The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-10-01
Mr., SEAY THINKS
HEISLECAL MEMBER.
DIGESTION Of His Status on Board
Of Aldermen Will Come Up.
CITY ATTORNEYS OPINION
! VIII Be Asked for Before Bills Of the
City, IN Which Counclnen Are Inter-
ested. Win Be Paid Interest
ing Committee Meeting.
CITY ATTORNEYS OPINION

with a suddenness that was most sur
prisins. the question to the right Of
alderman Al. Fill. Seay and Councilman
=. NJ. Blanks TO Realm Llei seats in
Council took n sudden turn yesterday
afternoon at a meeting of the Committee
pm Police. Elections and Schools. the
matter being brought 10 the attention OF
the bldg by Mr.. Seay himself. HI main
sains that under the law he has a legal
light 10 his scat in Council, and predicts
grand battle in case an effort * made
TO GUST him During The course of the
tneet!nS Councilman Harry Glenn. chair
man of the committee and Il well-known
lawyer. and Councilman Sol lSloomberg.
president of the Common Council. and
plso a prominent attorney, examined the
State law and gave as their opinion that
both Mr.. Blanks and Mr.. Scay were
serving as members Of the Council He
Eally.
1T will he remembered THAI some time
ago it was discovered that Mr.. Seay and
MIR. Blanks arc serving in the City Conn-.
Gil in addition to conducting postoiice
sub stations. This the State law strictly
torbids, so say some
QUESTION WILL BE RAISED.
AS result Of the meeting yesterday,
HERE is now little doubt but that tho
question will be raised at the next meet
Ing of the Common Council. at winch
time City Attorney Pollard Will be called
aIpon fo,, an opinion. In view OF tho OK
1,ressions of Mr. Glenn and MI Bioom-
berg sc would seem that tho city Aftof-
ney viii render views Oh the qnts'ioh
entirely at variance with those held by
the Alderman and Councilman. and then
tho battle Will be on in earnest, as both
a,JU Ia st,a2 10 wit hGtaN
In hrinEtnv TO the abortion of the com
snittee the question OF his right to serve
Tho city as an alderman, Mr. Seay took
occasion TO make sGccessfGi nSnL on
11le payment of two bills, both OF winch
he contends were illegally made ny the
City inaamUch as the articles an lIss-
ton were purchased from members OF
Council, strange to rejnte, Councilman
Blanks IS one: of the two nl.lnbers VINO
.nld articles 10 the city. The other IS
Councilman Charles II Winston OF Lee
Ward.
The meeting had just been called TO or
der h., Chairman Glenn, and the matter
OF auditing ard passing upon liiis loi
the past month was under coilsihsi y li',ii-
among the batch of accounts Wficil INT
cler,, presented waa one from the Nlh-
.,tcn electrical Construction 1oiniialE ioi
40 for an electro fan. now III use IN
~. l-i,.st Police Station, and another
from I NJ Blanks FOR 30 cents Tor drugs
Furnished the city upon recent elhsi-
gcncy occasion
MIL Make a FIGHT,
Mr.. Seuy had been an arenaVe Ms
..ser "a M. names of the accountants
and when ti!e clerk finished readl'iS
,ham. he addressed the Chair lie MAS
pos;tiy4a that under The law neither q
the bills had been legally made. and that
ne,thes OF the tounciliaen had n 9ash'
4. cc.i1,et ,nc,.er from toe citS. under The
State law. which expressly forbids such
Gaais
- .ra4e a aght against this kind Of
y,,rk sai5i AIR Seav over five wears
arn and won. But it now seems that Coun-
ell ,nernbers are again receiving money
from tho city treasury for things which
they sell and contracts into which they
enter and I propose 10 again stop ~.
for il * strictly against the law j am
nerstand that numhersaof bills have been
made by the city with members Of the
Common Council and Aldermen and. ln
iler the LAW. it is possible To-, this money
10 be reclaimed. provided il has been eX-
pended during The past TWO wears. Some
stcps Will he taken To recover this money,
which has been Illegally paid out; am
sure of that.
Il move Mr.. Chairman. that The bills
of Mr.. Blanks and Nj. Winston be re-
feired to the City Attorney for an
opinion before 4we~ order payment
The clerk oi the committee stated here
that the Relief of Tie Poor Committee
of which Marx Gnnst is chairman, had
contracted with Council members tima
efter time, and il may be that an effort
will be inslitted 10 recover this money.
READ THE LAM.
cir. Seas again secured the floor and
sead a rather lengthy law on the ques-
Nnn which seems TO support the stand
Ne has taken, but before Vote was taken
! late.opiEion OF MIR Pollard Was brought
FORTH. in which lle thinks that a corpora
ton in which a Council member is in
tcrested has a perfect right 10 enter into
j contract with thccity SO ii would
geem that the account from the Electrical
Construction Company is all right, While
Aha, Of j. NJ. Blanks is Illegal
Despite the opinion of the City Attor-
aey Mr.. Saay cold not be convinced that
she Winston bin WAS legal, maintaining
HAT j, Was moi 4 corporation. although
1ie letter head showed such TO be The
%ase.
A vote was finally taken. and the mat
Ter IS now up 10 the City Attorney for
in expression OF opinion. This Viii he
Swaitcd With interest.
Inmedia aly after this question had
Aeen disr.sed Of Mr. Seay took II upon
himself 10 make a statement regcarlias.
Ms right TO membership in The Board
u Aldermen lie thought there was alb
Aolutely no doubt. and again cited the Law
&herepon both Mr. Blpombc,g and AIR.
Glenn gave as heir opinion that he Was
Sot a legal member Of the Board.
Before the committee adjourned a sub
>ommittce composed Of Mr.. Glenn. Mr
tein and ar. Seay, was appointed TO APP