The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-02-15

a stir ran through the town OF Elm
Grove last night. as the shades OF
evening fell. The municipal muddie,
exclusively mentioned In last Tues
days Intelligence. was TO be disposed
OF at last nights asscmolase OF the
towns guardians. AMI the question
passed from LIP to lip: Would Michael
Madden win ou.2' Grave men forbade
reply, and the youthful etaked their
spare coin on The resul.-and didn',
lose. for the battle ended in a draw.
One week previous the claim was set
Up that Mayor Madden legally, could
not hold Office. as he was not assessed
for 5000 real and personal property. as
required. When he was confronted
with thls claim he quoted laws to The
contrary In such variety and uumber
that his impeachers' heads we're turn
ed. Not only did he hold his own, but
he dung the charges in their faces. say
Ing that Councilman I. ]. Jones, J. S.
Bedllion. and Recorder Wilbur Duncan.
were Ineligible on the same grounds.
This put q new wrinkle on the moon.
and the meeting adjourned to consult
legal advice.
The councilmen sought The opinion OF
the towns collector. Mr.. Henry NJ
Russell. but Mayor Madden solicited the
opinion of Caldwell & Caldwell, and
with their opinions on hand, the two
sides met last night at the regular
meeting OF council TO settle the dispute
for aye. Some feeling had been stirred
up during the week. and there was
somewhat OF a warm time in the old
town by the creek, when the lights were
turned on in the hall. 1t was the In
tention to have O secret meeting and
bar the multitude out; but the multi
tude would not be barred. As the coun-
ell came to orde. and prepared for the
fray, the clamor and din OF the crowd
outside forced the guard to open the
door. and In an instant the hall was
filled.
Then, when the excitement subsidized,
Mayor Madden arose and read the
opinion OF Caldwell & Caldwell. There
was q hush as Mr.. Russeil's opinion
was made known. Neither differed In
any great respect very much. and 1t
appeared that litigation In the courts
would follow II some compromise was
not effected. and finally It was agreed
70 withdraw the counter claims, and
make laws for the pence and welfare
OF the community. So far, so good,
but there was YET something. The
towns officers for this year were to be
elected. And there's where another
hitch occurred. The election Of the
marshal, street commissioner and as
SCISSOR. was a primary Of the
muddle. 1t being claimed that Mayor
Madden was seeking the election to
these Offices OF men only OF the Bryan
lite persuasion.
Mayor Madden opposed the election
last night, wanting 1t postponed until
the meeting next Monday night. He
succeeded by a vote Of four for post-
ponement to three against. Consequent
". another warm session may be look
ed FOR then, but Mayor Madden has
fallen in the estimation OF many OF tho
Groveites. on account of his injecting
politics into the affair. He was elected
on an Independent ticket, but hist love
for the Democracy has overwhelmed
him. There are several candidates for
the office of street commissioner. among
them being George McCombs, Thomas
Hiegsr John KIser. Ferdinand Wetzel.
and s. N. Chase.
For assessor-Joha E. Gamble. a. H.
Patterson.
For marshal-A. D. Moore. Rufus
Walters.