Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-07-17
Mr.. Chambers Man Elected
Court House Janitor, But
Not the Man He Wanted.
HE WAS NOT PERMITTED
TO MAKE THE SELECTION
But He Managed to Form a
Winning Combination.
Two Democrats and Two Republicans
Effected the Election. aud MIR. Ewart
Protested Against Republicans Seeking
Democratic Aid-Mr. Megginson UphoIds
the one-aran system of Elections.

secured the election OF ColnGnlHef0Iler Cfalu-
ler's candidate for janitor at the Court
House. The successful nominee was John
b. Kelley of 1921 West Sixteenth street, an
old soldier. John w. Simmons, colored, re-
ceived tho votes of the three Republicans
who stood together and who maintained that
the Republicans of the court should fill the
position without the aid of the Democrats,
Although the position involved carries a
salary of only $50 month, yet the dis
cussions struck the note OF county marriage
nlent by the whole court, as against one
man power, and there was minor key in
MIR. Chambers CAIN that what he called
combine and afterwards seemed TO with
draw, had attempted 10 freeze him out.
| Even Commissioner Ewart, after arguing
| ably for the principle that the whole court,
and no one individual, should do the work
Of the county, found himself urging that
the Republicans i'll the body should settle
| the matter. and he was quickly reminded by
Commissioner Armstrong that this latter
| statement involved a shifting Of his earlier
position.
The afternoon session of the court dragged,
until the authorship came to the front.
/ Before that, the court had passed warrant
for 81, coo in favor Of the Ferris Industrial
School, and had adopted the resolution
offered by Mr.. Chandler the week before for
the payment to the capitation tax collectors
| In this city, Bullock and Mccoy, of the bal
ance of their. salary up to July LIST. Henry
1 W AblNhdf ttB ultoIlcf VI tNt tphttf khNc
| IL as bis opinion that all the court could do
was to pay the salary and II there had been
4 any failure on the part of the collectors to
do their duty, action could be taken against
| their bonds.
Then MIR. Chandler arose to question of
privilege, and with a copy of Every Evening
OF July ID in his hand, which had a local
| article and an editorial concerning the pro-
ceedings of the court on the preceding day
on the subject Of the ianitorship. made a
speech. At that meeting when motion was
| made to enter into nomination and cleo
ton of a ianitor to succeed John t.
Rogers, resigned, Mr.. Chandler was sur
prised. He supposed the member who made
the nomination MIR. Ewart) acted on the
spur Of the moment. For himself he would
no more dare to interfere with the naming
of candidates in other districts than he
would desire members from other districts
TO Interfere with him in his district. When
Every Evening came-out and spoke of one
man power he supposed that paper did not
understand the situation.
when frat came into this court said
Mr.. Chandler each one of the Republican
majority took Il place. | took the ianitor
Mr.. Megginson, the fireman, and MIR. Lynn
the night Waterman. appointed the JAM
tor; therefore thought had right, wher
Mr.. Rogers resigned to name his successor.
\ Quoting from the Every Evening editoria
which said his position as to each commits
sioner having the right to name candidates
in his own district, was untenable, Mr.
Chandler snid he had never heard such ar
expression In paper before. 1t had Away
been held that the member from distric
had the supervision over the employees In
the district. The statement in tho editoria
, that the one-man power system had pre-
vailed in the old Levy Court did not elici
any especial comment from the speaker.
Mr.. Chandler went on to say that another
! reason he claimed the right to the position
4 Ak1A If f.la In FAfRt
hundred. his district and Mr.. Mealey's dis
| trict, no had named only two officers.
Yet Il seems,h he continued, 'that Their
is combination to take from me one o
! these two men. never interfered with an!
ono and would not be guilty of it. Insteal
] of this being a one-man power, ] wan
Every Evening to understand that 1t appear
to be a combination TO freeze out one man
so that he won't have any power at all. Mr.
Ewart said he spoke as member of tn
building committee; but am the chairman
OF that committee"
, Mr. Chandler added that be Represented
one-third Of the people of New Castl
+ county, and why Every Evening wanted tn
power taken from That representative he die
! not understand. He announced that he pur
: posed naming man for the position O
] janitor and he moved that the court go int
I q nomination and election.
Q Chairman Willis stated that he desired Il
answer a remark Of Mr.. Chander's as to
I combination and he contradicted that re
Q mark most positively.
a Mr.. Chandler asked that he be pardonet
$ for having said combine; he should hav
! said that the members acted hastily.
D Mr.. Ewart announced that he had had n
0 desire TO hurt MIR. Chandler's feelings. A
4 to naming officers he had not named one
Q but had yielded to the majority. As for on
r man to have the absolute naming of a maj
4 for place, he did not think that was right
i He believed that all the affairs of the count
should be done by all the members, for the
t stood between the taxpayers and the county
and by pursuing such a course would kee
from the wrongs which had crept into tn
court heretofore. The man he had nomi
I mated at the other meeting fWeetl was nc
y known to him, but was recommended to him
9 Mr.. Willis suggested that the matter
d left with tho building committee, but Nj
J. Chandler would not consent to this. A
v chairman of that committee, he thought
!, was entitled to some consideration. He re
% marked that West had come TO see him, an
! his appearance was against him.
Il do you want the best man that can !
!. found?' asked Mr.. Ewart
Il THE best man I can find, " answered Mi
10 Chandler.
l. II want the best man we can find, !" sal
l. Mr.. Ewhrt.
d After Mr.. Chandler had announced that
it was unwilling to lay the matter over or
le 90 into Republican caucus, Mr.. Arm
IT strong caused laugh by informing MI
!. Ewart that he himself had not had a sing
appointment In the whole county.
Mr.. Megginson argued that each CON
2 | missioner should have tho naming of tn
70 officers in his own district; The commii
d sioner had been elected by the people of II
n district because they had confidence in hi
al and he should have the selection of II
M officers. Mr.. Willis had tried to name tw
Ne men in his district and he Mr.. Megglnsor
ID had had the pleasure of beating Mr.. Wilt
l. MIR. Ewart declared that II the court WI
n coming down to level Ike that suggeste
m by Mr.. Megginson the members would
d Just like wooden men, and he did not thin
the members were there for that purpps
The people expected the commissioners
show their manhood by discussing all que
Of lions that arose and he stood on this prop
n sition that no man was required to accel
N another's suggestion.
n Mr.. Chandler wanted to know why NJ
a. Ewart did not act as he preached, for he ht
IN nominated a man without consulting AZ
., one. He thought his own word should
I'd taken as to a mans fitness as well as that
Of politicians who seek to satisfy clique.
Mr.. Ewart informed him that West
recommendation came from both sides.
Mr.. Ewart suggested that the three mer
no bers of the building committee get u
Us recommendations of 10 citizens as TO Il
in ianitorship and he would agree to vote i
he the one having the most recommendation
is The motion to go into nomination al
election WIS carried, and Mr.. Chandl
nominated J. Harry Weeks, whom he dc
cribed as a noble man, good represent
IS tive man
er Mr.. Elliott nominated John W. Simmon
is Both nominees are colored, Messrs. Meal
and Elliott.were appointed tellers. The 9,