The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1895-08-08
HE is IMPEACHED.
WEST sUPERIOR'S CHIEF ENECU-
TIVE REMOVED FROM OFFICE.
The Council, by Vote of seven
teen to one. Declares the Mayor
Guilty of ExtOrting Money From
Firemen and Policemen.

West Superior. Aug. 3.-Charles s.
Starkwea her. the eX-rector of the
Church Of the Redeemer, who was
elected mayor of Superior last April.
was last night removed from his high
office by the common council. Seven
teen aldermen out OF eighteen said
by their votes that the chief executive
was guilty Of having eXtOrted money
from policemen and tiremen, and then
by the same number of votes i'm
peaChcd him.
The scene in the city hall was quite
sensational, and trouble at one time
that might have resulted seriously
was avcrted by the officer in attend
ance. Attorney Cooper was drawing
to a close with the final argument and
made some reference to the testimony
of gambler named Joseph Ennis.
This man was sitting in the audience
which packed the room almost TO Suf-
location, and arising, began calling
the speaker down. He was hisseG.
and there were cries of Throw him
out" Ennis subsidized, but a moment
later again interrupted Mr.. Cooper,
who was saying that the back doors,
front doors and side doors of gam
bling houses were open from the lat
ter part Of May to July 3. Yes, and
you We're in and out as much as any
one" shouted Ennis. You are
liar" replied Mr.. Cooper with energy.
The audience arose in a threatening
manner as Ennis advanced toward
the rail, and pandemonium reigned
for a few moments. Court Officer
Wheratt jumped from within the rail
and took the obstreperous sport away.
If the latter had resisted in the slight
est degree there would have been a
riot. The defense and prosecution had
been limited to three hours each aud
they kept within the limit.
The Mayor Impeached.
At the conclusion of the arguments
Chairman Johnston called President
Albion Howe to the chair. A great
silence fell upon the moment, for the
critical moment had come in this IA
nous Impeachment trial. which had
occupied from its incipiency a month.
Aid. Atkinson, who had acted as sec
rotary of the investigating committee.
arose and moved that il be the sense
of the council that charge No. 8,
which charged Mayor Starkwea her
with having eXtorted money from the
policemen and tiremen. had been
proved true. The motion was second
ed by Aid. Johnston, and the roll was
called. Seventeen aldermen voted
aye, and one-Ald. Tomas, of the
Ninth ward-vOted in the negative
Aid. ChaOp Green thereupOn intro
duced a resolution. as follows:
BE ii resolved by the common cOun-
Gil Of the city Of Superior, That said
Charles S. Starkweathcr, mayor of
Superior, be and he is hereby removed
from the office of mayor of said city
Of Superior"
The resolution was preceded by a
preamble which Incorporated the find
ings Of the council relative to charge
D. The resolution passed to a second
reading, and was adopted by a vote
OF IL to l. Aid. Tomas again voting in
the negative. The result of the pro-
ceedingS was received with wild
cheers. Men jumped over the railing
and shook hands with the aldermen
and Attorneys George @. Cooper and
w. Z. Ogden, who had conducted the
prosecution. There was much excite
ment for a few moments. Mayor
Starkweather was not present. He
is reported to be in Duluth, and is
quoted as saying that he will
Contest the Proceedings
even to the supreme court The mayor
according to his expressed opinion be-
fore the vote, had no idea that enough
aldermen would vote to impeach him.
Fourteen were required, and seventeen
voted to remove him. By the removal
or the mayor, President Howe sue
cCedS TO the chair. He was a promi-
nent candidate for mayor last spring.
but was beaten in the convention by
eX-Ald. Agen. President Howe is SUI
perintendent of the Globe elevator
system in Superior. IL there are no
legal entanglements encountered there
will be some designations called for OF
men in office who were close to Mayor
Starkweather The following were
the charges which Aid. MCQUEEN filed
against Mayor Starkweather June 3:
Numbers l, = and 3, that gambling
houses are permitted to run; 4th. that
the Gem theater has been allowed to
sell liquor without a license: 9Th. that
the mayor received brides for neg
Letting To perform his duty: 9th, that
money was extorted from appointees
on the fire department and police
force; seventh, that saloons are al
lowed To run on Sundays; 9Th, that
the mayor neglected to prosecute Of
Tenders as set forth in the first seven
phargaS