The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-01-08
CAN'T DRUG WANSER.
The Mayor Refuses To Be a
Party to the Fielder
Hitler Deal.
CITY'S LAW OFFICERS.
Edwards and Weart Only Recog-
nized by the Mayor-Re-
fused to Sign Contracts.

The little" disagreement between Mayor
Wanser and the Board of Finance in rela-
tion to the appointment of ex-senator
Brinkerhof as Corporation Counsel to
succeed William D. Edwards. and James s..
Erwin, City Attorney, to succeed Spencer
Weart, has resulted in Mayor Wansers re-
fusing to recognize the new appointees as the
legal law officers of the city.
~ recognize only Mr.. w. D. Edwards as
Corporation Counsel and Mr.. Spencer
Weart as City Attorney" said Mayor Wan
ser in firm tone this morning.
Further than this the Mayor would say
nothing concerning the matter. Init
mate friends of the Mayor say that he
has raised the point that the Finance Com
missioners, in appointing Messrs. Brinker-
hoff and Erwin, as they did, acknowledge
the law to be constitutional, which he main
tanned was constitutional when he appoint
ed Messrs. Detwiller and Fraser successors
to Messrs. Edelstein and Peterson.
COMMISSIONERS WORRIED.
The members of the Board of Finance
have been considerably worried over Mayor
Wanser's opposition to the appointment of
Messrs. Brinkerhof and Erwin and have
been sending messengers to him to ascertain
what he proposed doing.
The Mayor has refrained from saying any
thing on the subject, but has expressed
marked pleasures in the disgraceful
disclosures which have been made relative
to the deal to GUST Messrs. Edwards
and Weart. The resolution, which was
passed by the Board of Finance, making
the appointments has been presented to
Mayor Wanser on several occasions by
Clerk Martin Finck of the Board of Fl
nance, but it still remains unsigned. The
appointments necessitate an expenditure of
money, and the Mayor maintains that he
has a veto power in the matter. That he
proposes to veto the appointments is now
known.
WOULDN'T SIGN ''DRUG" CONTRACTS.
On Saturday afternoon Contract Clerk
John McKeon, of the Board Of Street and
Water Commissioners, presented two con-
tracts to Secretary Nevin which had been
prepared by Mr. Erwin and and approved
BY Mr. Brinkerhoff, which he desired to
have signed by the Mayor. Secretary Nevin
returned the contracts to Mr.. McKeon with
the reply that the Mayor was unable TO act
upon them. This was an acknowledgment
that the Mayor would not recognize the new
law officers
'sDid you refuse to sign the contracts be
cause they had been prepared by Mr.. Erwin
and approved by Mr.. BrinkerhoffT' / asked
the Mayor this morning.
Il nave seen no contracts, he repll6u
"Do you propose recognizing the new law
officers asked.
II am not prepared to answer that question
at this time" he replisd. II have merely
made up my mind not to sign any contracts
for a short time"
The Mayor maintains that the new officers
were not legally appointed, inasmuch as
they were appointed by resolution instead OF
being balloted for. The Mayor will not re-
cognize the new officers until they are prop
eriy elected and cleaned of all drugs.
President Hitler and Commissioner Simp
son are particularly worried over the May
or's opposition, and it is currently reported
that in view of the disagreeable disclosures
made in relation to the cause which lead
Presiden Hitler to support Mr.. Brincker-
hoff, the board may take back track and
reconsider the appointment.
BRINKERHOFF SAYS ITS LEGAL.
Mr.. Brinkerhof maintains that his ap.
pointment is legal in every respect, and in
Confederation of this belief cites Senate bill
No. 1877, better known as the "Wanse1
Board of Finance to appoint q
Corporation Counsel and City Attorney by Q
two-thirds vote Both gentlemen fear, how
| ever, that Mayor Wanser will refuse to sign
their warrants A suit to recover will ne
cessarily result and the constitutionality Of
| the act under which Messrs. Fraser and Det
| willer were appointed will again be put to 8
| test by means of contesting their own ap
| pointments.
Ex-C commissioner Peterson called on Mayor
this morning and held a long consultation
with him The appointment made was the
subject under discussion.