Evening journal., 1897-07-13
OBSTINATE Mr.. O'NEIL.
Member From the F irst Ward
Again Blocks City Council.
TO MEBTAGAIE WEDNESDAY NIGHT


OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
AND THE STRUGGLE RESULTED
IN NO ELECTION.
Tall, plain Mr.. O'Neil, better known
as the squire. was a bone of conten-
tion in City Council last night, when
that body held its adjourned meeting
from Friday night for the sole purpose
of electing a chairman of the Finance |
Committee. Yesterday morning the
squire was notified that caucus, pre-
oedng the meeting, would be held but
when the caucus meeting was called Mr..
O'Neil failed to respond Mr. Leary. |
who had shown the red feather at The |
meeting on Friday night, was on hand
and withdrew his name as a contestant
for the finance chairmanship and voted |
for Mr.. Oberly. whom he had opposed |
From the first vote IL was apparent |
that Mr.. O'Neil would block the pro-
gress of his colleagues. And so he did. |
After the members had assumed a |
business-like aspect, President Leitch
announced that the business before
Council was the election of chairman
of the Finance Committee. Mr.. Smith
so moved. Messrs. Zebley and Cannon
were appointed tellers After the mo-
tion had been put Mr.. O'Neil asked who
the nominees were. He was informed
by Mr.. Smith, who said that the MEM
bers were there to do the business that
was undOne at the last meet
ing. When the votes were
counted it stood: Oherly G; blank. T.
President Leitch declared it no cleo
tion. On the second ballot the vote
stood Just the same. Mr. Leary moved
for another ballot. On the third ballet
the vote remained unchanged. Again
the voice of President Leitch said: No
| election. Mr. Heaiey moved fer an
other ballot. The result was the same.
On motion OF Mr.. Smith another vote
was taken.
During the counting Of the vote Mr.
Leary went over to the seat of Mr..
| O'Neil and engaged in a short cOnver-
sation with him. 1t had no apparent
effect, however. The vote on the fifth
ballot did not alter the situation
Mr.. Oberly moved for the next ballot
and the tellers reported the same story
of no election.
On motion of Mr. Cannon another
vote was taken, and it stood the same
Mr.. Smiah moved for the next ballot.
Same result. The member from the
Eleventh ward moved for the next bal
lot The tellers told their usual STORY,
and Mr.. Smith again moved for another
ballot. It was the same The members
sat nonplussed until Mr. Oberly moved
for a ballot Ii was the same old thing,
and Mr.. Smith moved for another bal
lot Again Mr.. O'Neil voted blank,
which made it no election, and again
Mr.. Smith moved for another ballot. 1t
showed the same result
Mr.. Healey and Mr. Smith moved for
1.-THE next two ballots. No result being
obtained, Mr.. Healey again moved for
? another ballot, making the sixteenth.
Mr.. O'Neil voted blank. Once more did
the German member from the Eleventh
! ward move for another ballot, and
again Mr. O'Neil voted blank.
A Quaker session followed ten min
utes. All eyes were fixed on Squire
{ O'Nef. But there he sat, cool and un-
concerned, and with enough blank bal
lote on his desk to keep Council con-
ltesting a week. After the members had
a little confab Mr.. Healey moved foi
- the nineteenth ballot. II stood: Oberly
r G. blank. T.
s At this juncture a son Of Mr.. O'Neil
I who was sitting near the members rail-
- ing. handed his father a note, which
4 was read and placed on the 'squire''
desk.
Once more did Mr.. Smith move fol
another ballot. making the twentieth
but the result was the same old thing
!. Mr.. Smith moved for a ten-minutes
recess. The motion prevailed, and th'
Democrats went into the Office OF clerl
Of Council. but Mr.. O'Neil kept his seat
save for the few minutes that he wa'
, engaged in conversation with his two
sons.
The recess having expired, Preslden
/. Ieitch took his chair and Mr.. Smiti
s. moved for another ballot.
: While the votes we're being counted
lanes O'Neil. one Of the squire's sons
= handed his father a black alpaca coat
e The squire donned it, causing a title
u among the visitors. It was eviden
that the member from the First war
l. was i'm Il for the night. Two more Dai
r. lots were taken with the same result.
Mr. Healey moved for a ballot. Whe'
q il was counted there was a chang'
s. Oberlv got 6: Leary, L. Healey, /
Zebley, l. 1t resulted, however IN n
Il. election. Mr.. Smith moved for IN
lI lWHuIN-lUulln UaliOAs ~ N"H 'N--T
resulted i'm another change. Oberly 60
G: blank. G; and Messrs. Leary, Heale
and Zebley. / each.
Mr.. Smith moved for the twenty
fifth ballot, and it gave Oberly 6; blani
6; and Messrs. L,sary, Healey and zen
lev. 1 each. The next ballot shove
J. the same result.
Mr.. Kane moved for the twenty-seV
p enth ballot, and the result was: Oberl,
G: blank, 6; neary, Cannon and Zeblel
l. each.
Mr.. Smith arose and asked Presider
Leitch if the majority of the member
( of Council had voted. Mr.. Leitch sal
- that they had Mr. Smith then sal
that the parliamentary law reads tha
blank votes in election contests for on
GERS governing bodies must not b
counted. He said that Cushing's Mar
ual so reads, and asked for the decisio
of the chair.
Mr.. Robertson said that Cushing
Manual does not govern Council. Nv
make our own laws, and are governe
by Them he said. Mr.. Smith aske