The herald., 1897-12-14
ACTION DEFERRED
Council Will Not Suspend Webb for a
Week, If at All

In spite of the strong resolutions
adopted Saturday night at the mass
meeting called by the League for Better
City Government. the city council yes
terday decided that 1t would not suspend
Walter L. Webb from his position in
the board Of education, for the present
at least. Action was defersed on the
matter for one week, in the hope
have settled itself In such a manner that
the council can either drop It or will be
compelled to act.
The subject was presented at the
morning session yesterday. Judge ]. W.
Hendricks, resident of the Ninth ward.
appeared before the council and pre-
scented the following petition:
To the Honorable Council Of the City of
Los Angeles: Genuemen-We the UNDER
a-gned. voters and residents OF the Ninth
ward. would respectfully request that no
action be taken by your honorable body In
regard to the SUSPENSION Of our representa-
tive. Walter L. Webb, until such time as
tina evidence In his defense Is submitted
TO the board OF education, and action taken
by that body. Up to the present time no op-
portunity has been allowed said Walter l..
Webb to place the evidence In his posses
sion before said board of education in the
trial now taking place before said board"
This petition bears the signatures of
seventy persons. all Of whom reside In
Webb's ward. In support of 1t Judge
Hendricks stated that to suspend Webb
NOW, before he had had an opportunity
to present his defense, would have the
effect Of practically declaring him guilty
before he had been proven so, or before
the trial of his case had been completed
He urged that the American people loved
fairness, and were opposed to the plan
Of hanging a man first and then proceed
Ing to prove that he was innocent. The
Judge asserted that In event Of Webb's
being proved guilty, no one would do
more to secure his punishment than he
but what was wanted at present was to
give the accused q chance before passing
judgment upon him. He asked that
opinions Of guilt be reserved until 1t
could be ascsrtained what defense Webb
would make. Ee stated that Webb had
not caused the presentation Of the petit
ton to the council, and that 80 far as he
knew Webb had not been informed Of
the existence of any such petition.
Mr.. Blanchard moved that the petition
NC 8IdAtCOp O0t 0lAVCA cSdtCN
that he had been informed that there
was communication in the hands of the
clerk on the same subject from the
League for Better City Government, and
suggested that 1t be read so that the two
subjects could be considered at the same
time. The clerk then read the resolu-
lions adopted at Saturday nights mass
meeting.
Mr.. Blanchard did not insist upon his
motion, but Mr.. Order moved that &C.
ton on the matter be deferred until the
next meeting Of the council. This mo-
tion was seconded by Mr.. Hutchinson.
The latter. in an effort to explain his po-
sition. read the provisions Of the city
charter covering such cases, and en-
deavored to show that the board of edu-
cation, and not the council, was the
proper body to suspend any member ac-
cused Of corruption Of any kind. He did
not deny the right of the council to sus-
pend any city official. but held that the
proper body to act in case like this was
the board of education.
Am to understand. then. that the
city council is subordinate to the board
Of education?" asked President Silver.
Mr.. Hutchison did not claim that such
was the case, but he again asserted that
the board had authority over its own
members first, and that the council
should leave to the board the right and
duty to declare such suspensions.
AS q substitute for Mr.. Orders mo-
ton Mr.. Baker moved that the matter be
referred to the city attorney to advise
the council as to its powers, rights and
duties in the premises. Those who
voted for this measure are Messrs. Ba-
ker, Silver, Nickel and Hutchinson. The
others voting no, or not voting, the mo-
ton was declared lost. The original
motion to defer action for one week was
then put, and all the members except
President Silver and Councilman Baker
voted In favor of It. Afterward these
two gentlemen stated that they believed
It to be the duty Of the council to suspend
any city official who Is under indictment.
They denied that the act Of suspending
him would be taken as an evidence of his
guilt before trial. and pointed to the al
most universal rule in all departments
OF city and other governments to sus-
pend officers who were accused Of cor
ruption.
THE FIRST STEP
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