The Washington times., 1901-08-13
NEWS FROM ALEXANDRIA.
The Board of Aldermen's Six
Weeks Deadlock Broken.
John II. Sweeney Chosen by Lot,
Mayor simpson Making the Draw
inR-AI the Committees Appointed
in Both Branches of Council.

ALEXANDRIA, Va, Aug. 12.-The
deadlock existing in the board of alder
men ever since their induction into Of
flee, July l, was broken tonight by the
election by lot of John T. Sweeney as
president of that body over Theophilus
Ballenger. who was the last incumbent.
Early in the day there were rumors
afloat that a compromise had been eff
fected, and as a result the chamber of
the aldermen was packed to its utmost
capacity tonight. Shortly before o'clock
the members could be seen in the lobby
holding animated discussions, and ii was
evident that something was on foot in
! the nature Of a compromise. All the
aldermen. with the exception of Alderman
| w. II. Sweeney, who is spending his va
! cation at Upperville, Va, were in their
seats shortly after o'clock. few min
utes later Messrs. J. T. Sweeney and J.
! NJ Hill left the chamber and proceeded to
| the office of the city auditor. Here they
were met my Mayor George l.. Simpson.
| to whom they made known their plan to
decided the election by lot. They pro-
| posed to place the names of Messrs.
| Sweeney and Ballenge- in hat, the first
| name drawn to be declared the president
| of that body. The names of these two
/
| identical size, were at once placed in
Mayor Simpsons hat. Mr.. Simpson then
drew the slip bearing the name of John
| T. Sweeney.
Among those present when Mayor Simp-
son made the drawing were E. f. tSam)
| Price, j. T. Sweeney. j. NJ. Hill, E. c.
| Dunn, and E. E. LAWYER The two alder
men at once proceeded to their chamber
| and announced that Mr.. Sweeney was
the successful contestant. Clerk Thomp-
| son then read the mayors call and 1t
| was received. Mr.. Ballenger then, as
matter of form, nominated Mr.. Sweeney,
/ and Mr.. Hill moved that the nomination
be made unanimous. The clerk was then
directed to cast the vote for Mr.. Sweeney,
who was thereupon declared president of
that body for the next two years.
This ends one of the bltterest deadlocks
that has ever existed in the board of
aldermen and its termination was hailed
with delight Up to the present time the
| city's affairs have been at a standstill
on account of the deadlock.
Upon ascending to the presidents desk
Mr.. Sweeney called the aldermen togeth-
er. He promised to discharge the duties
of the Office to the best of his ability and
| asked the cooperation of the members
honor they had bestowed upon him. and
said he hoped they would try and carry
out all the laws of the city. This con-
cluded Mr. Sweeneys speech.
| The following committees were then
named by President Sweeney: Finance.
W H. Sweeney and n. P. T. Burke;
| Light Thomas w Clark and W. H.
| Sweeney; Streets, +. F. MarDury and ].
| Z. N Curtin; Poor J. r. n. Curtin and
| J. NJ. Hill: General Laws, Thomas w.
Clark and F. F. Marbury; Public Prop
| erty. j. NJ. Hill and ]. R. n. Curtin;
ChIims, N. P. r. Burke and F. F. Mar
bury; Police, Theophilus Ballenger and N.
p. 7. Burke; Schools, w. H Sweeney and
| Theophiius Ballenger. The composition of
| these committees had been arranged be-
tween the members of the opposing fac
| tiuns prior to the selection of a presiding
/ officer. The usual routine business then
came up, after which the aldermen adj
| journed until the fourth Tuesday in Au
gust.
Shortly after s o'clock President Fred
erick Paff called the common council to
| order and read a communication from
Mayor Simpson stating that he had con-
vened council night earlier than the
| regular meeting night in order to assure
Il quorum After the reading of the min
utes of the last meeting. Mr.. McCuen pre-
scented petition signed by o. S. Pullman
and others. asking that the arc light at
the intersection of Alfred and Franklin
Streets be repaired. The paper stated that
the light had not burned more than TWEEN
ty minutes each night for some time past.
The petition was referred to the Com
mittee on Light. A resolution was intro
duced by Mr.. Snowden that the Board of
Police Commissioners be requested to fill
no vacancies on the police force until an
ordinance now before council providing
for reduction of the force had been act
ed upon. The resolution was adopted.
A recess had Just been declared when 1t
was announced that ]. r. Sweeney had
been elected president of the higher
board. President Pan then stated that
he was ready TO name the various COM
mittees. He stated that he had be. n con-
fronted with difficult problem IN as
signing the members of the various com
nittees, but feeling that he had oeen en-
tirely impartial to every one, he had no
apologies to make. He further stated that
ii would be noticed that he had put the
name of Mr.. Snowden, his predecessor
on only one committee and that minor
one. This, he said. was at he r,qIest
of Mr.. Snowden, who wished 10 be re-
lieved from active committee work as far
as possible.
Mr.. Paff then read me list IF :he COM
mitteemen as follows: Laws, II. K. Burke
and J. d. Normoyle; Finance, ALERT
Bryan and Henry Bladder; Public Proper
ty, Louis Brill and James McCuen; Light.
j. T. Johnson. William Desmond, and j.
II. Trimyer: Claims, L. f. Uhlsr and HUI
and S. b. Fisher; Schools, +. .. Srinks.
jr., and L. L. Uhler: Poor II. r. Burke
and T. L. Risheill; Police, +, G. Spinks.
jr.. and j. It. johnson. After considerable
a gi-
journing uQtil the next regular meeting
night. the fourth Tuesday in August
Five tramps engaged In a free fight
shortly after 5 O'Clock this afternoon in
w. II. Brawners yard at the Stone
Bridge. Police headquarters We're noti-
fed of the fight by Mr.. Peverill and Po-
licemen knight, Travers and Young set
out In a wagon for the scene of the fight
Upon their arrival they arrested all of
the participants, who will be given a
hearing tomorrow morning in the Police
Court.
Policeman Travers had In custody a
man giving his name as Frank Sherman,
who had attempted to resist arrest. The
officer slightly tapped him with his baton.
Later on King Street. In front of T. a
Groaves store, Policeman Travers claims.
Sherman made an attempt to escape. The
policeman struck hi ma stunning blow
with his baton, which knocked the man
to the ground and rendered him hors de
combat The blood flowed freely and a
large crowd soon gathered around the
man. Afterward the man was taken TO
the police station in a wagon of Hellmuth
Bros. Another crowd gathered around
the police station to see the unfortunate
man. Lieutenant Smith bathed the mans
head and did everything possible to ale
viate his sufferings until the arrival of a
physician. Shortly afterward DIR. h. a.
German arrived. and after an examina
tion ascertained that the man had cut
two inches in length. The doctor took
six stitches in the mans head, after