Daily inter mountain., 1899-05-18
Alderman Kn0Wlt0n Was Not
Present Last Evening.
AN INTERESTING MEETING
Mayor Did Not Get the Opportunity
to Cast the Deciding Vote--
Minor Matters Side Tracked,

The conspicuous man of last nights
meeting of the city council was Alder-
man Knowlton. He was absent ana
through his absence the belligerent alder
men scored temporary victory, the
vote on the confirmation Of the appoint
ment of Peter Sanger for chief OF the hre
department resulting seven for and eight
against. Had Alderman KnoWlton peeh
present last evening, and had ne voted
with the mayor, as he has been voting,
the result would have been tie and
Mayor Mccarthy would have exercised
the right given him by the statutes,
and some would have been feasting this
morning on the political plums that are
ripe unto bursting, who are now almost
inclined to consider the plums no better
than the grapes that Reynard concluded
We're sour. Among the friends of the OBJ
structionsts Knowltons absence at the
critical time is looked upon as significant
of a change of heart. Mayor McCarthys
friends do not believe this, arguing that
Knowlton has been with the mayor since
he was inducted into office, and no longer
ago than the council meeting just prior
| to that of last night, assured the mayor,
as he clasped his honor's hand that he
disapproved Of the filibustering tactics
| Of the obstructionists, which might re-
suit in serious loss to the city. and would
vote for the confirmation Of the mayors
appointments.
There were several interesting incidents
| of last nights meeting, and one was the
reading Of communication from Cap
tain Branagan, which was a chronicle of
the war between Butte's twin street COM
missoners, and in which Captain Branna-
gan narrated the story Of his arrest by
Officer O'Meara, of the heavy artillery.
The captains communication concluded
with a request that the council approve
| Of his course in the premises.
| Alderman Bryant moved that the coun-
Gil exonerate Captain Brannagan from all
blame in the matter
| Alderman Knowlton moved to amend
that the communication be placed on file.
! "The proper place for exoneration is
the police court" remarked Alderman
Paige.
! Captain Brannagan has already been
exonerated in the police COURT quoth
Alderman Seibenaler.
| Before the vote was taken the mayor
| said he desired to make a statement. He
said:
"Mr. Brannagan is here, and if make
any statement which is not strictly COR
rect I wish he would correct me. A day
or two after the captains resignation was
refused by this council the captain came
to me and said he would only work a few
days anyway, and he would esteem it a
favor if I would accept his resignation,
as he had other things to attend to. I
told him | would accept his resignation
If he would write out another and address
1T to me personally. He went right into
| the office with me and wrote me his res
lgnatlon l at once accepted it, but
asked Mr.. Brannagan to work the week
out, which he consented to do. At the
end of the week I told Mr. Brannagan
that Mr.. Cotter would take his place in
the morning. Then for the first time
did learn that Mr.. Brannagan intended
to continue as street commissioner. The
| only explanation he made to me was
| that he had changed his mind. Now,
If this is not correct statement of the
case I ask Captain Brannagan to correct
| it at once"
Captain Brannagan, however, did not
accept the gauge Of battle and the amend
! ment was defeated by the following vote:
Ayes-Elderkin, Ferns, Kelly, Near
| thur, Medin, Paige, Smith,
Noes-Archambault, Bausman. Britt.
Bryant, kroger, Noyes, Siebenaler, Vir-
tues.
Then came the original motion,
"Gentlemen," said his honor, 81 rule
this motion out of order, for the reason
that there are no charges against Cap
tain Brannagan."
Captain Brannagan stated this morning
that he had failed to hear the mayors re-
| marks last night, and for that reason
alone, had not made reply. He states,
however, that he wishes to enter an en-
| Nhatic denial to the statement of the