The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-13
CLERK SELECTED FOR THEM.
The County commissioners of Wy
oming Are Indignant.
the Scranton Tribune.

Special to the Scranton Tribune
Tunkhannock, Dec. 1.-THE county
commissioners held an interesting ana
important meeting yesterday. They
decided that il was time for them to
appoint clerk for the next three years
under the recent act of the assembly
which confers upon county commits
sioncrs the authority to appoint a
clerk for three years. Frank S. Hard
ing, the present incumbent. was Of
fered the position, so yesterday after
noon he handed in his resignation, and
within half an hour was re-appointed
for three years more. The incoming
board of commissioners will be Demo-
cratic, and as it is now Republican,
the two Republican commissioners
thought 1t best to fill this Office before
their term should expire. Michael
Brown, the Democratic commissioner,
raised a protest at tho action of his
colleagues but 1t was of no avail. Mr..
Brown said that Mr.. Harding first
handed in his resignation TO me and
read 1t and then said | would not ac-
cent it. | was alone in the office at the
time, and went out afterwards | was
down town about twenty minutes, anu
when ! returned, | found that Mcssrs.
WheeloCS and Chase mad held meet
ing in my absence and that the min
utcs Of the meeting were already writ
ten on the minute book signed by Mr.
Chase, and MIR. WhecloCk was just
writing his signature ! SAID you nave
elected Frank in my absence, aud they
answered yes | turned to Mr.. Hard
ing, the clerk, and said writ" down
there that Mr.. Brown was not presen-
at this meeting. and that had he been
present he would have voted no. 1t
is stated that the commissioners are
only following the precedent establish
ed by commissioners IN four other
counties, Northampton, Crawford,
Delaware and Lancaster, where they
have taken advantage of bhiS act. the
construction of the act of assembly
will probably have to be passed upon
by the supreme court before it be-
comes settled fact that retiring COM
missioners have power to appoint a
clerk for a new board of commissions
crs, If IL is so held, the act will soon
be repealed, for no board Of commits
sioners will want some one else IN
choose their clerk. Later in the after
noon Mr.. Harding CAV" his bond for
81, 500 and was sworn in as clerk.
A violent wind storm struck this
place on Monday and in the night II
was accompanied by a binding rain
Yesterday morning it cleared up and
was a fine spring day. 1t has been sc
warm lately that the trees are begin
ming to bud, and only yesterday .
number of dandelion blossoms were
picked along the street.
The lecture last Monday evening by
Prof. A. W. Hawks, of Baltimore, was
well attended, the court house beina
crowded. He kept the audience laugh
ing nearly all the time and his address
was evidently appreciated. He is wei
equipped with a good stock Of jokes
and able to provide amusement fol
an evenings performance.
John h. Donovan, prothOnotary- elect
was down from LaceyNille yesterday
and took the oath of Office. His bonds
have been approved and sent to Har
risburg. He does not expect to r.
move his family here until the frs
Of April
O. T.. Pickett, of Laceyville, was als'
in town yesterday.
Sheriff Gregory ia packing his house
hold goods and will take up his resi-
dence in Meshoppcn after the first c
the year. He will go in the ston
business in which he is already large
ly interested