The Monitor-register., 1897-03-19
NEWS AT THE 6uNrY.sEAr.
SALEM, Mar. 1S. 1897


After all there was more in that dual
Office scare which was raised last week to
frighten Mayor Acton than he was will
log to admit then, and like a " Use general,
he didn't shrink 10 the face of the enemy.
The thing then was to get elected, and
after that he could accept the office. He
has decided otherwise, and the unexpect-
ed determination has created a little sur
prise after all. However, the final result
may yet be a surprise to the surprised.
At a special meeting of City Council on
Tuesday night Mr.. Acton rendered his
resignation of the Msyorslty, to which
he was elected last week, 10 the following
letter
at is my great regret that l feel my
self constrained to refuse to accept the
office of Mayor, to which | have been
elected by a most gratifying and hatter'
ing majority. l accepted the nomination
for this office under the impression that
my acceptance of 1t would not be incom'
patible with my retention of the ohoe OF
Prosecutor of Pleas, and | believe suoh
was the general sentiment of the people
of our city. / have, however, quite re
Gently taken advice upon the subject and
[ have Seoome satisfied that the two
offices are Incompatible, and that for that
reason should l accept the Mayoralty,
would by the act of acceptance vacate the
office of Prosector. For this reason and
with very great regret, | feel obliged to
state to you as l do that l cannot accept
the office of Mayor"
The resignation was promptly accepted
and the Council at once appointed Robert
Gwynne, Jr,, of the Sunbeam, Mayor for
one year. Mr.. Gwynne has all the caps
bilities to make an excellent official, but
like Mayor Acton, he already had one
ofice-Couuty Superintendent. ofSchools,
but the duties in no sense conflict.
The other officers chosen at the election
were also sworn in, and the following
hotel licenses were granted /: c. G. Ford,
Jr., proprietor of Ford's Hotel; fee, 5000.
James F. Shannon, proprietor of Nelson
House; fee, 5000, Mrs. Amelia Luerssen
proprietress of the Schsefer House; fee,
5000. Mrs. Brown, bottling establish
ment, 5000
The outcome of the Msyorslty contest
has been the talk of the town, and = good
many Republicans now feel like kicking
themselves for the part they had in it,
while there are Others W no claim that as
| Mayor Acton was ineligible by reason of
| his holding the office of Prosecutor of the
| Pleas, there was no vacancy and that
| Clement Ballinger, the Republican csndi-
date had been duly elected at the polls.
The friends of Ballinger have employed
counsel to test the matter.
Rev. j. Ward Gamble, of the Broad
way NJ. E. Church, will preach in the
Broadway M. E. Church, Camden, on
Sunday, and his pulpit here will be filled
by some one from Camden.
AS was intimated in this correspondence
at the beginning of the financial difficult
ties of T. Dunn & Co the winding up OF
the business of the firm has afforded the
opportunity for Charles s. Lawson, the
junior partner, to start in the undertsk-
ing business for himself.
At the annual meeting of the Sunday
school of the Broadway NJ. E. Church
last Sunday the following officers were
elected Superintendent, c. E. Markley;
Assistant Superintendent, T. G. Dunn;
Female Superintendent, Mrs. Nancy B.
Carpenter; Secretary, ]. G. Richmond;
Assistant Secretary, J. B. Wiley; Treas
urer, F. s Bowen; Chorister, E. Gay
nor; Organist, Gertie Smashy; Assistant
Organist, Anna Davis; Librarian Clinton
Bowen; Assistant Librarians, Clifford
Butcher, Edward Wilson; Superintendent
Primary Department, Mrs. ]. B. Wiley;
Assistant, Anna W. Youker. Thomas
Biggs, Mrs. VIM. Hunt and Miss Reba
Powers were elected as teachers.
Auctioneer Casper sold &C public sale
on Saturday, 4 shares of West Jersey and
| S~eashore Railroad stock to Josiah Dubois,
of L. A. Creek, for $40 IS per share. The
sale of the balance of b -ralr9ad- stock
and the Salem National Bank stock were
adjourned until next Saturday.