The Portland daily press., 1893-11-06
CAREY WAS CRAZY.
He Wanted to Fight and the Other
Aldermen We're Willing.
CITY FATHERS In A RIOT OVER
CHICAGO'S MAYORALTY.

The Democrats Seized the Chairmanshir
But Did Not Prevent the Election of a
l. Republican Although a Squad of
Pro Tenn Can Do Nothing and the
Place Does Not Seem To Be Even an
Empty Honor.
Chicago, November 4-Today's special
meeting of the city council to elect a
mayor pro tenn was one of the most ex-
citing held in this city. The Democratic
minority seized the craftsmanship and ran
things with high hand. The Republi-
cans, under the leadership of Alderman
Swift, met force with force, but in a
vicious encounter at the outset were held
at bay until the Democrats secured q
firm hold on the meeting The Demo
Gratis did not succeed in electing a mayor
pro tenn, but they defeated the election OF
Alderman Swift for a time to that posi-
tion by ruling Of the Chair, who held
that majority of the whole council was
necessary to choice.
The row started the moment the roll
had been called. Alderman Powers
moved that Alderman McGillen take the
/ chair and Alderman McGillen took it.
The next moment Alderman Kent moved
that Alderman Hepburn take the chair
and Alderman Hepburn tried to do So.
Then the fight began, and it was good
fight, too. 1t was case of absolute force.
Clerk Neumeister, big and brawny, tried
to throw Alderman Hepburn out. Hep
burn, who IS pretty big himself, resisted.
After that it was riot for few
minutes.
Alderman Swift, the nominee of the
Republican caucus forsnMayor pro. tenn,
came to the front in an attempt to quiet
the row, but Neumeister tried to hit
wanted to fight everybody. When the
police came in there was a 1ull in the
tight.
Some of the aldermen began to see the
public disgrace they were bringing on
themselves and the city. Aldermen
Martin and Madden proposed that.a roll
call be had on the question Of temporary
chairman, and insisted on it. Alderman
| Swift sent up resolution which Read
ing Clerk Neumeister tore up. Then
there was another riot. Aldermen
Coughlin and Brennan yelled in unison
and showed their lung power effectively.
! Other aldermen rushed to the front and
wanted to fight Finally Alderman Swift
i got the ear of the Council and moved
| that Alderman McGillen keep the chair.
! He said that he had confidence in the
| fairness of McGillen, and he thought the
Republicans could trust him. This was
| agreed to.
1t was case where the Republicans
would have had to use physical force to
/ Ta(N Ian o7,t aff oh loir md I,
did not dare to go that far. There
might have been murder had the thing
| been attmpted. Then tere was a
moment of Comparative quiet, followed
| by another row as to the date of the
| special election. December is was finally
| agreed upon.
| Balloting was then begun andwhen all
the aldermen had deposited their ballots
Alderman O'Neill took the box contain
| ing them inside the clerks desk, the
| other tellers watching him as cat would
a mouse. Then they began the counting.
| First they counted them to see If there
were sixty eight of them. They were all
! right and then they were counted again
60 determine what names were on them.
The vote stood-Swift, "a; McGillen, SO,
ana 1 blank
| The chairman declared that it was no
election. Alderman Kent claimed that
there had been only 81 votes cast. and
Alderman Swift had received 81, or a
majority of them. The chairman an
their intention. "Only 81 of them de-
| clared their intention" said Alderman
| Kent. Zone did not vote.n
Chairman McGillen declared that
another vote must be had. Alderman
Kent appealed from the decision of the
chair; Chairman IN McGillen refused to
put the appeal. Then there was another
riot, and in the middle of it Alderman
Madden shot in a motion to adjourn.
| Chairman McGillen declared the motion
| lost, and then the Repu blicans filed out.
The police tried to stop them on orders
| from Chairman McGillen, but the alder
men showing fight, Inspector Ross threw
! full departure. They then gathered in the
hall for conference. They were advised
! by ex-Corporation Counsel Miller that
| Alderman Swift had been legally elected
mayor pro tenn by a plurality vote over
| McGillen and that he was entitled to
the office. Chairman McGillen, baked
| in his attempt to imprison the Republi-
can alderman, ordered second ballot to
| be taken, but remembering suddenly
| that there was not quorum present,
| he ordered the council adjourned till
| Monday at 10 q. m.
Alderman, Swift appeared before
| County Clerk Wulff later and took the
| OaU0 Ol OlilCc, dU UAo S6tiIic ulluG giving q
bond, with MIR. Wulff and John M.
Smythe, millionaire Republican
| leader as sureties.
After this the Republicans got together
again, Informally, however, and agreed
to stand by Swift. This will give him 3s
votes in the council and override Alder
man McGillen, who proposes to preside at
Mondays session of the council and de-
clare himself elected if he can.
When Commissioner of Public Works
Jones heard of the action of Alderman
Swift in having himself sworn in as
to send twenty-five police officers to the
Mayor's office to hold it aginst all comers
until the council meeting of Monday
next Commissioner Jones is the custo-
dian of the building, and does not pro-
nose to take any chances of man taking
possessioon of the Mayors office unless
he has clear title to it.
Alderman Swift, however, said this
evening he did not propose to make any
move npon the Citv hall until Monday
next He knows he could not get into
the the Mayors' office, and says he does not