The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-06-10
ORR SAYS HE IS UNDECIDED
HE IS UNDER STRONG PRESSURE
TO NAME JOHNSON
Aid. Knauft Says His Resolution
Could Have Received All but One
Vote, and That Its Withdrawal
Was Merely to Give Judge Orr q
Chance to Make the Right APP
DOnitment.

The question Of whether Thomas F.
Conroy will be retained as clerk of the
municipal court or w. R. Johnson given
the position Is making considerable
trouble in the Republican ranks.
Senator PottgieSer, who, it is claim
ed, is the power behind the throne, is
bending all his energies to have Con-
roy thrown out and johnson installed
In. the $1,000 job.
According to reports Judge Orr is
very chilly on the proposition to depose
Conroy. It was with the purpose Of
taking the matter out of the hands Of
judges who, under the law, have the
appointing power, and particularly the
senior judge Of the court that the reso-
ton was prepared for the board Of al
dermen Tuesday night declaring the Of
fee of clerk vacant.
Aid. Kanuft, who had the resolution
prepared denies that it was withdrawn
because it was found that there was
not the necessary two-thirds vote to
secure its passage. Speaking Of the
matter, Aid. Knauft said:
"All Of the members Of the board
would have, voted for the resolution
but Aid. Bell. 1t didn't make much
difference about Bell anyway, as he
will want something sometime and then
maybe he won't get what he wants
The reason the: resolution was not
forced through was that 1t was thought
best to give Orr one more chance. Ev
eryone knows that Johnson is entitled
to the position and no one worked hard
er in the campaign for Kiefer and the
ticket than Billy, and he ought to get
the place without any opposition.
II have been told that Judge Orr is
friendly to Conroy owing to some bust
ness transactions, and In order to save
himself any personal loss wants Con-
roy to hold the place. say and so do
all the Republicans that l have talked
to that personal matters should cut no
figure in the case"
Judge Orr when seen later said no
conclusions had been reached as to
change in the clerkship. The matter
had been discussed by Judge Hine and
himself in an informal way and num-
Der of delegations had waited on him,
some Of them in the interest of Con-
roy and others in the interests of john
son. He had not made up his mind,
and so far as he knew neither had
Judge Hine. The report that he was
holding back in order to advance his
interests for place on the county tick
ct as one of the judges of the district
court this fall, the judge said was not
correct, and he challenged anyone to
prove that he had ever even intimated
such a thing.
Clerk Conroy said he did not learn
of the plan to declare his office vacant
by the council until o'clock Tuesday
afternoon, and he made a hustle with
such effect that all Aid. Knauft could
muster to support the scheme was five
out of the eleven votes in the board of
aldermen.
1.-The resolution did nothing but de-
clare the office vacant" said Conroy,
land suppose the resolution had passed,
how would that effect Johnson? The
law says that the council can declare
the office vacant by a two-thirds vote,
but the judges are given the sole pow
er to appoint the clerk, and no matter
how many votes Johnson secured in
the council that body could not assist
him unless both judges agreed to his
appointment"
1t is understood that Judge Hine ia
vors the appointment Of Johnson and
for the next few days great pressure
will be brought on Judge Orr to in
cline him to the same view,