Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1904-04-23
OHIO TOWN HAS A TRAMP MAYOR
A Joke on Election Day Turned Out
Seriously for Amesuilla.

A Joke on Election Day Turned Out
Seriously for AmesviIle.
Indianapolis News: The politicians of
Amesville, o., learned that 1t does not
pay to indulge in practical jokes In the
election OF mayor. They tried 1t, n as
q result the town has for mayor a man
who was known as a tramp, who had
served time In the Cincinnati workhouse.
The politicians thought it would be a
% joke TO nominate the tramp for
mayor. The people thought the joke so
good that they followed the precedent and
elected. Then they all turned to the gov
ernor and petitioned him to set aside the
election on the ground that II was illegal.
The lawyers and the best representatives
OF the town went to Columbus last week
to lay their petition before the governor,
and after hearing them Governor Nash
said he could see no cause for his inter-
ference.
Amesville is In Athens county,, and a
town OF about 1000 inhabitants. Last
years mayor, Edward Clark, was not ex-
actly popular in Amesville, and his cleo
ton against the strong candidate named
to ppos him was impossible. So his
crowd hit upon q plan to keep him In
office by nominating somebody as q
Joke who should afterward prove in
eligible and be removed, allowing the in
~ ASNoAAA NAHNO " ailONANA gSoAs
AT the convention there was a prear-
ranged deadlock and as a compromise the
name or one Alonzo r. Weed, a dwarf
tramp, just out Of the Cincinnati work.
house. was offered, and he was almost
unanimously chosen, and his name went
on the ticket. Weed, who is known as
Midget" among the tourist fraternity,
was ia receive a gallon lug OF the choic.
est rye whisky IL he would agree not ia
take a drink until after election, and until
his case should be decided by Governor
Nash. Pending the decision he was e,
be kept In luxury In a boarding house.
and was to be given clean linen and new.
clothes.
The compact was kept and Weed wal,
elected as a huge coke" or course, tn,
people generally didn't know Of the deal
10 Keep the old mayor In office, but their
were stampeded by what they considered
a huge joke, and simply voted for Wee,l
with the idea that the opposition candt.
date would easily get enough votes to b,
elected.
But the dwarf tramp was elected anil
then a long list Of fearful charge,
were filed with Governor Nash. Thes,,
were signed by Acting Mayor Clark
Councilmen Henry and Beasley. anil
Clerk McCune, and related that Weed,
habits were quite unfit for such a digni.
he'd position as mayor Of Amesyille. Tha
he was a person of incorporate habit,
ana mat his only claim to residence ii,
ONO was the fact that he had Just spen!
fourteen months In the workhouse al
Cincinnati.
me mayors counsel admitted every
specification in the complaint. but n,
held that they all related TO acts com
mltted prior to the election and the mu
nicipal code recognized charges against :,
mayor only such as were COMMITTEE
while In office, and In this stand CT
ernor Nash fully ~concurred. The charge,
or intemperance woul not hold, becaus.
poth SIDES admitted that while Weed hal
peen brioed with a Jug Of whisky to I'd
main sober for a specified length Of tim.
ne nag not touched liquor In any form,
ana ms one act set iSide all claims as 4,
MS INABILITY soberly - administer the al
fairs of the town. Governor Nash tonir
the stand that as this was the hrst cas-,
under the municipal law, he would b.,
decided that Weed should be reinstated y,
mayor. ~