The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-02-24
CITY LAW OFFICERS
Mayor Wanser Claims His
Vetoes Have Become
Effective.
BOARD OF FINANCE INACTION.
Commissioners Won't Admit the
Mayors Claim-The Meet
ing Monday.

of Finance middle this morning by the an
nouncemeut at City Hall that the Mayor
maintained his veto of the appointments of
Brinkerhoff and Erwin as the city law Off
GERS, had become effective, owing to inact-
ton on the part of the Board of Finance
The announcement that the Mayor had
won the fight at a time when all eyes wereon
Finance Commissioner Jacob Detwiller, who
returned from Florida for the especial pur-
pose of taking part in the meeting of the
board to be held next Monday afternoon,
spread rapidly throughout political circles,
and politicians. irrespective of party, rushed
to the City Hall to have the news corrobor-
ated. Mayor Wanser declined to be inter
viewed on the subject, but he bases his claim
on an apparent violation of the rules gov
erning the board in the matter of the recep-
tion and disposition of vetoes.
THE MAYOR IS CLAIM.
Mayor Wanser's veto of the appointment
bears date of January 10. The records of the
board, as prepared by Martin Finck, clerk
of the board. show that the veto was received
at the office Of the Board of Finance on Jan.
10 at half-past four o'clock in the afternoon.
On January 80 last President Hitler of the
Board of Finance established a hereto
unheard of precedent by issuing a call for a
meeting, without the knowledge of the clerk
of the board The object of that meeting
upon it at the next regular meeting of the
board, in compliance with the rules, which
was to be held February 2. To permit the
taking up of the veto, President Hitler IN
serted in his call that general usine was
to be transacted and petitions and all com-
meeting President Hitler discovered that
Commissioner Detwiller had decided to sail
for the South that day. At about the same
time Commissioner Fraser was unseated.
This left but Hitler, Bedell and Simpson to
battle with the veto.
Commissioner Detwiller declared his in
tention of staying away for a month. To
receive Mayor Wanser's veto at that meet
ing meant defeat for Mr.. Hitler and an
effort was made to declare the meeting Off,
but just at that date provision had to be
made for the payment OF interest or the
city would be allowed to default. The
meeting was held, but when ''communica-
tionsn were called for the Mayors veto was
not read, Clerk Finck being directed by
President Hitler to withhold it from presen-
tation.
On February 2 the next regular
meeting was held, and Mayor Wanser
and his advisers maintain that action should
have been taken on the veto at that time,
and because the board did not act, they
claim that the veto became operative. The
veto was received at.the meeting of tebru-
airy 2 and read. An effort was made to get
MI. Detwiller to return from the South and
take part in a meeting called for February
10. Mr.. Detwiller did not put in an appear
ance, and no meeting was held.
On February IL, the next regular meet
ing, Mr.. Detwiller was still away.
The three Commissioners, Messrs.
Hitler, Bedell and Simpson, did
not dare act on the veto, and at that
~ ~o of tl,o y,,oafi,,n rzbara tho uotn ShO11lA
have been taken up, adjournment was taken
until next Monday afternoon at four o'clock.
The Finance Commissioner claim that they
have acted legally in the matter. The situa-
ton depends upon Mr.. Detwiler's vote.
A DEAL" TALK.
1t is said that a deal has been made with
Mr.. Detwiller whereby he will secure re-
appointment if he will vote to sustain the
veto, as a matter of form, at next Mondays
meeting.
This new turn of affairs has aroused con-
siderable excitement, and the most conserva-
tive politicians believe that the Mayor has
the upper hand in the struggle. The
peculiar feature of this whole trouble
is that the Finance Commissioners maintain
that the power of appointment is vested in
them in the laws of 1898. The same law APP |
plies to the appointment of members to the
Board of Finance, and this law was declared
unconstitutional when the Supreme Court
removed John D. Fraser, Mayor Wanser's
appointee to the board and seated John Ed
elstein. The whole matter will probably be
aired in the courts within a few months.
DETwILLER UNDECIDED.
A reporter of The JERSEY CITY NEWS
called upon Finance Commissions Jacob J.
Detwiller, at his residence, on Danforth ave-
nue., Greenville, this morning, and endeav-
ored to obtain from him an opinion in regard
to the Finance Board middle.
"Wiu you vote to retain Messrs. Brinker-
hoff and Erwin in officer asked the reporter.
81 am not prepared to answer that ques-
ton was the reply. II nave been away for
some time, and since my return [ nave not
had sufficient time to see my friends and talk
over the situation. / viii attend the meet
ing on Monday pight, and until then I will
nave nothing to say for publication. The
controversy between the Mayor and the
Commissioners places me in no pleasant posi-
ton. / am sorry that it has taken place and
that there should be any dissatisfaction |
believe the Mayor and the Commissioners
should work together"
B~RINKERHoFF WILL CONTEST.
Ex-senator Brinkerhoff in speaking of the
Finance Board middle this morning, said
stShould Mayor Wanser's veto be sustained
at next Mondays meeting of the Board of
Board OF Finance, and / doubt very much if
it will, I will certainly contest the matter in
the courts. | will contest the law under
which the Mayor presumes to have the
appointing power. Mr.. Erwin and myself
have in our possession a great many legal
papers, the property of the city, and we are
the recognized law officers, except so far as
the City Hall and the Street and Water
Top,rnicciounrS ara oonpnrnad T am sorry