The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-10
SPENCER HOLDS ON.
Ex-County Clerk Refuses to
Turn Over His Office.
HE DOESN'T LIKE Mr.. GORDON,
Contumacious ondciaI Still Mad 1t the
Man Who Defeated Him for Nom-
tnasicn-REdicuIous Claims.

who YVES elected last fall as his successor.
Yesterday morning. Il vas generally supposed.
would mark the introduction OF al the newly
elected officers, but Mr.. Spencer claims that
there is no law which authorizes the election Of
his successor.
The trouble has probably arisen II a sequel 10
the political campaign Just ended. There has
been no love lost between the two men for aos1e
time past, and the causes which led 10 this
condition of affairs may be briefly stated 81
follows:
1t viii be remenbefsd that Mr. spaneer vas q
candidate for denomination IN the lat
county convention He was defeated
by Ar. Gordon alter a spirited con-
test wnieE reflected no discredit On elthsf
of the candidates. Dir. Spencer went out OF tns
convention with the avowei purpose Of defeat
ing his successful rival. For q ioHg
time he talked Of running az an in-
dependent Candidate, but seeing the foiiF o.
such course he confined his operations 70 H1fk
ing against Mr.. dordoa's election Mr. speaesf
has given az an excuse for this peculiar
course that Mr.. Gordon secured IT'S
nomination by undetermined means lie has
had very bitter feelings toward him ana hAa
expressed them whenever he had IN OCCASION
His actions forced Hr. Gordon to so 70 F1e'os
county and enter the office Of the county elsf~
there in order that he might faniilisFizs nm
sell with the duties Of his Office before ts.ahs
his seat
toWt- lEE lE~4AsA hsA@t as
for the election Of . county eierA II i51' aHe
also that he and the county. district ana pts
cinct officers shall remain III Office -
JsauaS 2. 1891; that the eoaEfitaHoa Irt
provI9es for the fall election OF count. 'n
for hsgl. but does not p-uvide ior The ieasansi
their terms Il specially provides taat 'as Iss
isiature 81 its first session SHAH u iae 80
of their terms and pseseztbs tiie'F 1hls@
Mr.. Spencer says. has never ozsh oo4" y =
Legislature. and therefore be esa hAVs -
eessor until the legislature has TAKEN s''
and must accordingly hold oFeH
TIL. who's thing vas very much Of sasptse
TO Mr.. Gordon. wEo did not anticipate say
such complication. ai'aoaso - -
that ne had heard I4las a
thai effect on Saturday. Thess rliaors ne con-
rIsrred merely idle talk, Is be eonsidefed h4A+
seIf duIy elected. and all the arrangements al
the Office for the pss. few days Po1a'ea "a"
evacuation By the present -
:, nbout . o'clock Ir. Gordon sppesre1 81 sae
Office, and asked NJ spenssr II rs
tur. over the office 10 him
+No." said Mr.. spencer. "no. | thiEk mob sas
nr. kisisE will explain
ar Eiefer then came out OF the private once
aEd said:
.So. we viii nos turn the ohdss ofet 'o
tW ~ not?'
.Reeau.e your election was not a legal eiee-
,iot,. from the fact that the law has made no
provissou for the ~elsction of a county CLERK
.tUuder these circumstances, | presume sneH
u ~ HE X ~ 1<fs~ 49,
sett!e ia said Mr. Gordon, and Immediately
lett the office.
Mr. Gordon then engaged John Arthur sfi
william II. Thorn pson as his attorneys, ana shss
Immediately began todra" TIC necessary paps7
for a legal contest
Tha hoard of county commissioners me. esrt
In the morning. and the fist business tszns-
acted b. the nssat.g EM AZ
nonnse that they ssnd not sppfose
or make aay pxynsass 70 county aecers
wt.ar,ptlng % bold s~sr aIter their tsFm 81 ssas
- i. o. January 5 - 81. Eposau Ns
fhs Only cnl0a % wnsza skis vonId appig IL
Wa natsFsily noe ssrs as1ssaeis . hin. nd he
says Of it:
The action Of the beard Of county commits
sionars is extremely uucalisd tor. wha; do they
wish to accomplish by thetf ae.loa In regard h
TINS case? Are they attempting to or
gsnizs q strike among the employees
OF the once, TO interrupt work and clog the
business of the courtsf II seems to me froul
what / have heard of their actons thst
they have taken upon themselves the
prerogsfiyss OF a court. and have pre-
Judged the case In such . manner as
To have left little 10 be done by the proper tsih.
uhal- / have attempted 10 fuifI nv duties 10
the county honoraoiy and honestly aud viii 81
continue until the expiration of my term.
