The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-27
KEEPERS WHIP HAND
AFTER DODGING VARIOUS COM
CLUDEs TO STAND PAT
HE WILL NOT VOTE FOR RIFT
Holds Consultation With Mr..
johnson, the Only Result of
Which Is an Agreement for An
other Interview Today Ritt's
Chances Appear just at Present
Exceedingly Slim.

The committee of Second warders, ap-
pointed at the meeting held last Monday
evening to wait on the mayor in the in
terest Of Gregory Ritt's candidacy for the
assessorship. met with his honor yester-
day morning and as a result the mayor
and County Auditor Johnson will meet at
noon today to discuss the situation. The
promised discussion, from which it is be-
lieved nothing will result, is the first con-
cessfon in the assessorship matter that
has been obtained by any of the numer-
Gus committees of Ritts friends who have
interviewed the mayor and county audi
tor in behalf Of the candidate
When Mayor Kiefer permitted a score
Of Second ward Republicans to cool thier
heels in front of his office Monday even
ing, where he was to have met them by
appointment, there was good deal of
Indignation expressed and as. the noun
tain would not come to Mahomet it was
decided that Mahomet must go to the
mountain. In accordance with this plan
a committee was selected, composed of
Fred zollman, County Commissioner
David Gray, NJ w. Fitzgerald, Ed Par
IRISH. (. o. Zimmerman and W. L. Ames,
to call on the mayor at his office at 10
a. m, Tuesday. The fact Of the commit
tees intention to beard the lion in his den
at the appointed hour was published in
the G o b e, and being warned thereby,
when the committee went around there
was no lion to beard. The mayor was
not at home.
Sadder but wiser, the committee retired
for elaboration and as a result made g.
sudden descent yesterday morning on
the mayors Office and succeeded in
cornering him. The session that followed
was an interesting one. In vain the COM
mittee advanced arguments for Ritt's
election and explained their claims for
recognition by pointing out that the Sec
ond ward delegation had cast % votes
out of % for one Kiefer in the conven-
ton.
Il will not pledge myself to any one, -
was the best the mayor could be induced
to concede. Finally, however, Col. Kiefer
agreed, if Mr.. Johnson was willing, to
meet the gentlemen and talk of the Sit
uation." Then the COMMITTEES raced down
stairs to Mr.. ,Johnson's office and held a
seance with him. The mayor claimed he
had told the committee that on March 10
he had sent q letter to Johnson notifying.
ton of an assessor and asking him to
meet with him. The mayor claimed he
had received no response to his cOmmu-
nication.
On his own behalf Johnson told the
Second warders that he had written the
mayor stating that he would not be able
to meet with him on the date named
but asking the latter to designate any
time or place to settle the assessOrship
question.
eff the mayor understands the situa-
ton the way you say said Mr.. Johnson,
81 will go up Immediately and see him. -
The interview resulted in the appoint
n.ent to meet today. Both the mayor
and the county auditor have declared
their firm intention of not voting for
Mr. Ritz under any circumstances. No
other candidate is mentioned and as the
county auditor is unalterably pledged
to retain Assessor Seng in office the
chances of anything resulting from the
electoral conference are very slim.
The Eighth ward organization appears
to be unanimously opposed to the reten-
ton Of John Williams, the present night
commissioner from the ward, and has
endorsed H. l.. Tankersley for the posi-
ton. Tankersley is a contractor with the
necessary qualifications and was formerly
president of the ward organization. He
is a personal friend of w. R. Johnson
and has the support of the county au-
ditor.