The herald., 1897-12-18
is FIRED
Released From the Cares
of Office
uNcEREMoNloUsLY BOUNCED
BY A UNANIMOUS VOTE HE Is
SUSPENDED
MI. Hughes Makes an Explanatory
Statement-He Really Does Not
Care for Office

day morning, Walter L. Webb, repre-
sentative Of the Ninth ward In the board
Of education, was suspended from Office
until such time as his guilt or innocence
of the charge upon which he is now un-
der formal accusation by the grand jury
shall have been determined.
Yesterday afternoon City Clerk Hance
officially notified the board Of education
OF the action Of the council, and Webb
now has no authority to vote or other
wise participate In the official acts of
the board. The suspension went into
effect as soon as notification of the
councils action was given. If as a re-
suit Of his trial upon the accusation
Webb is found guilty he will be perma-
nently removed from office. If he is ac-
quilted he will be reinstated by the
council. L.
One of the most important effects of
this action Is its bearing upon the inves-
tigation now being conducted before the
board Of education. The resignation of
Adams, Webb's henchman in corrup-
ton. left but eight members of the
board. Now that Webb is temporarily
out Of office there are but seven who
have right to vote. OF this number
four is a majority, and unless his de-
Tense Is exceedingly good when the time
comes for him to present it, it Is more
than probable that the board will exer-
else the right given it by the city char
ter to declare his office vacant. The re-
duction Of the size of the majority rem
ders the possibility of a righteous YER
dict much more promising that it would
have been had Webb and Adams been
allowed to remain and to have exercised
their right to cast a ballot on their own
guilt or innocence.
THE ACCUSATION FILED
There was long delay in the opening
of the special session of the council. The
ordinance calling a special election in
the Seventh ward to flll the vacancy
caused by the resignation of ]. F. Adams
was to be considered, and Councilman
Ashman was unable to furnish list of
the election officers until nearly the
time set for the session. 1t was neces-
sary to copy the lightweight names.
eight for each of the eleven precincts,
into the ordinance. and this consumed
nearly an hour. When at 1850 o'clock
President SILVER called the meeting to
order, all the mepbers were in their
places. Ma
The ordinance calling the election in
the Seventh ward was read by the clerk.
1t recited that vacancy existed in the
board of education, in that the repre-
sentative of that ward had resigned, and
that public necessity existed for an
election to fill the vacancy. In the usual
phraseology of such ordinances a spe-
cial election was called for Thursday,
February 10. Upon motion of Council
man Nickel the rules were suspend Il
and the ordinance was unanimously
adopted.
Clerk Haskins then read the following
resolutions:
Whereas. A criminal charge based on
misdemeanor In office. to-wit. an accu-
sation presented by the grand jury Of the
county of Los Angeles, state of California,
Is pending in the superior court of the
county of Los Angeles against Walter l..
Webb, member Of the board of education
of the city Of Los Angeles for the Ninth
ward of said city; now. therefore, be It
Resolved. BY the council of the city Of
Los Angeles that the said Walter l.. Webb
be and he Is hereby suspended from his said
office of member of the board of education
during the tendency of said charge and
until the final determination thereof.
UNANIMOUS VOTE
Councilman Baker at once moved the
adoption of the resolution and Mr.. Toll
seconded the motion. AS soon as the
question was put Mr.. Hutchinson rose and
stated that it would not be wise to pro-
coed under the accusation that had been
filed by the grand jury against Webb,
as he understood that the court had de
cided that that was not a proper pro-
ceeding. He offered a substitute motion.
which in effect was almost the same as
that already presented but was different
in language. He stated that he had been
informed that a short time before the
meeting a complaint against Webb,
charging him with misdemeanor had
been sworn to, and. in his opinion, 1t
would be better to proceed under that
complaint, upon which a warrant would
be issued, than under the accusation in
the superior court.
Mr.. Toll stated that there could be no
doubt as to the regularity and safety in
the councils contemplated action on the
resolution, but as Major Lee, who had
represented the League for Better City
Government in the case in the superior
court was present he might be able to
correct any erroneous ideas that any
member might have on the subject.
President Silver stated that as the res
olution had been prepared by the city at
torney and Major Lee 1t must be in reg
ular form and was safe to act upon.
Major Lee said that the court had rem
dered no decision as to the accusation
filed against Webb by the grand jury,
the purpose Of which was not to prose-
cute him criminally but to remove him
from office. He said that the accusation
was the proper basis for the resolution.
Had he known Of the fact that a charge
Of misdemeanor had been filed against
Webb he would probably have included
1t In the resolution, but II that became
necessary the council could take the
necessary action at any time.
Mr.. Hutchinson then moved that the
misdemeanor charge be included In the
resolution. but it was suggested by Mr..
Toll that the council had no official noti-
fication that such a proceeding had been
instituted. Both Of Mr.. Hutchison's
motions failed Of second. Upon call
for the question upon the original reeO-
luton the vote was taken and all the
scouncillnen voted In the Affirmative.