The evening world., 1893-12-28
EDW ARDS IS DROPPED
Ex-senator BrinkerhOG Becomes Cor.
poratiOn Counsel of Jersey City.
JAMES ERWIN TAKES MR.. WEARTS'S
PLACE AS CITY ATTORNEY.
TOO MUCH RAILROAD, THEY SAY.

The Jersey City Board of Finance was
about to adjourn last night. after two
hours session, when Commissioner Be-
dell caught President Killers eye BE
fore we adjourn" said Commissioner
Bedell, who held a sheet of paper in his
hand. II should like to offer a resolu-
ton"
There were no objections. and Commits
sioner Bedel passed the sheet OF paper
over to Clerk Martin Finck. Martin"
smiled. and began to read from the
paper:
BE 1t resolved. That William F. Brln-
kerhoff be and he Is hereby appointed
Corporation Counsel. the date of appoint
ment to take effect Immediately"
Corporation Counsel William d. Ed
nation that his othciai life was to be
brought to such an abrupt end, and he
looked at Commissioner Bedell and the
other members of the board in amaze
| ment. Before he had recovered from his
surprise the roll had been called, and
President Hitler and Commissioners Be
dell; Fraser and Simpson had been re-
corded In favor Of the resolution. Com
missioner Detwiller, the fifth member Of
the board was absent.
| While Mr.. Edwards was wondering
| what had struck him Commissioner Be
dell was again on his feet He had an
other resolution which provided for the
| appointment of eX-Assemblyman James
Erwin as Corporation Attorney. In the
| was also adopted.
Mr.. Weart was not at the meeting, and
Il Is probable that when he reads The
that he is no longer one of the city's law
| officers.
The removal of Corporation Counsel
| Edwards and Corporation Attorney Weart
and the appointment in their places OF
| Mr.. Brinkerhoff and Mr.. Erwin had been
decided upon by the Commissioners in
caucus, and 1t is understood the pro.
| gramme was approved by Mayor Wan.
| ser
The action of the board will cause
general surprise. 1t had been supposed
that both the law officers were in accord
with Mayor Wanser. and they We're re-
| gardcd by the public as select members
of his official family,
Edwards. will not be so great as in the
case of his associate. Mr.. Weart was
looked upon as one Of Mayor Wanser's
political favorites. When the Mayor frs
mcnt he appointed Mr.. Weart his privat,
secretary, and II few months later, wher
"A vacancy occurred in the office of Cor
poration Attorney by the elevation o.
bench OF the County Court of Common
Pleas. Mayor Wanser again seized tht
opportunity to show his appreciation o
MIR, Weart by appointing him to fill thu
AS ro political advantage was gained
by the change of the city's law officer!
people will wonder to what Is due tht
removal of Messrs. Edwards and Weart
reporter who asked one of the Com
missioners for an explanation was me
railroads" BY this the reporter was lee
to believe that the Finance Commits
sionefs thought he law officers hac
private interests that interfered with tn,
proper performance of their officia
duties.
Mr. Edwards has been Corporation
Counsel since 1889 He was a State Sena
tor when the present city charter wa,
passed, and after the adjournment o
the Legislature. Orcste" Cleveland, wht
was then Mayor offered him the ap
pointment of Corporation Counsel, anC
he accepted. The Legislature last win
ter took the appointment out of tn
Board OF Finance. 1t requires a three
fourths vote OF that board to make tn
appointment. The same law covers tn
appointment OF the Corporation Attor
ney. When this law was passed tn
, Democrats expected to have control o
the Board of Finance.
: Mr.. Brinkerhoff who succeeds Ed
a. State Senator and is brother-in-la Law
1 OF Congressman Fielder. Mr. Erwin
like Mr. Weart, whom he succeeds, I
a Republican, lie prepared the charge
l which the committee of citizens fic
I against the Street and Water Board
The salary OF Corporation Counsel
5000 and that OF Corporation Attorne
$500 a year.
Prior TO the introduction OF the resc
luton that chopped on his official hea
| Mr., Edwards hob-nobbed, with the Com
mlssioners, ana was as happy as Il larl