
then put and carried, Alderman Keane ut.
tering faint ono"
point calculated Mr.. Doolittle, THAT We
says that the board of aldermen shall try
| these charges and on this ground We entel
| our protest."
The board then resolved itself into {
court and the oath las contained in the res
| olutions of the committee on mode of pro
| cedure, was administered to the member
of the board by City Clerk Downes in hi
capacity as commissioner of the supreme
court.
Immediately after the board had resolved
itself into court Attorney Stoddard, OF
behalf of the citizens committee, asked thai
| the charges be read formally to the cour
in order that everything might be regular
The charges against one of the commits
sioners was then read, and as the CHARGE
| against the others were all substantially t.
the same effect, Mr.. Doolittle, in order t,
save time, waived exceptions and the read
ing of thc other charges was dispensed
with.
| THE ANSWER OF THE ACCUSED.
| Attorney Doolittle then presented ant
read the formal answer of the accused t,
the charges, which was as follows, tn
answer of each commissioner being tn
same. The full text of the answer is a,
| follows
| Board of Aldermen of the City of New Haven
| sitting as a Court of Impeachment for tn
Of he CITY Of S5
board Of public works Of the city Of New Haven
him BY e william A. Parsons and joseph CAIN
members of the court of common council OF tn
city of New Haven.
and legally elected to be member of the boar
dermen of said city, to hold said office for tire
| years from the first Monday of February mex
succeeding, and e, until his successor was dull
since has been member of the board of publi
works, in pursuance of and in accordance wi
of the charter of the city OF Se'
That the charter Of the city of New Haven pre-
sist Of six persons, three to be chosen from eac
hwbenever any vacancy shall occur in the men
removal or resignation Of any said member, sal
board of aldermen shall at their first re- ula
such board Tor the part Of the
made vacant as aforesaid, but no person not
member Of the same political party as the men
l 1apo frnf1 R0or Nov, ho nnoIc cHnll h
eligible to an election to fill such vacancy"
And said charter further provides that a
by
vote Of all the members thereof"
It is obvious, therefore, that IL the members q
move those persons only who were members {
the same political party party, that there would be
tie a ee had hx and
vision Of the charter four members of the boar
Of different political faith must act, vote an
agree together in the selection and removal {
! the employees of the city in order to perform tn
duties imposed upon them by the charter.
sad
streets, city engineer and all ofaeers and en-
ployes connected with the roads bridges sewe,
and parks Of said city, and fix their salaries A
officers and employees now in service and all Cd
pointed to service under the direction Of sal
board may be removed at its pleasure"
And your respondent admits that at reguls
about the a.th Of February, 1902. he voted ths
| the Offices of city engineer, assistant superb
tendent Of parks and the clerk Of the board
J. works be declared vacant from the first day {
: March, 1892, as he might lawfully do in strit
conformity with the provisions Of the charter {
And the respondent says that the charter pr.
yides that the members OF the said board OF pu'
| lie works shall be removable only ';for cause"
And he denies that the charge, and any and a
| substantive matters therein contained, In mai
ner and form as therein stated and ret fortl
constitute cause for his removal from his oft!e
| place and position, as a member of the board Q
public works of the city Of New Haven.
| And this respondent further answering say
that no other act Is imputed to or charge
| against him in his Office Is q member OF tn
board OF public works or intended SO to
l. whereby this respondent can more fully or oil
n Itnctly make answer unto said charge than
hereby does.
T And this respondent in exhibiting to this hor
orable court this his answer to the charge Of In
peachment exhibited against him respectful
reserves leave to amend and add to the sam
from time to time as may become necessary o
proper and whep and as such necessity and Pre-
prtety shall spPeSr