The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-05-08
ALDERMEN TRADE JOBS1
Owners Of Cemetery Lots Forbid Newly Elected
Sexton to Step on Their Lots---The Sex
ton Resigns---CompIete 0yerturn
of City's Affars---able
Men ignored by
Big Nine,


A wave of indignation swept through
the city yesterday morning.
This came as the result of the cleo
tion of city officers held Wednesday
night. and it was because it was felt
that men filling positions ably and
worthily, had been turned down" with
out cause or for petty spite in some in
stances.
And more than this, there was COM
ment on some of the men put in charge
of the various committees of the city gov
ernment. 1t was pointed out that the
big Men had given the crumbs to the
Little Seven" and had taken absolute
possession of the important positions
without any consideration of the rights
of the minority or the people and wards
these represent.
The Big Nine" is the name which has
gone to the combine consisting of Alder
man A. b. Andrews, Jr., William Boy
Ian, Charles A. Separk, John o. Smith,
Henry T. Hicks, II. H. Crocker. p. B.
Griffs, Jaes G. Upchurch and VIM. NJ.
Novel;. The Little Seven are Aldermen
James l. Johnson, w. H. Bland. n. NJ.
Rand, L. f. Rogers, r. C. Redford, f,
w. Habel and Lynn Wilder.
There was comment on top of COM
ment about the election of Albert Up
church as sexton of the City Cemetery,
vice J. +. Richardson, turned down. Peo-
pie said that the record of Upchurch un-
fitted bin for the position and expressed
great surprise and Indignation a his cleo
tion. There were many reports about
him circulated on the streets. These re-
ports were run down and it was found
that in 1886 he was convicted of forcible
trespass and sentenced to one years i'm
prisonment in the Wake county Jail. Up
church yesterday resigned and is to be
commented for this The aldermen who
elected him can get no commentator or
even excuse at the hands of the people
OF Raleigh
The Big Nine" heard of what was be-
ing said about Upchurch and the Big
Chief of the Big Nine" Little Aleck''
Andrews took counsel With the other
braves. He and they found that the Up
church election would not so with the
people and Upchurch was invited to write
a declination. He signed a typewriter
one. and special meeting of the alder
members were present The meeting list
cped while the clcri. read this:
Raleigh y. c.. May I. 1903
ITO the Mayor and Board of Aldermen.
City of Raleigh. n. C.
"Gentlemen:-I find that my business
is such. and not being resident of the
city. I feel that in justice to mysell
l will have to decline the position of
nf hp Nv IN w
| have been elected by your body
Very truly,
ALBERT UPCHURCH.''
The board accent ID agreed not
to fill the position till the June meeting
The statement in the Upchurch declina-
tion that he was not resident of the
city was commented on yesterday after
noon. This being so.' said Mr.. James
l. Johnson. member of the Board of
Aldermen, Il would like 70 know why
he is now serving on the city police
force rs an extra policeman. Who ap-
pointed him, anyway? ! will see that the
question is asked at the next meeting
of the board
Even if Upchurch had been a suitable
man for the place, the removal Of Mr..
Richardson. the present official, from the
position would have mot with dsapprOyal.
He is a quiet, Industrious, faithful man.
He has transformed the cemetery into a
beautiful city of the dead. 1t is a profa =
nation to remove such q model official
for petty political considerations. Tho
board should re-eleot him at once. 1t is
the only reparation ii can make to an out
ragged community When it was heard
that Upchurch had been elected, lot own