The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-03-30
PRETTY KETTLE OF FISH.
WILMINGTON HAS THREE MAY
ORS AT ONE TIME.

The New Republican Board of Aldermen
Net Yesterday and Elected Dr. Wright
HayOr-The Democrats Elect Mr.. H,
Mel. Green Mayor-MayOr Harriss and
the old Board Will Not Surrender-Meet
ings by All Three Boarcs-The Courts
Will Have to Settle the Matter.
The republicans hearing that the old
board Of aldermen would meet yesterday
at 10 O'Clock and probably hold the seats
and prevent their meeting at IL o'clock,
forestalled this action Ivy gathering
their board together to organize in ad-
vance. The following aldermen there
fore, in the room Of the
board at the city hall at 9:05 a. m;
Elected Aldermen: A. j. Walker, Of
the First ward, E. NJ. Green, Of the
Fifth ward.
Aldermen Appointed by Governor
Russell: DR.. s. P. Wright, of the First
ward, John G. Norwood, of the Second
ward, e. f. Keith, Of the Third ward,
Andrew J. Hewlett, Of the Fourth
ward, and d. j.. Benson of the Fifth
ward.
The democratic aldermen elect Will
liam E.. Springer, of the Second ward,
Owen Fennell, OF the Third ward, and
w. f. YOpp, of the Fourth ward, alb
scented themselves from the meeting.
City Clerk F. b. Rice was in attend
ance and the aldermen present filed
their commissions and certificates Of
election with him. Justice of the
Peace G. z. French, was present and
swOre in the members of the board.
They then signed the oath Of office in
the clerks book and filed their individ-
ual oaths with the clerk.
The clerk thereupon called the board
to order.
On motion Of Alderman Hewlett, AL
temporary chairman.
Chairman Keith thanked the board
for the compliment paid him in max
Ing him chairman, and declared the
meeting ready for business. He an
INC that the first business in order
was the election Of a mayor.
Alderman Green nominated Alderman
Wright for mayor and the nomination
was seconded by Alderman Hewlett.
On motion the election Of mayor was
by ballot. The ballot was taken and
resulted as follows: Alderman s.. p.
Wright Z, Alderman-elect Owen Fen
nell, 1. Alderman Keith voted for AL
derman Fennell.
Chairman Keith declared Alderman
wright duly elected mayor Of the city
OF Wilmington.
Alderman Wright rendered his resig-
nation as alderman from the First
ward, and the same was accepted. JUS
tice G.. z. French then administered the
oath OF office to the mayor.
Mayor Wright took the chair and
made a few remarks thanking the
board for the honor conferred upon
him and pledging himself to adminis-
ter the affairs of the city faithfully aid
lmpartially. He declared the board
ready to proceed to business.
On motion, it was decided to go into
the election Of an alderman from the
First ward, to succeed DR.. Wright who
was elected mayor
Nominations for alderman were de-
clerd in rider.
Alderman Green placed Fl G. Twin
Ing, OF the First ward, in nomination.
the nomination was seconded by Alder
mar Hewlett. and a ballot was taken
resulting in Mr.. Twining's unanimous
election, Alderman Keith voting for
him. The oath Of Office was adminis-
tered to Alderman Twining, he signed
the oath in the clerks book, and took
his seat.
On motion of Alderman Keith. the
rules governing the old board were
continued in force temporarily.
Alderman Hewlett offered the follow
ing resolution:
Resolved, That John r. Melton. chief
OF police and all other officers and
members Of the police force Of the city
or Wilmington be and they are hereby
in office until the regular
meeting Of this board on the first Mon
day In April next"
The resolution was seconded bv AL
derman Green and was unanimously
adopted.
On motion OF Alderman Green the
board adjourned till 10 O'Clock this
morning.
Hareden, Bellamy, ESQ, A. q. Ri
caud, Esq, and E. X. Bryan, ESQ.
were present as counsel for the board.
and instructed them in the way of pro-
legally towards effecting their
organization.
There were very few spectators pres
ent during the proceedings. At 12
O'Clock. at which hour it had been an
nounced the board would meet, there
would have been a packed house, but,
owing to the unexpected hour at which
the board met, not more than two
dozen spectators were in attendance.
When, however, the rumor got around
the city that the board was organizing,
people, white and colored, began to
assemble at the city hall. The board
ADJOURNED at 10 a. M, just about the
time the citizens began to stream in.
THINGS GROW COMPLICATED
Just about the time the republican
board adjourned, Mayor w. N. Harriss
and six of the democratic members of
the old board OF aldermen, put in their
at the city hall with their
counsel, George Rountree, Esq, and
Ireden Meares. Esq. They went into a
I'm the mayors office.
The democratic members of the board
u aldermen. claiming to nave been
ie tied on Thursday, also came to the
IAN and were accompanied BY their
Sos,~ Gel John n Rp1Iamv Fec Co,ona,
Thomas w. Strange. and Junius Davis
1sq. They went into a caucus in the
DOM O. the board Of audit and finance.
Meanwhile the gathering of the clans
reated q great deal of interest and Gu
an d the crowd kept growing
and larger. 1t was a good ma
ured crowd Of both whites and black
nd all seene.' amused at what was
in the wind"
THE OLD board HOLDS THE
FORT.
After ~eaucusing mayor Harriss at