The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-29

conducted at the demand of the coun-
cilmen, themselves.
The trouble is a sequence of the re-
cent election in Taylor borough when it
was decided by popular vote not to
bond the borough for the purchase of
an electric plant, owned by a private
corporation. A few weeks previous to
the election on July 10 a rumor was
placed in the common mouth that the
owners of the plant wanted $3,S00 for
their property and that an additional
S400 was to he divided among the
councilmen. The vote was to bond the
borough for $4,000.
This rumor was passed around until
on election day it was the only thing
talked about and it is said that the
defeat of the bond" plan was the work
of this pernicious report. The council
men, at the time, did all they could to
assure the voters of the falsity of the
rumor but events show how they sue
ceeded. The ordinance killed, the
councilmen bargained for quiet. But
still the damaging story that s4OO was
to be devoted to personal interests was
on the public tongue 1t got so tantal-
the First ward, that at the last meet
ing of councils he submitted his resig-
nation.
GIBBONS STARTED IT.
Henry f. Harris, president of the
councils, and a brother of ex-Assist-
ant District Attorney John M. Harris,
in an official capacity, asked Mr.. Glib
bons for his reasons for resigning. Mr..
Gibbons stated that he was pestered
most to death by the doodle" rumor
President Harris Immediately set about
to exterminate said rumor forever
He went before Burgess Wat
kins and swore out subpoenaes for
about thirty citizens of Taylor, COM
manding them to appear at Burgess
Watkins office last Monday night and
to bring along with them whatever
evidence they had at hand which sub
stantiated the insult to the councilmen
Subpoenaes were also served on Fred
Durr w. X. Beck and John Weber,
three of the directors of the Lacka-
wanna Electric company, which want
ed to sell the electric plant
The citizens responded in sufficient
numbers to overcrowd Burgess Wat
kins office. Testimony was heard
from a dozen or so men, but all de-
MED that they had played any part in
the spread of the rumor. Schooner"
Jones, one of the witnesses did not
believe in the existence of an Almighty
Being, and 1t wasn't hard work for him
to believe in the dishonesty of council
men. His evidence was not effective
from the very foundation.
IMPORTANT TESTIMONY.
The testimony of James Mapleson
and sam Evans was the most import
ant of any. These men, 1t was al
legged, were the originators of the re-
port. One night while in the central
city they called at Fred Durr's place
on Lackawanna avenue and they af-
terward spread the rumor that Mr..
Durr told them that the directors
wanted only $3,S00 for the plant.
When placed on the stand Mapleson
denied having made the statement
Evans maintained that Mr.. Durr had
made the statement accredited to him.
Mr., Durr, Mr.. Weber and Mr.. Beck
We're severally placed on the stand and
swore that the original amount asked
was Pft-VO' MI DuII luSultu having
given any other figure TO Evans and
Mapleson.
The investigation was closed Tuesday
night, the councilmen deciding that
their "LeXow" was worthy of a mot
guilty" verdict. During the investiga-
tion the councilmen asked that if any
man had aught to say against them
let him stand forth and say it. The
most serious complaint was made by
Schooner" Jones who wanted more
fire plugs in the First ward"
Judging from the conversation of a
number Of voters yesterday the coun-
cilmen will have to institute another
LeNow. This latest complaint is in the
words OF voter. He said:
WHO was it that caused that inves-
tisation? Who's going to pay the ex-
penses for them subpoenas? 1t amt
right he continued, that the borough
should pay the freight for the council
mems excursion" And the crowd said
mo indeed"