The Red Cloud chief., 1893-11-10
RON IN cHicAGo,s COUNCIL.
Much Turbulence over the Election o
Mayor Pro Tenn.

Mayor Pro TEN.
CHICAGO, Nov. 8.-The scenes in the
council chamber Saturday over the cleo.
ton OF n mayor pro tenn. have been sci.
dom equalled for turbulence in any de.
Lucrative body in the land. During the
"trouble" there were n dozen times when
II looked like n general riot would result.
One "city dad" pulled of his coat to be
ready for the expected general fight.
The Republicans have thirty.cight mem.
bers Of the council and the Democrats
thirty. but the first ballot on mayor pro
TEN. showed that some Republicans had
deserted their fellows.
The row began when Reading Clerk Neu-
mcister put the question on q Democratic
motion that John McGillen be made chair
man, ignoring a Republican motion that
Hepburn be chairman. Neumeister put
the question and declared McGillen chosen
without waiting for the nays, and refused
a roll call. There was a fight over the
and matters quilted. A resolution fixing
the third Tuesday in December for a
special election to fill the Office Of mayor
was adopted.
Then the mayor pro TEN. question came
we kuoiNu III it'IuollChu IIOs
tions or resolutions, refused to entertain
appeals and listened to no one except Dem
ocrats. The Republicans wanted an open
ballot. but they were not listened to and
a secret ballot ordered. II resulted: Swift
(Rep.),3 "a; McGillen (Dem.), 81; blank /. Nc
Gillen declared that no election resulted.
The Republicans left the chamber, and
no quorum was present and later the
Democrats adjourned to today. Later
Swift took the oath and made his bond,
but the Democrats put u guard in charge
OF the mayors Office so that Swift could
not Let In.
CHICAGO, Nov. lit was hot while 1t
lasted, but II has ended--that fight in the
city council rs to who should hold down
the mayors chair until a new mayor is
duly elected.
At the bottom Of the difficulty II Is mat.
ter Of most serious character, but on the
surface there was a good deal Of humor in
the situation. For instance the story OF
the difficulty rs told by the men who saw
1t states that when the Democratic minor.
Ivy met yesterday morning there were
anxious looks for certain of that side who
had not put in Ri appearance. As a
quorum was n necessity that the minority
had respected 80 far, 1t is probable that
some Of the anxiety was for the majority
members who were alleged to have been
bought. Then the spectacle of the leaders
Of the majority locking the aforesaid ma
jority mp In a suite Of rooms 50 that no one
could get away!
The end came last night. The Repub-
lican aldermen came into the council
chamber In a body AT 1880 o'clock. Most Of
the Democrats were there already, and the
others came In shortly afterward.
Roll call WAS held on the question OF
quorum aud 1t was found that there wer.
sixty-eight aldermen present. Then cam
the question Of electing a temporary
chairman. Kent moved that McGilleu
take the chair. This was agreed to. Az
ter some skirmjshing a ballot for mayo,
pro tenn. was had with this result: Swift,
50; McGillen, 10.
The tellers reported that one alderman
had dropped two ballots folded together
One OF them was for Swift, the other fol
McGillen. 1t was at once decided that tC
make the vote perfectly legal Z
second ballot be taken. The teller'
went to work again ald u thirt
time the non-committal alderman got IN
his work, for when the ballot was an
nounced it vas Swift, 62; McGillen, 5
blank. l, And the question remains: "Wht
cast those blank ballots?'