Morning journal and courier., 1893-12-07
WHO IS TOWN AGENTe

and Democrats Both Claim the Omce-The Democrats Held a Secret Session Last Evening | at Which Town Counsel Pardee l Was Present-The Question May Be | Taken to the Courts.
 Who will be town agent for the next years Will 1t be Robert E. Baldwin or John Garritya These were the questions which were yesterday asked by the mem- bers of the board of selectmen, by the pol iticians of both the republican and demo- cratic parties, and by the public generally. Each answered the question in accordance with his political affiliations, the demo- crats claiming that Garrity was the man, and the republicans insisting that the office, by right of majority and also by decisions of the supreme court of the state, belonged to Robert E. Baldwin. In this latter view many prominent New Ha- ven lawyers concur.
 The claim that MT. Bald win is town agent is based upon decision rendered by Jus tioes Andrews, Carpenter, Lewis, Seymour and Torrance and coneurred in by all the l justices of the supreme court bench. It is | found in the 60th Connecticut reports. Yesterday afternoon MT. Baldwin called | at the town agents office and made for nal demand upon Captain Clarity, but the latter declined to allow him to assume the duties of the office. After being refused MT. Baldwin went away, but it Is claimed that a contest for the possession of the office will be instituted.
 Last evening rumors were rife to the ef- feet that an injunction had been served | upon Town Agent Clarity, but this rumor was positively denied by the democratic members of the board of selectmen. However this may be, it is nevertheless a fact that the democratic members o1
 the board, Selectmen Garrity, Cunning
 ham, Forbes and Pohlman, and Town Coun
 sel Pardee were in secret but earnest
 consolidation, and this ''star chamber" ses
 sion continued for several hours. Int
 conference was held in the rear room o
 the town agents office, and at the clos,
 of the session everyone who was present a
 it was ss dumb as an oyster and positivel,
 refuse to impart any information as to thu
 proceedings. John P. Carney, who wa
 also present during part of the session
 stated positively, however, that no ipjunc ], tion suit had been brought.
 From another and reliable eource it wa
 learned that the democrats held 8 csucu
 and made up the slate for the various com mittess. It was also stated that the ques
 tion of tho contest came up and that Tow . Counsel Pardee was called into the delib
 erations of the democratic members of tn board It was also stated that it had beel . decided that Garrity should hold on to tn ! office of town agent and in the event of
 contest the matter will be carried to tn
 supreme court of the state. It is also de
 nied that Bald win made any demand upo
 Garrity for the office
 In spite of the uncertainty about tn
 town agency the new board of selectme a met and partially organized. All tn , l members of the board were present an
 the oath of office was administered b
 Judge Robertson of the probate conr r ! Joseph Cunningham was elected chairma @ of the board, Frank H. Kelley fnancls
 clerk at salary of $1,800 per year, an Owen A. Groark business clerk at salar T of $1 400. This was the only businel r transacted and the beard immediately at journed.
 Now at this meeting no election of tow agent was made and yet the democrat claim Is that the town agent is elected l.
 the board of selectmen If this claim e good one, the question naturally aris' why was not Garrity elected at the meetir !, as all four of the democratic selectme 'i were present. As matter of fact it Is 8
 legged that both sides have decided to ref if the question to eminent counsel and in t; :, meantime the affair will remain In ''stat
 quo." It is probable that new develo s ments will come up to day but what tht
 will consist of no one last evening could # found who would even 80 much as ventu | prediction.