Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-07-19
Police Commissionership Fight
Ended Last Night.
THE ATTEMPT THAT FAILED
Co"nrAi Refused TO Be Whipped Into Line.
An Interesting and Important NJ. ct
ing. Street Paving. The Isnnd
Issue. OiLcr Matters


IN. V. d. Doughty, whose term has ex-
pired
The confirmation of Rev. Dir. A1acKay
by the council proved that it WAS
case of not that the council loved d..
Mackay more, but Mr.. Il. S. Robinson
less There can be no doubt Of this.
The council had no legitimate or sutIi-
clent reason for refusing to confirm
iH Alackay. and the members voted
lor him as an alternative to voting for
Mr.. Robinson whom the mayor again
presented as a first choice
The councils attitude toward MI
Robinson has not been a personal onc.
mat gentleman's remarks relative u
certain proposed changes on the police
force are what defeated his confirmu-
tion. IN presenting the name Of Rev.
Dr Mackay as an alternative the
mayor cndcuvorcd shrcwdly and with
a keen insight into human nature, to
whip the council into line. but he failed
siGnally and considerably. Tho council
refused to be whipped into line. and
voted for DIR. MacKay. The votes reg
1stercd against DR.. Mac1<ay's confirna-
ton could have been counted before tn.
council met
1T must be stated in justice to the
mayor that he has been consistent and
earnest III his desire to give the city a
good commissioner and hence his Sc
lection Of DR. Mackay. 'IIc stuck to
his first appointment as long as lie
could possibly do so. and then he prc-
scented to the council the name of an
other gentleman whom he considered
equally as good his first choice. The
tact that the council confirmed this
,JYC.f ~.
the light of a victory. just as the coun-
CHS refusing to confirm the other ap-
polnt1ncnt was Il defeat
Thus the fight was ended and the CITY
breathcS again
Ihe long meeting Of the council last
night was interesting because of nu-
Hcrous features other than the police
con'nlissioncrship fight. ~ great deal
OF important business was transacted.
When President Powell called thu
council TO order, every member of that
pody was in his seat. There We're pres
ent also the mayor commemorative
attorney. Rev. 7. J. Mackay. d. d.
Sewer Superintcndcnt O'DonnelI, CITY
Engineer Fuchett, DR. j. Nv Aylcr. sec,
rotary Of the Board Of Health: Police
Justice iBrown, cX-Councilman Mackry,
auditor Read. Fire Chief Stow, Chic.
OF follce Harwood, City Sergeant Mil
stead Consulting Engineer Potter and
olAef "lllcials and prominent citizens
THE MAYORS PROPOSITION.
INC clcrk, after disposinS of the MIN
utes, read the following ccmmunica
ton:
Newport News, Va, July Is, '99.
hon. City Council
gentlemen: i appointed Mr. T., S.
Robinson. July LIST. as police commits
ff,. no,
on July 10th I again sent his name in
TO YOU You failed on both occasions 10
confirm him. There have as yet .hnn,
no charges made against him cithe:
morally, mentally, physically or rcli,-
ri lousy. j cannot see what is Your OBJ
lectoh TO him. ! again hand YOU the
name OF MIR. e. s. Robinson for tn.
oif'ce OF police commissioner for tho
cfty OF 'NcwporttNcws.V Va. for the term
oi three Years, commencing July J. 1899
ana ask you to confirm him aad hone
you VIII see your way clear to Go so
II you decide, however that you cannot
coi1linm him. believing him not to be a
II. ana proper nlanior the office then
o1er you the name of Mr.. Thomas ].
'Mackay, -. D.. for the office Of police
commissioner of this city for tho. fern
OF thrce years, commencing july |.
1899 =
hMr. MacKay needs no words oe
praise from me. He is we'll and favor
ABLY known by all our citizens / am
sure you can find no objections to his
conhrmation. Respectfully,
"a. "A. MOSS.
Mayor"
REV. lMACI<AY CONrIRtMI ED.
Councilman Burcher moved that Mr..
Rcbinsoli be confirmed, supporting his
motion by a strong address to the co,1n-
eli, in the course of which he said he
had Mr.. Robinson's pledge that ne
would remove no one from the police
force without charges being properly
filed and supported. Councilman Ford
seconded the motion.
Councilman Hughes moved as an
amendment to table the communica-
ton. The amendment was seconded
by Councilman Mclaughlin.
Councilman Burchcr opposed ,abling
the communication. HE was followed
by Councilman Lcnz who took the
same position, saying that now was |
the proper time to settle the matter |
lie said that the council was not treat !
ing the mayor justly or courteously.
The vote on the amendment resulted |
as follows:
Ayes-Doherty, Hughes, Wilkie.
Noes-8urcher Caffec, Cooper, Cory |
Ford. LEM. Mclaughlin, Powell, stone,
Thomas and Washington
The vote on the motion to confirm,
Mr.. Robinson was then taken result
ing thus: { |
Ayes-Burcher. Ford, LEM, Wash
ington.
Noes-Caffee. Cooper, Cory. Dohcrty,
Hughes McI<al1ChIin Powell STONE |