The Anaconda standard., 1899-04-20
BRITT SAVED O'MEARA
Eighteen Aldermen Voted for His
Suspension.
A RULING BY THE MAYOR
Declared That 1t Took Majority of the
Whole Council to Remove an OFF,
cer-Off1cer Sheehy Resigned.
Lively Tilt About Bills.

the police force. Alderman Britt made
noble fight for his brother-in-law,
and, although eight of the 13 aldermen
present voted in favor of his suspen-
sion, O'Meara was saved through
ruling by the mayor. This is how the
play came up: The majority of the
police committee made this report:
Relative to the charges preferred
against Officers Sheehy and O'Meara
by James H. Lynch, the following wit
nesses We're examined: For the COM
plainant, James H. Lynch, P. A. Nc
Kercher, Frank Hutton, Mrs. H. Nc
Donald, Michael J. Harrington, Meyer
Genzberger John H. Berry; for the Of
f1cers, Officer Sheehy, Mrs. Allie Collier
Frank Collier, H. o. Weller Frank
Bateman, Harry Avery, Thomas Boyle,
Judge E. A. Nichols, P B. Handlin,
Officer O'Meara, John Murphy. and, at
the request of the committee, the chief
I'VE find from the testimony ad-,
duced that Officer Sheehy arrested
James Gill for disturbance of the peace
in the alley in the rear of Mcdonald &
Lynch's grocery store; that in the af-
fray between the officer and Mr. Gill
the latter's leg was broken; that Off
Ger Sheehy instead of taking the pris-
oner to the city Jail allowed him to be
taken in hack to a hospital, which
fact he afterwards reported to the
jailer; we believe Officer sheehy is
guilty Of this charge.
Second. We find that Officers
O'Meara and Sheehy arrested Mr..
Lynch and Mr.. McKercher without
warrant and also used violent means
to accomplish their purpose: for which
conduct we deem them guilty.
I'VE therefore recommend that Off
Ger Sheehy be suspended Indefinitely
from the police force; and that officer
| O'Meara be suspended for 80 days with
out pay.
Relative to the attached certificate
concerning a certain dog. we simply
find the poundmaster justified in his
action
After the reading of the report AL
derman Bryant demanded by what
| right the police committee had sus
pended O'Meara, pending the adoption
| OF the report by the council No one
seemed to know about that.
Alderman Britt declared that
| O'Meara is not guilty. He moved that
| the portion of the report suspending
| O'Meara be stricken out. This was
seconded by Alderman Siebenaler
Alderman Bowman moved as fur
ther amendment that Sheehy also be
exonerated. This was lost by an over
whelming vote. The motion to exon
crate O'Meara was then lost by this
vote: Ayes-Britt, Bryant. Ljubibra-
itch. Rowan, Siebenaler-5. Noes
Bowman, Cannon, Ferns, Macarthur,
Melcher. Noyes. Page, Pascoe-S.
A motion to adopt the original report
was then carried by a vote of to s.
Alderman Britt raised the point that
| the report was not adopted. inasmuch
as majority vote of the whole coun-
| Gil is necessary to rescnd any former
action of the council. The mayor ruled
the point we'll taken and the motion to
| adopt the report lost. This decision
created a furore in the council.
rs not this merely a report of a
| standing committee" asked Alderman
Noyes, land does your honor mean to
say that a majority of the whole coun-
ell is necessary to adopt committees
report?"
'"The effect of the adoption of this
report" said the mayor, lis to suspend
Officer O'Meara. 1t requires a major
| ity of the entire council to confirm an
officer, and l rule that it likewise re-
quires a majority of the whole council
| to remove an officer
But this does not remove the officer
argued Noyes. 1T merely suspends
| Hllll. II puHlSltS Hllil NY leiilpoi d. y
| suspension"
"The effect is the same" declared the
mayor.
"Under that ruling not 10 per cent
of our business in the past two years
has been legally DONE" declared Alder
| man Page.
How about the portion of the report
| in regard to poundmaster?" inquired
| Noyes.
II will rule" said the mayor, that all
that portion of the report is adopted
with the exception of that in relation tc
officer O'Meara."
And it went
The resignation of officer Sheehy was
received and accepted
There was another lively tilt in the
meeting. Bills from Aldermen Page
Cannon and Rowan for S65 each fol
services as commissioners in the open
ing of Thornton avenue were presented
Alderman Macarthur moved the bills be
| allowed. The mayor ruled the motion
out of order on the ground that alder
men can receive no other compensation
than that allowed by ordinance. Nc
Arthur appealed from the mayors de-
cision. and the appeal was sustained.
you may take the chair Mr.. Nc.
Arthur" said the mayor.
IT don't see why I should" said Nc.
Arthur.
!
that motion. 1t is not legal"
But why is it necessary to vacate
the chair?"
I'm order to permit you to put youl
| pet notion
Both gentlemen exhibited some de-
gree of heat. Alderman Macarthur tool
the chair. put his motion, and it was
carried by vote of II to 3. Aldermen
Ferns, Meleher and Noyes voting
against it.
The following report was received
from the fire and water committee:
Your fire and water committee have
made a careful examination of the fire
apparatus furnished by the Fire Elk.
tinguisher company of Chicago, ani
have carefully compared the same Will
the proposition submitted by said com
pany on the 7th day of September. 1898
and as a result of their examination
now report as follows:
We find that the truck and ladder!
are about $50 or 300 pounds over tn,
weight called for by the specifications
The ladder was to weigh 3S5 pounds
w har yJ,A 1nI i Il