The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-07-25
THE REMOVALS WERE ILLEGAL.
Council Sat Down on Mayor
Jones Last Might.
He Must Assign a Reason For Remov,ps
members Of the Police Forco-The
Matter Referred to the City Solicitor.
Who Will Make Report at the Next
Meeting

ing last night, and spent most of the
time in discussion of the legality of
the removal OF city officers by the mayor
without stating causes for such acts.
The discussion was warm and spirited,
and, while most Of the lawmakers were
guarded in their expressions, 1t was
made evident that breach of consider.
able dimensions lies between the execu-
tive and legislative departments Of the
municipal government. In other words.
Council sat down on Mayor Jones.
The following members answered to
the roll call: Messrs Andrews, 3oehm,
Casey, Clingenpeel. Dickerson, Graves.
Groves, High, Houston, Loughery,
McNamee, Mays, Ramsey, Stevenson,
Terry and President Buckner.
The clerk read message from the
pointed G. Maginnis and W. Il. Helms
station house keepers vice c. Orgain
and j. II. Williams.
second communication from the
mayor was also read stating he had an.
pointed R. a. Pollard superintendent of
the chain gang in place OF J. w. Gwalt-
ney, but that Mr.. Pollard had declined
to accept the position. The reasons
given for Mr.. Gwaltney's removal were
the chief of police that twelve or fifteen
prisoners had been allowed to escape
within the past six months. Also that
he did not seem to be able to get rood
work out of the members of the chain
gang.
Mr.. Terry read the report OF the COM
mlttee on accounts recommending the
payment of the regular monthly ac-
counts, amounting to S7,O54 The re-
port was adopted.
In the report of the committee on
sewers, read by Mr.. Loughery, it was
recommended that the final assessment
on sewers should not be levied until the
work was completed. The committee
was informed that Dyer, Vaughan & Co.
would begin work on their contract at
once, and recommended that w. w.
Fortune be notified that if work on his
contract was not commenced within ton
days the work would be let to other con-
tractors The report, with the recon-
| mendations, was adopted
Mr.. Stevenson, of the committee on
] fire and water, asked that driver be
| appointed for the Alert Fire Company
to be paid $40 per month. This was
allowed.
Mr.. Buckner, Mr.. Terry in the chair,
moved that the matter of the mayor
removing city officers be referred to the
SioJ oOiiClLOr WIZ 6uQulQ ascertain II
such removals were legal unless charges
had first been preferred. This was
adopted.
MIR. Buckner moved that the street
committee confer with the mayor in
regard to appointing temporary SUI
perintendent Of the chain gang pending
the investigation of the charges against
MIR. Gwaltney. Mr.. Andrews moved to
amend by appointing Mr.. Gwaltney
temporary uperintendent.
Mr.. Terry made a speech, in which
he thought the mayor had acted wrong.
He read letter from E. b. Crabill,
former chairman of the street com
mittee, which spoke in strong terms OF
Mr.. Gwaltney's efficiency.
Mr.. Clingenpeel remarked that the
mayor had overstepped the mark.
Mr.. Andrews-'The mayor has &C ted
illegally and wrong and If Council sus-
tains the mayor it will act illegally and
wrong"
Mr.. Loughery thought to pass the res
olution would be to attempt to take
from the mayor some OF his privileges.
Mr.. Groves said he believed that the
mayor would see the mportance of
making tho appointments az once and to
pass either Mr.. Buckner's resolution or
Mr. Andrews amendment would be
acting diScourteous to the MAYOR.
Mr.. Buckner disc aimed any inten-
ton OF discourtesy and thought that
very strange construction.
Mr.. Moomaw made q plain, strong
speech in which he said Council had
just as we'll start out right. The mayor
had inadvertently committed wrong
that might grow serious. The removals
were illegal and were therefore not
removals at all. He believed that Mr.,
Gwaltney could come into court and OBJ
tain compensation until he WAS properly
removed II he (Mr. Mooma WI should
receive letter like the mayor wrote
Gwaltney and was a city officer he
should not obey it.
All the motions and amendments were
withdrawn and resolution was
adopted offered by Mr.. Loughery, to
the effect that the removals were illegal
and not in accordance with the consti-
ution OF Virginia or the charter Of the
city and referred the matter back to the
mayor, asking that charges be preferred
and that pending the investigation OF
the charges temporary superintendent
be appointed.
On motion of Mr.. Moomaw the CON
firmation Of the other appointees was
deferred until the report of the CITY
solicitor in the matter be received.
The Mob Fled.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla, July ga spe-
cial to the Times Union from Luraville,
Fla, says: That about O'Clock this
morning mob OF negroes. led by negro
preacher named Marshall, went to the
house of negro named Jack Thomas to
lynch him for committing rape on q
t.1