Hattiesburg daily progress. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 18??-1909, 1903-01-15

night at the city nan at d qualte
past seven. Expectancy was high ant
transpiring events came near filling
it. The people sat patiently for abou
an hour after the time for the assem-
bling of tn board while one pair ant
then another and then the whole
bunch held caucus. 1t was eviden
that some one was either distressed
or that a plan of procedure had been
failed to be mapped out during the
day and that the. opposing side to the
administration were taking the time
for meeting for caucus.
Mayor Rich sat calmly by, laugh
ing and talking to a crowd OF friends
sitting around. NJ Dupn came in and
assumed his regular place at the al
dermen's table and chatted With
friends. Only part Of the board
were as yet in secret consultation, but
they had been there for some time.
Mayor Rich was requested to step in
the "hall of mysteries" and what
happened during the thirty minutes
of his confinement in there can only
be surmised in the light Of subsequent
events Finally Mr.. Rich came out
of the room and notified the remain
ing members of the board that they
were wanted in the room. Mr.. Dunn
hesitated for moment but thinking
that he was included in the remain
der of the board, proceeded to follow
the atcion of other members and en-
tered the room. Tt was but few
minutes Of sojourn in that council
chamber for Mr.. Dunn was notified
that his absence was preferred. With
apologies, Mr.. Dunn retired to the
hall. After lengthy consultation
among themselves. one of the caucus
ing memebrs returned to request Mr..
Dunn to enter the room with them
and there, it is altogether reasonable
to slpose, to transact such business
as might come up and that was sure
to be presented to the exclusion Of
reporters and the public. Mr.. Dunn
informed the gentleman making the
request for his presence in the room,
that he had been invited out Of there
once and that second request wasn't
necessary for his exclusion. He said
that he had come to attend board
meeting and that the hall was the
place where the business was usually
transacted and that unless he be ex
cluded from the meeting his part of
it would go on before the public
there assembled. Mayor Rich said
that it was about time to get to work
and ordered Mr. Moffett to assemble
the board.
The board then assembled and pro-
ceeded to business after an hour and
forty three minutes.
Mr.. Wainwright appeared before
the board to request a reduction in
the assessment of his property from
$500 to $50. Action was deferred un-
til the assessor could be seen.
Mr.. Cole next put in his bill of
$23. 25 balance due on the new school
house. He gave. guarantee ON his
work for one year and the bill was or
dered paid.
Mr.. Marlowe's bill of $50 due on
painting was next ordered paid.
The payment of r. E. Lees bill
for s106. "a was deferred until some
matter of dispute could be settled.
A few incidental bills, amounting
to- Sl5 was then ordered paid.
Mr.. Moffett was next instructed to
put the back tax fund of 81, 056 in the
general fund.
After few moments of the usual
silence that is always on such occa-
sions at the city hall, the police ques
tion was next tackled. The resigna-
tion of Mr.. Britton, one of the newly
elected policemen, was first received
and accepted. T. J. Eure was
elected to fill his place.
Next came the fun. There was an
other one of those mysterious little
slips of paper floating around and it
anchored between two of the alder
manic gentlemen. 1t seemed up to
them to make its contents known. A
discussion as to the propriety each
would show in failing to allow the
other to read must have followed, for
each presented it to the other fire..
quently with speeches inaudible to
bystanders. This question of ap-
probation of one another's many good
qualities and superiority of presenta-
tion was broken by gentleman
across the table willingness to execute
Alphonso and Gaston's wishes. The
motion as read was as follows:
Ordered, That the marshal at once
notify T. W. Beverly. W. J. McInnis.
F. G. Gillis, John Dossett. E. G..
Risher and d. A. Mcdonald that
they were superseded in Office as po-
llcemen Of the city Of Hattiesburg on
the 9th of January, A. D. 1908; at
which time policemen were elected in
their places by the mayor and board