The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-11-11

Remarkable, Change I'm tire City Gov
eminent - The Republican Mayor
Aldermen and Chief Of Police Flop
Out of OMee-Col. Elected
Mayor and Eight Democratic Alder.
men and a Chief Of Police Also


Yesterday when the race conflict &C.
CURED the committee appointed by au~
therity Of the citizens mass meeting
On Wednesday, and empowered to ar
~ out the purposes of the meeting as
expressed in the resolutions, took i'm
mediate steps to carry out the wishes
OF the meeting expressed in the resolu-
ton calling upon Mayor S. P. Wright,
the board of aldermen and Chief Of
Police John r. Melton, because Of their
weakness and inefficiency to preserve
law and order in the city.
The committee appointed Messrs. F.
Fl. Stedman and c. W. Worth a COM
mittee to call on Mayor Wright and
his associates to resign. They did so.
Mayor Wright expressed a willingness
to resign, but said he would prefer not
to do so in the face Of this crisis.
Chief Of Police Melton expressed his
willingness to resign if he is paid his
salary for the balance of his term.
The committee Of twenty-five met at
the Merchants Association at 3 D. m.
to hear the report Of Messrs. Stedman
and Worth. They made their reports
and pressure having been brought to
bear on the mayor, chief and alder
men to resign they consented to do so.
The committee then selected candi-
dates for mayor, aldermen and chief
of police, hereinafter mentioned.
Mayor Wright called a meeting Of
the board at 4 p. m. and at hat hour
they assembled. There were present
Mayor Wright and Aldermen Gore,
Twining, Benson, Hewlett and Nor
wood, colored. Absent, Aldermen
Keith, Morrill, and Green, colored.
The Mayor stated that the object of
the meeting was to fill two vacancies
on the board-one from the Second
ward n n from the Fifth ward.
He said it was in order TO elect a
member for the Fifth ward.
Alderman Gore nominated Mr.. C. H.
Gamer, n he was unanimously cleo
ted.
Alderman Gore nominated Mr.. H. P.
West as alderman from the Second
ward and he was unanimously elected.
Each of the new aldermen were sworn
in by the mayor as they were elected.
Alderman Hewlett, of the Fourth
Ward, then resigned, and MI. c. w.
Worth was unanimously elected in his
stead and sworn in.
Alderman Gore, of the Fourth. next
resigned, and Mr.. P. L. Bridgers, was
unanimously elected in his place and
vas sworn in.
Alderman Benson, of the Fifth ward,
came next with his resignation, and
Mr.. B. F. King was unanimously elect
ed in his stead and sworn in.
Alderman Norwood, cOlOred, said
while you have your iron hot I respect
fully tende my resignation as alder
man from the Second ward. Mr.. w.
II. Sprunt was unanimously elected as
his successor and was sworn in.
Alderman Twining, of the First
ward, resigned and the Rev. j. w.
Kramer was unanimously elected in
his stead.
Alderman Green, colored, Of the Fifth
ward, then came in and resigned. Mr..
A. B. Shielding was unanimously elect
ed and sworn in as his successor.
Mayor Wright stated hat Alderman
Keith was out of the city and that
Alderman Morrill, was sick at home.
The resignation of Chief of Police
JnO. r. Melton was then read and ac-
copied. The board thereupon elected
Mr.. E. G. Parmele as chief of police.
His bond Of 81 1000 was given on the
spot by Messrs. George Rountree, Os-
car Pearsall and Martin Newman.
Mayor Wright then stated to the
board that as the business men had
expressed dissatisfaction with the ad-
ministratiOn and requested him to ten
der his resignation, he would lake this
opportunity to tender his resignation
as mayor. He called Alderman West
to the chair, and on motion of Alder
man Worth, the mayors resignation
was accepted.
Alderman West announced that the
election of a mayor was in order.
Alderman King nominated the Hon.
A. M. Waddell for mayor, and the
mention of his name created a storm
of applause.
The vote was taken and all eight Of
the new aldermen voted for Colonel
Waddell. He was declared elected
mayor amid a great demonstration.
Mayor Waddell was sworn in by JUS
tice Martin Newman, and he briefly
addressed the board. He said all the
members of the board no doubt felt like
he did in this crisis. While he thanked
the board for the honor conferred upon
him., he did not desire the position, and
hoped soon to be relieved, as he ac-
cepted it only as a duty in this grave
crisis. He conjured the members to
cooperate with him in the most ex-
t~raordinary conditions which confronts
US. He called God to witness that he
would employ his efforts to sternly en-
force order n suppress violence. He
closed with an applause from all in
the room.
On motion of Alderman Worth the
board adopted a vote of thanks to
mayOr Wright and the others who had
yielded in the right spirit and resigned
the city government. The motion was
unanimously adopted.
On motion of Alderman King, the
mayor was authorized to swear in $50
special policemen to serve last night.
On motion of Alderman Sprunt, Mr..
NJ. F. H. Gouverneur was elected as
sistant chief of police to serve during
the pleasure of the board.
The board then adjourned, and af-
forwards held a private meeting in the
mayors office.
Alderman c. D.. Morrill,, of the Third
ward, sent in his resignation, but no
action was taken on it.
On motion the mayor was authorized
to employ twenty-five mounted men
to patrol the city on horseback and
twenty-five men on bicycles for similar
duty last night.
Mayor Waddel announced that he
wanted it to specially be made known
to whites and lack that all lawless-
ness and disorder in the citv will he