People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1899-03-10
Lively Council rleeting.

INSiy SOuuCii IlrellHX.
Daily Journal, Tuesday.
Last nights session OF the city Coun.
cilWas the most interesting aud ex.
citing held in Wellington for years
The lie was passed between City
Attorney II. L. Woods and Council
man Geo. T. Pitts during the discus
sion of a bill for $3.50 presented by 9.
t. Elliott for services rendered the
city in the Minerva B. Anderson
damage suit. Mr.. Elliott was present
and when his bill was read, explained
to the council that the day the case
came up for trial in the district court,
City Attorney Woods asked him to
assist in the defense; that Joe Hous-
ton of Wichita, had suddenly and
Unexpectedly appeared as one of the
defense for the plaintiff and tha.
upon the request Of Mr. Woods and
Mayor Brown he (ElliCtt) assisted The
city attorney with the understanding
that recommendation would be
made to the council to allow him a
reasonable fee for his services. Mr..
Woods went over the history OF the
case, stating that it was customary in
many cities to employ additional
counsel iu important cases, and citing
Instances where it had been done
before in Wellington. He thought
Mr.. ElliOtt's bill under the circum
stances was little high aud recon-
mended that it be cuJ down. Mr..
Pember moved to allow Elliott $50
and Mr.. French amenled the motion
TO allow 500. Mr.. Elliott stated that
he would as soon have nothing as $lO0.
At this junct1re Mr.. Pitts arose and
with the statement that he was
opposed to the council allowing Mr..
Elliott any amount for his services in
this case, went back to the action of
the council last MAY when it passed
resolution defining the duties of the
city attorney, aud recalled that
Woods, in verbal statement to the
council, had said that be expected 10
secure Mr.. ElOtt's services in the
Anderson damage suit and that he
would pay for them out of his own
pocket. ln view of these facts. Mr..
Pitts stated, he was emphatically
opposed to the council paying the bill,
and made vigoruS speech against It's
allowance, He referred several times
in his speech to the resolution passed
by the cOuncii last May defining the
duties Of the city attorney, and con-
nected the resolution so closely with
the verbal statement of Mr.. Woods
that the impression was left upon
some that the promise of Mr.. Woods
to pay for ElliOtl's services was
embodied in the resolution adopted
by the council.
When MIR. Pitts sat down, Mr..
French arose and stated that he was
not aware Of any such statement of
the city attorney being on therecords,
and added:
"lt there is, Mr.. Mayor, would
like TO see it,"
Here the city attorney interrupted
with the remark:
George knew there wasn't. lie
lied"
There was peculiar emphasis upon
the last two words which left no
doubt as to their meaning. The
couacil was thunderstruck and an
awkward silence followed. The mem.
bers looked at one another, then at
Pitts and then at Woods. Pitts gave
no sign 10 indicate that he had heard
the remark or that 1t had the least
effect upon him. His self control
under the circumstances Vas wonder.
full. Every person present expected
TO see him spring from his seat under
the challenging silence and clash
with the city attorney. Instead, he
seemed J6liViOuS to his surroundings.
He finally relieved the unpleasant
strain himself by breaking the
silence aud mixing another speech
against the allowance OF the
claim. lie began in a moderate
tone, but was unable to control his
anger and was soon fumbliug his
words and loudly denounciug the city
attorney as incompetent. He cooled
down and concluded his remarks by
apologizing to the council for indulg-
ing in personalities.
The city attorney occupied the
attention OF the council for awhile
with a few desultory but not edlfying
remarks which would not look very
we'll IN print. The council finally
tyoted to allow Nj. Elliott sl00 for HI,