The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-05-30
MAYOR PETIT WILL RESIGN
His Disagreeabe Position in Police
Board the Cause.
His Honor Interviewed Last Night by a
Virginian Reporter. He viii Not
Say Anything 10 Cause Further
III Feeling Between Himself
and the Commis sioners.

Mayor Charles w. Petit. the official
head Of tho municipal government, has
decided tu resign his office aud retire
TO the management of his transporta.
aion line to North Carolina and his
machine works in this city.
But the most etartling feature of the
6tory, and thu statement is made by
those who are in position to know, is
shat Mayor Pettit's successor is to be
no less person than Maj. d. Hum
phreys. who, it is isalleged has been itching
ior the official control of the city.
Major Humphreys is d we'll known
Ggure in local politics and was prom.
snent factor i'll the Prohibition move.
ment in the last municipal campaign.
The reason for Mayor Pettit's pro-
posed Withdrawal from official life
would appear on the face of things to
be that he needed more time for the
conduct OF his lnrge private business
affairs, but another and possibly the
principal reason Is given below.
THE MAYOR SEEN AT HIS HOME.
Mayor Petit was seen at his resi-.
Gence on Duke street by VIRGIStAN
reporter last night. He stated that
she facts given in u previous interview
on the came subject with Il reporter of
,nis paper were correct, but he did
not desire to be interviewed on the
ground that 1t would only cause
greater ill-feeling between himself and
commissioners Nerdier and Bolton.
He stated thet he mad seriously con-
femplated resigning for loug time
and would do SO very shortly ON ac
count of the disagreeable relations be
tween himself aud the other members
of the Police Board.
The following is q moro detailed
statement Of the cause for his action,
which The VIRGlNIAN hos gathered
from all sources and which, it believes,
IS substantially correct:
Ever sIuce he accepted the Office he
has had trouble with his colleagues on
the Police Board, and had he seen his
way clear 10 do 30 he would have re
signed long ago.
The only difficulty in the wny of his
doing so WAS that he knew that il he
resigned Maj. d. Humphreys would
undoubtedly be the man who would be
called to succeed him, as he know that
he has been an aspirant for the Office
aimee the election.
WANT A RADICAL MAYOR.
His conferes in the Police Board
have plainly let him know that they
wanted man with more rad.
zeal views of reform than he pos
eessed. For reasons best known to him
eelf the Mayor believes that they
had Major Humphreys in mind when
they made these strong hints. The
conservative clement OF the party
knowing Major Humphreys radical
ideas did not deem it for the best IN
terests of the party that the Mayor
should resign and give Major Hum
phreys an opportunity to bo elected
and they have urged the Mayor to
stand fast to his colors.
It is stated upon the best authority
that Messrs. Verdier and Bolton have
repeatedly offered alIronts to the
Mayor in his private office. and that ho
has considered himself too much of n
Christian and gentleman to resent
resent them without a serious loss to
his dignity, which he did not feel
called upon to undergo.
In the Police Board meetings, it is
alleged, they have laughed at his sug.
gestions and. it is said, appointed men
on the police force to suit their ends,
against his emphatic protests, who vera
shought by him not tit to be in apy
official position.
HE HAS BECOME TIRED,
Now he has become tired of tho i'm.
pertinence and contempt heaped upon
him and the outrageous manner in
which he has been misrepresented to
the public.
He had determined to resign and
very shortly. One conservative Pro.
hibitionist believed that if the extreme
radical element of the Prohibition par
~ in Norfolk elect Maj. Humphreys
Mayor, to succeed Mayor Petit, he
together with the other Commissioners
will within week cause in this oity
the greatest popular upheaval against
themselves and their party that Nor
folk has ever seen.
Mayor Pettit's friends, both Demo.
cratic and Prohibitionists, have urged
him to retain his office. but with him
patience has ceased to be O virture and
he will now resign.
AZ Mrs. Il. ities.
No. 104 Church street, ladies will