The Savannah morning news., 1900-08-30
TO TRY WOODWARD
CITY COUNCIL REsOLv-
ED UPON THIS ACTION.
THE MAYOR MUST BE TRIED.
DRUNKENNESS AND DISREGARD OF
PUBLIC DUTY CHARGED.

This Time the Council Seems to he
in Earnest-Woodyyar Wanted to
Temporize, but Council wouldn't
Have It-Instructed the City Attor-
ncy TO Prepare impeachment Arti-
cIes and Appointed IA Committee to
AssiSt-WOodwerd VIII Fight.
Atlanta, Aug. 29,-After serving the City
of Atlanta as mayor for eighteen months
and with on.y four more months 20 serve
60 complete his term of office. James G..
Woodward stands charged by the City
Council with drunkenness and consequent
negligence of public duty.
The City Council this afternoon passed
a resolution calling ON the city attorney
to prepare impeachment articles appoint-
ing committee of three. Mayson. John
son and Rawson, to assist the city attor-
ney in preparing the charges and fixing
the time for the commencement of che
trial at 10 o'clock on Sept. 4. in the Coun-
ell chamber Judge II. NJ Reid Is named
in the resolution as presiding officer of
the Impeachment court by virtue of his
office as fixed by the city charter.
While the Council was considering the
resolution, Mayor Woodward telephoned
to Councilman Pope and appealed to him
to have the resolution Withdrawn. stating
that he would make any amends for his
conduct that Council might desire If he
could be given until next Monday.
council received the statement of Mayor
Woodwards plea in silence and took no
further notice of IL until an effort was
made to lay the impeachment resolution
on the table, in order to give him another
chance. This was voted down by n vote OF
u 90 g. The following resolutions were
then passed unanimously:
Whereas. His honor. Mayor James @.
Woodward. has by reason of his contin-
ued drunkenness, grossly neglected his
official dutes
Therefore, be II resolved that the city
attorney be and is hereby instructed to
prefer articles of Impeachment against
the mayor.
Resolved further That a copy of said
articles of impeachment be served by the
city marshal upon Hon. James G.. Wood
ward, mayor Of the City of Atlanta,
charging him with the cffense therein sea
| forth
Resolved, further. That the trial Of said
Mayor under said articles OF impeac hment
to be fixed for the 4th day of September,
1900 at 10 O'Clock a. m, in the Council
Chamber and that Hon H NJ Reid,
judge of the City Court of Atlanta be re-
quested TO preside at such trial, as re-
quired by the city charter"
This resolution was introduced by Alder
men johnson, Day, Fitzpatrick, Beutell
Councilmen Pope, Parks, Holland, Bar
rett, Maddox, Rawson. Harwell, Thompson,
Adams and Minhinnett On the vote to
table six members voted aye. They were
Day, Barrett, Holland, Parks, Roy ana
Longino. II will require a two-thirds vote
TO oust the Mayor and if his six men re-
main firm, as 1t is believed they will, and
he can get one more vote, as his friends
think he can, he will be enabled 70 remain
in office.
This is the third attempt to impeach
Mayor Woodward, and is by far the most
formidable one yet made, since several OF
his strongest personal friends and sup
porters are In the movement The reason
for this lies in the fact that the Mayor
has been drinking more heavily and more
steadily of late than ever before He has
retained Cor w. r. Meyers as his attor-
ney and will fight to the bitter end.