The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-07-07
Quarantine Inspector Emery Is
Removed From Office.
SERVICE WILL END TONIGHT.
After Five Years Work in the
Omcer Gives Way to q Supporter
of the Mayor-Board Acts in a
Roundabout Way-No Charges
Preferred and No Hearing Given.

Tonight the services Of II. L. Emery
as quarantine inspector of the city OF
Seattle end Either at a special meeting
this evening or at the regular meeting
next Monday the board of health Will
elect a new man as quarantine inspector,
and no doubt appears TO exist that the
unanimous choice will be Arthur Rumble.
This change in the office, 1t is said.
involves somewhat unusual manipulation
Of municipal politics. Emery has not re-
signed his office, but was removed in
what his friends claim to be peculiarly
roundabout way by the board of health.
The matter is known to have been pend
ing for SEINE time; In fact. 1t is said that
so long ago as April /. the question OF
removing Emery was considered. No
action, however, was then taken, and
the matter had apparently been dropped
until Unexpectedly revived at the regu-
lar meeting of the board of health held
Monday. June %
At that meeting were present DR.. j.
II. Lyons, president Of the board. DR.. w.
c. Gibson and DIR. Samuel Il. Limerick.
all appointees OF Mayor Humes. A reso-
luton was introduced and passed de-
manding the resignation OF II. L. Emery
from the office of quarantine inspector,
to take effect Saturday. July I. At the
next meeting. Monday. July 2, in addition
to the three members named, DR.. NJ f.
A.. McKechnie, secretary OF the board
and acting health officer. was present.
communication from Quarantine In
spector Emery was received and read,
asking that the board reconsider its ac-
ton in demanding his resignation. As
nearly as can be learned the question
was put. Shall the board reconsider the
resolution and the vote was in the
negative.
No Charges Preferred.
Yesterday evening Emery received a
letter from DR.. McKechnie, acting as Sec
rotary of the board OF health. informing
him that having failed to comply with
the request for his resignation. the board
had removed him from the Office OF quar-
antine inspector, his services to end to-
night.
The popularity OF the procedure lies in
the fact that no charges of any nature
have been preferred against Emery At
neither of its last two meetings did the
board of health have anything before 1t
formally upon which to base the demand
for his resignation. The action appears
to have been effected through a tacit I'M
derstanding of the members. Emery was
given no hint of what was coming until
he received the formal request to resign.
He was not asked to account for any
misconduct or neglect OF duty, for the
reason that no charge of such nature
was before the board for consideration.
These facts are admitted by those ONT
cially connected with the matter
Emery's friends assert that his removal
Is due to the influence of the managers
of Mayor Humes campaign to secure the
support OF King county to his aspirations
for the Republican gubernatoriai NOM
ination. Emery has never been Identified
with the Humes following In local poll
ties. In the canvass prior to the last
city convention he made no secret of his
opposition to Humes' nomination for
mayor. After the convention, however.
be Joined with all other loyal Repubi-
cans in supporting the city ticket. Since
Mayor Humes was brought out as a cam
didate for the nomination for governor,
Emery has again been found with the
opposition. This. Emery's friends say.
is the direct cause for his removal, the
Humes managers having prevailed upon
the board of health to take such action.
Interview with Mayor Humes.
Prior to the meeting of the board when
reconsideration of the removal resolut on
was refused, a friend of Emerys called