The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-02
OAkLAND'S MAYOR.
Melvin Chapman Asks for
Police Protection.
THERE WAS NO NEED FOR 1T.
He Appointed Wilkins Commissioner
The appointment Said to Be In
Yaiid-General News.


The best way was found yesterday.
On Friday night, about II o'clock. Mr..
Chapman was notified by Councilman Wat
knsOn, "hOdover," that the Non-Parti-
san Council had called meeting for 70 :0l
A. NJ, to organize and 20 fix the bonds of
the Mayor, Treasurer and Auditor.
Mr.. Chapman went to the City Hall at 8
A. NJ. but there was, of course, no one
there except ged Captain Hill, the watch
man.
Mr.. Hill told Mr.. Chapman that some
fellers had come up there and done some
thing after midnight"
Mr.. Chapman could not rest. He crossed
the street and took strong black coffee to
keep him awake, and then sat up till the boy
delivered THE MORNING CALL at his resi-
dence. DE read 1t and saw that Captain
Hill told the truth.
The new Council had met 1t had form
ally organized for business, and the bonds
of the Mayor had been presented. approved
by the City Attorney ana Treasurer, as the
charter requires, and filed with the Auditor.
Right here comes separate story. MIR.
ChaDman's term legally expired at mid
night. During the day, however, he
boosted that DR.. Pardee had not filed
bonds and that he could not, therefore,
assume his duties. This left in Chap
mans power, as he claimed. the appoint
AHViiL VI n HlcuUtE VI Luc DOdIu VI uUIlC
Works. to succeed J. W. Phillips.
Mr.. CHAPMAN intended to take advantage
OF It, solely because he represented 1.-THE
gang" and the new Council. determined to
thwart him. They did II. but Chapman be-
came enraged and apparently irresponsible
when he read about it. and his first action
was to go down at 80 A. NJ, and take pos
session of the City Clerk office. He had a
policeman summoned and placed a guard at
the door, bis Instructions were: Don't
at hr es,f- "A
see? Furthermore. don't you let any repre-
sentative OF Pardee come in here. because
Pardee is not yet Mayor, and ne may try TO
file an appointment of some one to the
Board Of Public Works. l am Mayor. and
will be TIL y O'Clock Sunday night"
The policeman obeyed orders. He
guarded the door all day. The barrIcaded
Chapman stayed inside and received var-
Gus members of the old Council and of the
Board of Public Works, but he and the po-
llceman would Kermit no one to enter who
was supposed to favor the new NOn-Partisan
Council.
Mr.. Chapman gave his reasons as follows:
The charter says that the Council shall
take office on the second Monday after the
election and official declaration of the re-
suit, " ich will be next Monday, and there
is no legal way in which a meeting of the
new Council could be convened before that
time.
The Mayor and all the members of the
CouuCii snoulu take ONCE at tnat time, anu
the new Council had no power to fix the
bond, and Pardee had no power TO approve
II. for he was not yet In office, and could not
be IN office till his bond was approved.
They slapped me in the face last night,
and / would have acted decently but for
that claim that l am still Mayor TIL mid
night Sunday night. and | will therefore
appoint a successor to Phillips on the Board
Of Public Works. l will appoint Mr.. Will
kins."
Wilkins was at that time In the Office
with the Mayor and the latter gave him a
certificate Of appointment 1t was filed
with the City Clerk and then left on the
Auditors desk, but the latter refused 10
accept 1t.
wilkins. after receiving the appoint
ment, resigned as Councilman. al
though his time had already expired, and
Chapman appointed Talliesin Evans as his
successor. claiming that Evans would have
till Monday at midnight to serve. Evans
accepted the appointment.
This news was carried to DR.. Pardee and
he sad: Let Chapman file all the appoint
ments he pleases. They will not amount
to anything. | have plenty of time to make
an appointment, as Mr.. Phillips time will
not expire till April 3. have no reason to
90 to the Mayors office to-day, and If there
were reason then Chapman and the police
man could not keep me from entering |
and the Council will go ahead with our
duties next Monday night as contemplated.
SHdpHdH dCtiOu IS Tluicu!UuS ana VIII,
OF conrse, appoint member of the Board
OF Public Works. Chapman's appointment
Will not hold good"
City Attorney johnson said: chapman
Is certainly no longer Mayor, for his term
Of office expired at midnight, aud as Mayor
Pardee had already filed his certificate ard
qualified he naturally became Mayor at the
expiration Of Chapman's term"
Mr. johnson further said that the fact
that Pardee did not file the bond fixed by
the old Council cuts no figure in the ma tier.
1t would be Idle 10 hold that because of
their refusal or neglect to fix a bond an
elected official could be debarred from en-
teTing on the duties of his position. Fur
theT, II Pardee is not now Mayor, then all
the acts of the Council whose terms have
just expired are null and void for they
never filed their bonds, though required 10
do so by the same section of the charter
which provides that the Mayor must file
bond.
Chapman continued to hold the clerks
Office during the day, but as he was not
molested the aspect became rather ridicu-
lous. aud the talk on the street was uni
Ytrsally condemnatOry of him.
Charles w. Wilkins has been one of the
solid six" Of the Council. His monumental
cheek in accepting the appointment from
Chapman was the topic of many uDfavoT-
able comments. If he chooses to hold on,
however, there Will undoubtedly be a legal
contest between him and the man whom
Mayor Pardee shall appoint.
A number OF people went to the City Hall
last night expecting that a meeting of the
old Council would be held pursuant 10 the
call of Chapman. They were disappointed,
as none of the SOLID Six or any of the
others presented themselves Some of The
new Counclmen were present to watch de-
veloDments, but they soon left. Chairman
lett also. Everything was deserted about
the City Hall. Officer Boyce was left on
guard until midnight, but there was nothing
TO disturb him. Chapman, according to his
own acknowledgment, will have to retire at
u o'clock O-night, and on Monday night the
new Mayor and the new Council will begin
regular business. They will elect a new
City Clerk and Chapman's fasco will 90
laundering down the ages of Oakland's
history. George G. Pardee is Mayor.
All the churches in Oakland have made
elaborate arrangements for Easter services
to-day. Floral decorations will be elaborate.
and special music will be given. The SET
mons will be appropriate to the occasion.
The taking of testimony in the contest of
Warren u. English 10 the seat Of 5. G..
Hll6orn In Congress was resumed In Oak
| land yesterday. Two witnesses were ex-
amined, and the charge was proven that in
two precincts in Oakland the United Stat es
| Marshals placed on duty assisted in count
| ing the votes. The testimony for English
was ended, and Hilborn's side will begin
the taking of testimony at future date not
yet decided upon.
L. NJ. ManhattoD. Southern Pacific
| colored porter, was examined in the Oak
land police court yesterday on a charge of
| robbing G. +. Troy, q passenger on TIE
| overland train. He was held TO answer be-
| fore the Superior Court
The Walkerley will contest was up again
In the Alameda County Superior Court yes
terday. but was not finished. 1t went over
| till next week.
There has been large influx Of colored
people into Oakland recently, and there is
now 100000 worth OF taxable property
owned by representatives of that race
across the bay. They are arranging to es-
tablish an immigration bureau.
Mary Eerpnsnn of this City uhn M q do