The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-24
Star Chamber Meeting Of Board
Of Health.
TWO MEMBERS THERE.
They Proceed to Elect a Sani-
tary Officer.
Afraid That CounciImen Would
Dictate Appointment
Factions on the Board Are at
Swords Points.

The two physicians, men bers of the
board of health stole a march on the
city council committee last night by
holding a secret meeting and electing
Peter Simon as sanitary officer in the
Second ward
1t is claimed that all the appoint
ments made by the board of health
officers are void, for the reason that
these appointments have not been made
by the mayor with the consent of the
council. as provided in ordinance 1920
This ordinance distinctly states that
, the mayor by and with the consent
of the council shall appoint five COM
! petent persons to be known as health
officers and that in case of emergency
he may appoint more than five The
men who have been serving as health
officers viii all be obliged to have their
appointments confirmed by the council,
before they can hold their positions an
other month.
BY holding a star chamber session
Friday afternoon the board of health,
or two members of 1t, selected a sue
cessOr to Rufus Frazier. the Second
ward health officer who was turned out
because of his conviction for Hbeling
Councilman w r Weber The man
who was chosen for Frazier's place is
Peter Simon. of 719 Madison street, who
has been employed on the street force.
Simon is a white man.
The appointment of Simon In this
surreptitiOus manner has brought to
an issue the conflict between the mem
bers of the health and sanitation COM
mittee and the members Of the board
Of health.
There have been amazing frregulari-
ties in the entire organization of the
board OF health. Ordinance 1920 provides
thar the mayor, with the consent of the
council, shall appoint a board of health
of I'VE members, two of whom shall be
members of the council and three COM
namely. Dr. c. r. Judd. Dr. L. NJ.
Powell and DR. O. P Davis. were ap-
pointed and confirmed Mayor Hughes
informed the member of the health
and sanitation committee Of the council
that by virtue of their membership on
that committee they too were members
of the board of health, and would be
expected TO participate in the business
of that body. The members of the com
mittee. Joseph Griley, J. s. Warner and
H. s Nichols, accepted this without in
vestigating the matter, and proceeded
70 act in hearty cooperation with the
Other members of the board 1t now
develops, however, that the members
OF the health committee are not MEM
bers of the board OF health until they
are confirmed by the council.
Every thing was harmonious between
the board and the committee until the
question of making appointments came
up Then the mayor stepped in and
practically dictated to the three doctors
Mat men should be selected. The board
As opposed to the appointment of
5ufus Frazier before his conviction on
bhe charge Of libel, but the mayor noti-
fed the members of the board that
Frazier must be appointed to pay him
for political services rendered Frazier
got the job.
It is claimed by those who are on the
inside of the deal that the meeting of
the board was secretly called yesterday
bit the suggestion of the mayor. and
khat the appointment of Simon was
made at his direction.
No notice was given of yesterdays
meeting to Councilmen Griley, Nichols
and Warner, who have been assisting
the board of health in all the work it
has done so far. DR.. Powell, one of the
duly confirmed members of the board
is out of town, and the meeting was
attended by only Dr.. Judd and DR.
Davis. which is certainly not a major
ity Of the full board of five members,
provided for by the ordinance The ap-
pointment of Simon is therefore dOubly
invalid both because 1t has not been
made by the mayor and confirmed by
the council, and because the board was
not in legal session when it selected
him for the position.
Councilman Cfriley said today: 1.-THE |
members of the health and sanitation
committee do not claim to be members |
of the board of health because we rec
pgnize the fact that we have not been |
confirmed by the council. We have at