The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1902-11-18
THE BILL REJECTED
Council Declines to Pay for the In
junction Suit Opinion.
The Saloon Ordinance Given Second
Passage Last Night By the
Councilmanio board.
MUCH TALK LAST NIGHT

ultr SESSION last ulBnt WIN MI lhch-
bers present.
Mayor Yeiser presented lease from
! Loeb, Bloom and 90. to the city Of
Paduoah leasing building at 2l5 and
217 Jefferson streets, for use as an ar
mory for the" Wheeler Guards, The
lease read that the building should be
paid for IN monthly instsllments Of
see. so for a period of two years unless
the company sooner disbands. The
lease was ratified.
The Peoples Telephone company
asked where the city wanted the free
telephones given it by the company,
placed. Referred to the telephone and
telegraph committee.
The mayor stated that s2260 would
be due on the over-the river bonds De-
cember 1, and wanted authority to act
with the finance committee in arrang-
ing for the payment of the same. The
motion to refer the matter to the may
or and committees was adopted.
Chairman Fowler, OF the printing
committe, reported that nothing had
been done towards checking over the
city printing bill, and that the Demo
crat Publishing company had notified
the city clerk that ii would soon bring
suit for the amount, over $500 IL
settlement was not Immediately
made. No action was taken.
The joint finance committee report
was read. 1t showed a total Of ga
s16 bills against the city, all which
were allowed.
A communication from the mayor
and the committee, which had the in
junction suit brought against the city
some few weeks ago, was read. 1t re-
commended the payment of $500 to
Lightfoot and YoDts and Judge WIS.
Pryor for the legal opinion on which
the suit was brought.
Councilman Potter said that he
thought the matter was g most unfor'
tunste affair, and, as the representa-
tive of the people, he felt that he
could not vote for the allowance of the
bill He said that the council was
the legislative body of the city, not
committee, such as brought the suit
and authorized the opinion without
sanction of anyone.
Councilman jackson asked the opin-
ion of the city attorney who stated
that he had looked into the matter and
was prepared to give an opinion,
backed up by good law. He said that
the city was not responsible for the
debt either legally or morally; that ii
was = matter tine council had nothing
to do with in any shape or form until
it had been thrust out in the form Of
the injunction suit. Here was read
the original questions supposed to have
been asked the attorneys, but the pa
per did not bear the official signature |
of the mayor or any OF the commit
tsemen. II asked when the alder
men were elected, and for how long |
When the treasurer, engineer, police
judge, mayor and councilmen were
elected and tor how long? Gould the
aldermen fix their own salaries? and |
also could the salaries OF the city |
officials DO fixed by the boards? II
the mayor held Office until 1908 or
1902 and ending up by explaining that
an opinion was wanted, not for per-
sonsl benefits, but to the strictest let
ter Of the law.
Solicitor Worten here commented |
on the fact that the paper was . mere
instrument of writing not officially
signed. As to its being done by the
finance committee, he said any other
committee might have done Just as
well, as the members of the finance
committee belonged to other commit
tees also. "If the lawyers contracted
with the committeeman, The declared
without first looking into the au-
tbority in which the mayor and COM
were acting, then the law
yers are responsible for their ignor-
ance or oversight, and can not hold
the city under any obligation.
He quoted several passages of law
in which it was clearly shown that
he mayor had no authority to throw
he city into litigation, or into obliga-
ions, except possibly in cases Of emer- {
,o.,ofaa Or .,raot naoaoaikv He gafd /.