The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-08
WOODWARD ASKED TO RESIGN
ATLANTA's MAYOR CAUGHT IN A
SECOND INDULGENCE.

His Jays and Fondness for the Ten
dcrIoin We're Too Much for Coun-
ciI-HIs Promise Not to Do So
Again Embodied in the RcsOIu-
lions - Mayor Awaited Councils
Action in His Omcc-Thrcatens to
THRASH Brou&htOn.
Atlanta, May IA second time Mayor
James c. Woodward has been asked to
resign his office by the City Council on
account Of his Indulgence in Jag water"
and a seemingly uncomfortable desire TO
make a record as chief rooter of the
Tendcrloin.
DR. Len. G. Broughton, pastor of the
Tabernacle Baptist Church, who first
called public attention of Mayor Wood
wards jag talent last summer. is the i'm
mediate cause of the present demand for
the Mayors ignominious retirement from
public life.
Last summer, when Council egged on
by the Rev. Broughton. sent and de-
manded the Mayors resignation, the
Mayor entered formal plea
of guilty to all the charges
OF drunkenness. ct cetera, but begged for
giveness and promised never to do Ii
again. on pain of immediate retirement
from Office, Council accepted this and
gave the Mayor another chance. For
several months he held his course on
the straight and narrow path, but the
tempta tions of the Tenderloin were too
strong for him, and his jag talent got the
upper hand Of him some time ago. His
escapades were hushed up for a while,
but during the past week or two His Hon
or got to spreading the Vermilion so law
ishly that DR.. Broughton again got it
in his eye. The Mayors red pigment
produced about the same effect upon the
pastor of the Tabernacle Church as does
the red mantilla of the bull fighter upon
his intended victim.
Asked Him to Resign.
So, last night from his pulpit. the doc
DOR gored the Mayor in almost ghoulish
position. He shook his soiled remnants
before his congregation in a manner that
was the talk of the town to-day, and
which had the councilmen in secret SEES
sion before the banks were open. A sec
ond secret session followed the first and
then this afternoon, in open session, the
city fathers put the Mayor on the spit.
After roasting him to a turn, they passed
the following resolution of official con-
demnation:
Whereas, AS His Honor the Mayor ad-
dressed a communication to this body
on Aug. IA Of last year. In which he used
the following language:
LAS my indiscretion Offend they shall
cease. This promise made by myself
may be construed also as a promise to
your body and 40 my constituents at
large. 1 make 1t deliberately, solemn
iy, with full confidence in my strength
and full knowledge Of my weakness. If
e..
shall be destroyed by my failure 10 abide
by this promise, Ii will be my duty to
myself and to the public 20 resign my
office, and will do so; because when 1
have lost my manhood by breaking my
resolution, / will no longer be worthy of
the Office. Until then I have the honor
70 be yours respectfully, James G.. Wood
ward. Mayor
and, Whereas, 1t has come to the
knowledge of several members of this
body that the Mayor has not lived up to
the terms of this statement; therefore
be 1t,
Resolved, That this body request the
Mayor to resign his office between the
date of May z. and the next regular
meeting OF the Council and that the clerk
of this body furnish the Mayor with a
copy of these resolutions
Woodward Was Indifferent.
Mayor Woodward was apparently in a
painfully sober condition while the couu-
cilmen were holding their deliberations.
He sat in his private office attended by
his private secretary, and heard of the
action of the Council In sullen indifference.
He would not talk about Il at all to news
paper people, and there is all sorts OF
speculation as to his probable action. The
popular verdict Is that II he has any
manly feelings at all remaining, he will
at once comply with Councils resolution,
and hand in his resignation. Some OF his
professed friends assert that he villa not
do 50, but will defy the Council to i'm
peach and eject him from office.
The town Is much wrought up over the
matter. Whether he teeigns or not. some
of the Mayors acquaintances say that he
has announced his determine ton 10
thrash DR.. Broughton the first time their
paths cross. The Rev. Mr.. Broughton
Is muscular pastor, however and should
the Mayor undertake to lick him, It Is not
so sure but that the pastor would get the
better of the scrap