The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-01-31
THE MAYOR STOPPED.
IN Injunction Against the
Hearing Of the Charges
TIE DEADLY WORK GOES ON.
Opening Of the Case Against Wolfe ard
Coehran- Mosfos 60 Have Cram
Try the Charges

The reopie Of the city NAV as well possess
their souls IN patience No stone will be
left unturned to keep the present board Of
works in Office. at least until after election.
The mayor yesterday began the hearing of
the charges against Cochran and Wolfe.
but was enjoined soon after the proceed
ings begun. and the trial Was continued
until Saturday morning at a3o O'Clock
The hearing of the argument on the writ
of prohibition will be had in Judge Lang
iey's court on Friday. The effort was made
TO have the case heard by Alderman Cram,
president Of the board. who is one of the
standbys of the machine Democrats Fail
ing in this, the accused secured the writ of
prohibition. The mayor summoned
special meeting of the council. when an
ordinance was submitted ruspending all
but necessary sewer work. bat IT was voted
down so far, the board of public works
is on top.
When Mayor Ronald opened court yes-
terday morning Will H. Thompson. on
behalf OF the accused. asked for further
time, IS some papers they desired 10 serve
on the complainants were not ready. The
mayor assented and postponed hearing
until l:30 o'clock At that hour the
chamber of the. house of delegates was
packed. CORPORATION Counsel Donworth
appeared on behalf of the city. aud Wolfe
and Cochran were represented nv VIII III.
Thompson. John Fairfield, W. Fl. Brinker
and G. w. Turner. The first obstacle was
the service on the mayor of a protest
against his acting as judge. The mayor
read it over
Gentlemen. l have your answer here
but it - not An answer, bnt it Is a motion.
said Mayor Ronald. at is motion to
transfer the trial TO the president of the
board of aldermen. 1t recites number of
disqaaiificaiions of my trying the case"
The motion was as follows:
Honorable J. T. Ronald, Mayor of the
City of Seattle: Jesse r. Cochran. by the
undersigned, his counsel. hereby moves
that by reason of your disqualification be-
cause of your hostility to him and your
interest in the result TO hear and deter
mine the charges heretofore. to-wit: On
the Ri day OF January isa4 preferred
against him by j. :. kioeber. president of
the house Of delegates of said city. that
you refrain from acting "a the iryor of said
charges. or any OF them and that because
OF your incapacitv as above set forth you
cause the same 10 be tried by that officer
OF the city of Seattle who in case Of Your
absence or incapacity to discharge the
duties OF your office Is required by law TO
discharge the same. This motion is based
upon and supported by the annexed aifida-
Wits.
Ii vas accompanied by an affidavit of
Jesse Cochran. enlarging on the points
raised. and one by John Collins. That of
Jesse Cochran is as follows:
Jesse r. Cochran, being duly sworn,
deposes and saws that he is a memb Der of
the board of public works of the city OF
Seattle. King county, Wash. which i an
appointive office therein, and has been for
long time past; that he has read the
charges made against him by j. :. kloeber,
president of the house Of delegates OF the
city OF Seattle. charging him with mis-
feasance, n,alteasance and nonieasance IN
Office as member of said board of public
works. That he denies each and every
allegation contained in said charge as
specifically as though each were specific
ally ana separately denied. Atfiant
further says that ]. I. Ronald. the mayor
OF the city of Seattle. aforesaid, before
whom said charges are 10 be heard, is dis
qualified from hearing the same for the
following reasons:
THAT the said mayor of the city of Sc
attic is hostile and preludiced against AZ
liant and should the trial of said charges
be had before him affiant would be de-
rrived o, fair and impartial trial AZ
tiant positively asserts that the said mayor
of sad city OF Seattle has already pre-
judged said case and that he has already
made arrangements for The appointment
oil atlantis successor as member OF the
board OF public works. Affant further
positively asserts that said mayor has
stated openly and publicly that asfiant
must be removed from said Office under
every and all circumstances aud his place
filled by another. That said mayor has
said that il atiiant would resign as q men,
Der of the board of public works all the
aforesaid charges against him would he
withdrawn and that no investigation
would take place. Attiant further says that
the charges set forth against him cannot
be heard or determined without the testi-
mony of said mayor, and that said mayor
Is an important aud material wit
ness In behalf Of affiant. That
aiiiant believes that If his case
is heard aud determined by fair
and unbiased tribunal that the charge.
preferred against him will be found to be
trivilous. false and malicious; that such
charges. although ostensibiy preferred ny
}. ;. kioener, president OF the house of
delegates OF said city, are the inspiration
Of the said mayor, and. that the same
would never have been made by the said
kloeber or by any other person or persons
ii II had not been the REORGANIZATION of
dlsregarding the rights OF affiant and his,
the said mayors. duties in the premises,
TO remove atfiant from the said office:
and that thereupon the said mayor him
self caused the charges TO be preferred as
charges and specifications of his own Gre
alton and existing only in Imagination.
utterly waning truth and verify 10 sup
port them, and procured the said kloeber
10 adopt them as If the same proceeded
from the said kioeber and not from said
mayor; that such charges and sneci flea
lions were manufactured only alter the
salu mayor had resoried to every
artltlce, entreaty and threat to have
aIhant voluntarily resign his said Office.
snd that after the said charges had been
formulated and Immediately prlor TO the
service thereof on afhant, the mayor Of
Tered 10 withhold them aud serve
or file them if atfiant would re-
sign his office aforesaid. and that courled
with such offer on the part OF such mayor.
he then and there informed afhant ne in
tended 10 remove him from office; and
that such charges and specifications are a
mere subterfuge 10 give color to the pre-
dSterm nation OF the said mayor in the
premises, and rs affant welt knows from
the repeated dec AratSons to him and 10
other persons regardless of the truth or
faIsIty Of such charges and of the utter
Nant OF any testimony whatever 10 sus-
tain them, he intended to and will. if he
hears SAID charges and specifications, re-
move athani from his said office. end hat
he IS utterly disqualified 10 SIT in jadg-
fneOt IN the premises"
The second affidavit was made by John
Collins in the following terms:
John Collins, being first duly Sworn,
on MS oath deposes and SAYS: I have
been for ---- last years last past. a ssdent
oil the city OF Seattle. King county. Wash,
ard have been for a number OF years