Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-07-11

There was lively time in the City
Council last night over the question
of granting liquor licenses to the appli-
cants who have been heretofore re-
| jected. A great many members are
out of the city, and most of them are
opposed to granting license. There
was a bare quorum in each branch.
and the applicants had a majority.
| But for the precaution which had been
taken by MIR. Waterhouse, in securing
a written opinion from the City Solic-
| itor. the licenses would have been
granted. and some embarrassing COM
plications might have resulted.
The Solicitor held that under. the
ordinances the petitions for license
would have to take the usual course.
| If they had been rushed through
| Council last night, Clerk O'Brien could
| not have issued the licenses in the face
of Mr.. Boyce's opinion. The fight last
night was marked by considerable
child's play, which does not reflect
any credit upon individual members
of the municipal law making body.
The applications for license of G. A.
Landmesser & Co., T. ]. Heisel, Rich
ard Wilkie, C. F. Biery, Allen o.
Smith, J. B. Wilkie, Otto Fish, VIM. 0.
Walker and Minnie Seeker, were read
by Clerk O'Brien, and Me. Chew moved
to lay on the table. The ayes and
noes were called, and the vote re-
suited as follows:
Ayes-Messrs. Beckett, Chew, Fair,
Miller, Ritter, and Mr.. Presidents.
Noes-Messrs. Bradbury, Burke,
Fitzsimmons, Kalbitzer, Kurtz,
Marschner, Maurer.s Scheehle, Weis-
gerber, and Zeigler-10.
Mr.. Ritter afterward changed his
vote.
Mr.. Marschner moved to grant the
licenses, but President Maxwell ruled
that they would have to go before the
committee on petitions and remon-
strances and follow the regular order
of business.
Mr.. Maxwell then left the chamber
and called Mr. Bradbury to the chair.
Two or three items of business were
! transacted, and then Mr.. Marschner
arose and moved to reconsider the
previous action. The motion prevail
| ed. Mr.. Marschner then moved to sus-
pend the rules, and grant license to
the applicants.
| Mr.. Chew raised the point of order
that the proceeding was improper, and
that President Maxwell had SO ruled.
Acting Chairman Bradbury would
not be bound by any precedent, and
became involved in a discussion with
members, in which all rules of parlia-
mentary proceeding were ignored or
| forgotten.
Mr.. Miller raised the point that the
ordinance provides the course through
which applications for license must
pass, but Mr. Bradbury ruled that
Council could suspend any rule for
the purpose of transacting business"
Mr.. Marschner then moved to sus-
pend the rules and grant the license
to all the applicants. Mr.. Chew in
sisted that the motion be put in writ
ing, which was uone.
Then Mr.. Chew, Mr.. Miller, Mr..
Beckett, and one or two others started
to leave the chamber for the purpose
of breaking a quorum.
Acting Chairman Bradbury instruct
ed the officer not to permit any men,
Der to leave tho chamber. One or two
jumped over the railing. Mr.. Brad
bury ordered the doors to be closed.
AS Mr. Chew started toward the door,
a man in the lobby endeavored to pre-
vent him from leaving, and some angry
words were spoken.
eff you lay a hand on me you'll
land down stairs" said Mr.. Chew
One nor two members evaded the
officer and escaped through a side
door.
This is like baby play. We ought
to be ashamed of ourselves" said Mr..
Ka1hizer.
The motion of Mr. Marschner was
put and declared carried. There was
not a quorum present, but the point
was not raised. The Second Branch
then took recess. and it's action was
communicated to the First Branch.
A motion was made to refer the
matter to the committee on petitions
and remonstrances. 1t was defeated
by the following vote:
Ayes-Messrs. Baird Scally, and
Waterhouse.
Noes-Messrs. Chew, Gartley, Knoke
and Zwicker.
Mr.. Strobel was paired with Mr.
Smith, and Mr. Bachman with Mr..
Hamilton. Both were excused from
voting.
Mr.. Zwicker moved to concur in the
action of the Second Branch. 1t was
at this point that Mr.. Warehouse
called attention to the illegality of the
proceeding, and sent to the clerks
desk and had read the following:
July 9, 1900.
John Waterhouse. Esq.
Member of First Branch of City Coun-
Gil
Dear Sir:-At the last meeting of the
City Council upon the report of the Com
mittee on Petitions and "Reminiscences,
the Second Branch of Council voted the
granting of a certain number of persons
license to keep ordinaries and coffee
houses. After passing the Second Branch
1t came up in the First Branch and on
a motion to concur in the action of the