In tho meantime there was a meeting ef
tho attorneys concerned In the matte
IN which Mr.. Kieier insisted that no
obstacles would be introduced to delsy
the discrimination OF the question. bu. thai
every sndeaSor would be mads to expedite 3
NNsAHE - ZIG sttS NAHEt the fuHflz
In the afternoon Mr.. C.oriau presented ~
Dir. Spencer certified copies Of the certificate
Oh MS election, his oath Of Office and the Al.
rroval othis official bond, and then demsndsa.
second time the possession of the Office. H.
Spencer refused TO deliver tue possession. sn5
stated that he made no point sraInst n, g
don on tho details Of his qualifications IN,
rested solely on the legal proposition tia, taere
was no vacancy to be flied at tbs Sovs,hs,
election.
Iawkaz EE.Far =#4-~-.- - st
night said:
It's our wish that this matter sha,f, IA
passed upon as speedily as possible ana -
VIII thro. no obstacles in the wav al asrs.
uiat-' At present it IL Il ulooted question ~
decision al the supreme court, recently rgeaasrss
IN the Tacoma case. So lar IS have -
ifoni the Newspaper reports. does not ,e,cs
the point involved a this case. think ,Nst
the failure 81 tae !esls atuse tn n-oyifts : 80 -
10 cover the election Of county clerk renders NJ
constitution does not provide for the eie.ttne
and therefore the legislature must -
aae tacoma case referred To above ,ha
question OF tho Legality sss no. $50
that WAS admitted 10y tAa stin,i "ssa'
the que ktiUn before the codrt was Yasrasv !. as
sata 10 ne length ct tue term, sai my on3n,",
thst q~uestion. Ns'eFAaiha
AF. ontdon when teen. SAID.
] nave he9n legally ami fairly eEee,A4 ..A
Iay oath anu slet Eiy bond, shtch has bssn ) = =
ensnmi.sIaaer. ana : sas toari OF eoputv
ans entitled 70 ms orHce. aad shall - "a |
means 70 OBTAIN Possession nj It sA
Nj John Arthur, oas Of .r. Gorior.-
neYs. says: ~s s''eF'
IVES present At the time ar. Gordon n.t. |
rs second demand Ia ae given prssssste. T's1e
oaAco Yesterday afternoon, ~ o ne
a. = : a,atsea today before ems Is
- 5s~ssse 8, 1ae suparscr court charging NJ
Spencer wifh usuTpaiion Of Office. Ths ".IS ~
ing Viii he summary ia s proceed
So - FtooSetF * heard On Thnrsfsx
-. -sppestl II should COME before t.a -
IIeh.e soart before the middle -
a. ! tasnA That The decision IN ia So.
feaa tAe inll taxt q the aectstss. N~- mare
ms remarkable contest was naturally
hcn.s - =" conversation st tas cont |
pressed On the nv.t aaor ~. ca
~taSF county efsces are si,-.,as ne
s-Sai aenE. haueve-, sh.-n -. -
10y = tAs rs sets likely f. = 1S-
1Assfsslei IN as result. fsx -.
AF'tsse3a nd they extremely .gayss -"
sssrt,.t~ saole Ia see ho~ lt:Ie ta.ere,r Ne. |
@'As+F taken. suG hos thcrgrsstx rs
enc Asd oees bggisd n his sc-..ns.sS~. ICY
'NsAtY-tog- hongS Noh.sIr
snow what wss go;u- =, zS1 . !
. .sa1se q the other county, ae-s-.
-. = syiepstass sIth NJ t.er!es. .|t /
:. - s.e2es, When Questioned n $50
"a ts5 sUtJeeL ssid: A@f@ !
Has &atcEwss tst. |
NetA taSi IL. sfxrea- %2@+% 10 /.
aS aad taa-.gs..a a. NAs /
fseutx - - @t1sF e~!sscssaS ahs. 10 a.
attempting - hosd oTs- '5.- o@-er /
1-Fs~ tp30 NJ sneer.- @@@F |
doaa IN the Issfts- sS~t@ a1sry- Ai tazF ! aAt. /
81 1@[ja4 = AtiarasYa 80 FE4ss /
Sa$e'-as. Biz cath IL a-zes a. -
approved 81 sc = Sas been au.y a=sl sad /
- ! t-sak taSi - >t5-s-