New-York tribune., 1902-01-07
FUSION MAJORITY SAFE.
ALDERMAN D'LNNES MADE
VICE E-PRESIDENT,
TAMMANY MINORITY TRIES TO MAKE
TROUBLE-BRIBERY CHARGES
To BE INVESTIGATED.
o BE INVESTIGATED.

The first meeting Of the new Board Of Alder
men yesterday showed that the fusionists wers
in control of the citys legislative body but that
there was Democratic minority that was
bound to make trouble. Alderman James H
McInnes. of Brooklyn, was elected vice-presi-
dent, having Al votes against 36 cast for John
T. Mccall. the Tammany candidate. Although
the aldermen transacted little business their
first meeting lasted nearly three hours most OF
the time being consumed in discussions OF no
value
A great crowd of politicians and others who
had no business with the Board of Aldermen
besieged the City Hall for hours before noon.
and many flowers were sent to be placed the
desks of the aldermen a large stuffed rooster
was placed on the desk of Alderman John L
Florence. and in the session live bantam
rooster flung from the gallery to perch on
the stuffed The gallery packed with
friends of the aldermen
Alderman Armitage Mathews who had under
gone operation for appendicitis. was carried
to the City Hall In an ambulance and conveyed
to the Aldermanic Chamber a stretcher-
Aldermen Malone, Lundy. Oatman and Holmes
were ILL., but th,y attended the meeting and
helped into the City Hall by friends or at
tendants Four of the five Borough Presidents
made of their privileges as ex-Off1cio men,
bers of the Board of Aldermen. President Haffen
alone being absent.
Charles V. Fornes, the President OF the Board
Of Aldermen. raped for order soon after noon.
and there began at once clamor by Democratic
Aldermen to allow all members of former boards
of Aldermen the privileges of the floor. When
the roll of members was called there was pro-
test against Alderman Patrick Chambers. OF the
XXVIIIth District, on behalf of Joseph Krulish.
who was the fusion candidate in the district.
The protest was referred to the Committee on
Privileges and Elections which is be ap-
pointed later.
PRESIDENT FORNES'S ADDRESS.
President Fornes read an address. referring
to the change made by the new charter in the
ctys legislative body. advising harmony OF ac-
tion and the obliteration of party lines in the
transaction of business. and saying:
The transaction Of public or private business Is
and preparation. II seems TO me. therefore. that
will be attended by a necessary lack of knowledge
as, TO the subjects which will come under. con-
portant work of the board should be done in com
and and resolutions should be exhaustiyely discussed
there. l recommend therefore. that there shall
Aldermen in each month. in order 70 enable the
ton the matters that will in the future be re-
ferred 10 them. A clear. concise and convincing
ports viii exptdite the transaction of pubic busi
ness at the meetings Of the board -----
The election Of Alderman McInnes as vice
the election Of a sergeant-at-arms and assist
ant until the next meeting. and a committee
was appointed to wait upon the Mayor and
ceive his message. Then arose a heated dis
cusson a resolution by Alderman Mccall to
allow former Aldermen to have the privileges
of the floor. Mr.. Cantor. the Manhattan Bor-
ough President. moved to have the resolution
referred TO the Committee on Rules, and that
was done. after several Aldermen had winded
themselves IN bowling to the contrary.
BRIBERY CHARGES BROUGHT UP.
Then Alderman Timothy P. Sullivan started
another debate by introducing the following;
Whereas 1t has appeared in the public press OF
This this cit, city 10 on his tb STo 70 4b a an
has been made to Illegally influence certain men,
Resolved, That We, the members of the Board
of Aldermen, respectfully request his honor the
tion he may have, so that We can take the proper
lies who NAV be concerned in such attempt II any
such attempt has been made
A motion to table the resolution caused sew
eraI Democratic members Of the board to frOth
at the mouth. and it was with the greatest diff
Guilty that President Fornes could keep order IN
the chamber.
Alderman Bridges got up to explain his vote.
He talked for over ten minutes. wandering about
the subject and away from it. Every time he
was stopped by President Fornes he said he
was explaining his vote. He finally shouted:
Fusion is fake,'
This caused a sensation, and the board was
again in an uproar several minutes
The amendment to lay on the table lost
by a vote of - TO H. Alderman Sullivan then
moved that the original motion be put Alder
man WalkIey. of Brooklyn. started to explain
the case when President FOrnes interrupted him
10 say that the Mayor very anxious TO send
in his sc.
Well. 1 refuse to serve at this time!" shouted
Mr. McInnes. a member of the committee TO
wait the Mayor.
SO do l." said Mr.. Mccall
To save more trouble Sullivan moved that the
board take a recess for ten minutes while the
committee called on the Mayor. This ap-
proved
THE MESSAGE READ.
The Aldermen listened without much applause
10 the reading OF the Mayors message. They
remained passive while there were read notices
that the Mayor had vetoed resolutions passed
at the eleventh hour by the Municipal Assem-
bly, among them one for bond issue of S136OOO
for the improvement of William H Seward
Park. The Mayor wrote that he had been ad-
vised by the Corporation Counsel that such
resolutions were unfinished business and
could not become laws
The Mayor sent a request for immediate ac-
ton by the Board OF Aldermen to enable the
Fire Commissioner TO spend $4,000 for coal and
forage prevent the Fire Department from
being crippled until new contracts could
be made. William Leary. the secretary OF the
Fire Department was present to explain that
the supply OF coal for the hreboats had been
allowed 10 run short and the boats could not