Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-06-28
MINORITY REPORT.
From Tuesdays Daily.

From Tuesdays Daily. 4
The mayor was outgeneraled by the
city council last evening and his ap.7
pointments were not confirmed, rbut
this is not the most serious phase of
the matter just at present. Interest
| ed parties seek to enjoin the mayor,
city council and the city clerk from
treating the proposition submitted as
| adopted or from doing anything about
the matter otherwise than to treat it
as not adopted, mention of which will
be found in another column. Arrange
ments have been made to bring sthe
case before Judge Eichelberger next
| Thursday who may or may not issue
a temporary writ. If he does the for
mer and later follows it up by making
the injunction permanent the matter
will be tied up for years in the supreme
| court of this state and of the United
! States.
j It was thought that the fight on the
confirmation of the trustees would
center around R. H. Moore first and
that lesser skirmishes would ensue in
regard to few of the others. But
Alderman Keefe was loaded" He did
not propose to expose his three of q
kind" to the mayors gaze and on his
motion the council went into secret
caucus as committee of the whole,
returning with a report which was
signed by all but two of his colleagues,
who brought in minority report in
which they agree with all that was said
in the majority report with the ex-
ception that instead of not confirming
any of the mayors appointees, they
want the confirmation delayed. While
the recess was being taken the mayor
told Courier reporter. that he in
! tended to stand pat on the matter and
I learn from each alderman what objec-
ton they had to each of his appointees.
i He made an effort to carry out this
4 determination when the council re-
i convened but did not succeed very well
4 as the aldermen were disinclined to
i talk with but two exceptions. The
second clause relating to each ward be-
ing represented on the board was a
i surprise to the mayor. He frankly
stated that he had not thought of that
and upon his return from Paris in Sep.
| TENDER he would likely consent to a
proposition of that kind. but in the
4 meantime no trustees will be confirm.
ed, as the mayor left instructions with
i the city clerk to present the names he
has selected at each meeting of the
council when the question comes up
if it does, during his absence. So the
4 matter remains just as it was before
with prospect of extended litigation
in sight.
i Special Meeting.
II The mayor called the meeting to
order and all the aldermen We're pres
ent. The mayor stated that the reason
he had called the special meeting was
i for the confirmation of the trustees
which he had settled on. He stated
that he would leave New York for Par.
is July 4, which was too early for
l the first regular meeting in that
month. Here he read the names Of the
trustees as printed exclusively in the
Courier last week, which follow:
J. B. Sax, Claude Myers,
) W. B. Bonnifield, j. g.. Hutchinson,
II. l.. Waterman, j. T. Hackworth
r. H. Moore, J. J. Smith,
w. A. McIntire.
Alter reading the names the mayor
: stated that he had been away for
: some days but that since his return
! he had heard that some objection exist.
: ed to the confirmation of three OF
j, those named. The mayor did not
know why but he had understood tina,
Messrs. Moore, Sax and Bonnifield were
not acceptable. He stated that he had
; selected these men as the representa-.
) tive men of Ottumwa. He was aware
: that he could not select nine men for
! this position that would be pleasing tc
i everybody in a city the size Of this
but he had done his best and did no,
see where the objection lay. Taking
up Mr.. Moore first the mayor said thai
all knew his position. IF there is one
man in Ottumwa that Mr.. Moore hat
abused" said the mayor, shat mar
{ has been myself. think would hav.
whipped him at the time of the high
e water in this city had it not been fo1
J the interference of II. l.. Waterman
81 You all know how it was that was ar
rested and fined 81 for the offense