The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-03-22

meeting of the common council. when
| an attempt was made to secure the
seating of the additional Republican
members recently elected i'm confor-
nance with the provisions of thu Sec
| ond class city laws. for the purpose
OF bringing test case to decide
whether or not the apportionment was
legally made.
The matter was brought up by Mr..
Paine as a question of the highest
privilege Immediately after the read
ing of the minutes. He arose and pre-
Scnted the certificates of election Of
the following additional councilmen:
First ward-John j. Eyans and Thomas W.
Thomas.
Second wa,dr j. >nowdcn and James u.
,gsterlinc
Fourth wardE,sn ". Evans and t. W scar.
| ing.
Fifth ward.-Johu r. Jones and f. T. Robathsu
Thirteenth wardFrank T.. Sykes.
Seventeenth ward-Mathias Stipp.
Ninth ward--O. n. Partridge.
These are all Republicans. with the
| exception of Mr.. Evans. of the First
ward, who is a Democrat. All We're in
The rear of the room. ready to take
| their seats il called to.
ARE IN THE SECOND CLASS.
Mr.. Paine pointed out that by the
recent decision in the liquor license
| case II had been judicialy decided that
Scranton is now a city of the second
class. The vacancies in the common
council caused by the increased men,
bership. therefore existed at the pres
| ent time, he said. and ii was not neccs-
sary to wait for the first Monday of
| April to seat the new members. lie
moved that The certificates Of election
| lie received and that the members be
given their seats.
| The Republicans had been banking
| on the Democrats refusing to seat the
new members and thus being able to
| bring the matter on this ground to
| the attention Of court by applying for
a, mandamus and securing a judicial
opinion be fore councils reorganize.
Select Councilman John Il. Roche
| had heard Of the proceedings and i'm
mediately evolved a neat little scheme.
| He passed the details along the line
and no sooner had Mr.. Paine seated
| himself than Mr.. Calvin moved that
| the certificates be referred TO a special
committee. in conjunction with the city
| solicitor.
This motion rather norplussed Mr..
Paine. IT was put and carried by the
! following strict party vote. all the
Democrats voting i'm the affirmative
and the Republicans in the negative.
Ycas-Ilaggcrty. Ruanc, Roche Phillips. Cal.
win. Gurcll Coleman. Rush, Norton, Calpin.--l0.
| Nays-.McDonad Aworth. Evans, \. l.. Lewis,
Paine, Nagcl Harvey, Vim. Lewis, Kcller.--9.
The committee named was Calvin,
| Coleman, Norton, Democrats: Evans,
| Lewis. Republicans.
| Mr.. Smith. Republican. was absent.
Had he been present the vote to refer
would have been lost by a tie vote. A
messenger at this point was dispatched
to find him, if possible. The additional
| members. i'm the meantime, chaperoned
| by Mr.. Paine. went out and down to
be sworn in.
| TO CLINCH THE MATTER.
| Mr.. Roche, who was giving orders for
| the Democratic side from the rear Of
| the council chamber, in order to make
| assurance douby sure" decided. when
| he heard that Mr.. Smith had been sent
for. to have a motion to reconsider put
and voted down. This would prevent
| further reconsideration. in case Mr.
Smith should arrive. and Democrat
| should leave the chamber or swing
| over to the other side.
| Mr.. Gurrell moved to reconsider, and
| Mr.. Coleman seconded the motion, but
| the Democratic members hadn't all got
| the cue that they We're to vote it
down and nearly all voted yes" when
| N Ini,,
| declared that the motion to reconsider
was carried. The Democrats then woke
up, and calls for the yeas and nays
| We're made.
| The chairman ordered the clerk to
| call the roll. Then followed lively
scene. Mr. Keller endeavored TO raise
| the point of order that it was contrary
! To all parliamentary rules to have a
| roll-call after the result of the viva
voce vote had been announced Chair
man Calpin wouldn't hear him.
| Mr., Keller swung his fist in the air
and kept yelling MI. Chairman" "Mr.
| Chairman" Chairman Calpn kept
beating wild tattoo with his gavel,
and refused to hear him. Mr.. Keller
| grew red in the face, and kept demand
| ing to be recognized, but the chair
ordered the roll called. and it was
called. The Democrats all voted against
| reconsideration, and the motion was
lost.
| \ few minutes afterwards the new
| members fled in again and Mr.. Paine
| offered their oaths of Office and de-
| manded again that they be seated. Mr..
| Gurrell moved to adjourn and the mo-
| ton was carried by another party vote