The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-11-06
Alderman Croker Hot.
Wants to Bolt.
MOVE HISTORIC HOME
Geo. T. Norwood Elected Alderman
and Board Agrees to Stir Up Sea-
board About Streets and Place
Close Restrictions on Dis
pensary Sales.
pensary Sales.

AS a general mix up of all kinds
of things, with many aldermen talk
ing at once on different topics, the
meeting of the board last night was
of the hilarious order. The various
events brought MANY laughs.
And sensational it was also. for
suddenly without notice of storm
brewing, following the rigamarole of
the funny caucus proceedings of the
entire board, up jumps Alderman
Croker with the announcement that
he proposed to bolt.
And here is the cause of the Alder
men being hot in the collar. A sue
cessor was to be elected to Alderman
p Is. Griffis, and the board with sol
emn countenanceS flied out to the
clerks office while Mayor PoweII.
Clerk Wilson, Chief of Police Mullins
Sanitary Inspector Sale, City Attorney
Waiter Watson, two reporters and one
visitor sat and gazed. Finally Mr..
Watson was summoned to give advice
and then the board came back to the
council hall.
Alderman Johnson as secretary of
the caucus arose to report and make
a motion. Hold on said Mr.. Crock
er, VINO hurried over and said a word
or so t OHM. Then Alderman Johnz
son announced that the nominee of
the caucus to succeed Mr.. Griffis as
alderman was Mr.. Geo. l.. Norwood.
Immediately Mr.. Croker was talk
ing fast and furious. Il want to make
statement" he said I'm the caucus
there were seven votes for Mr.. w. Ii.
Hood and seven votes for Mr.. Geo. l.
Norwood. This was tie, and then
the chairman was allowed to vote the
second time, giving him two votes In
place of one, and thus electing MI.
Norwood. 1t is unfair. unjust and has
never been done before. l am not
going to submit to it In the contest
between Mr.. Gowan and Mr.. Wilson
for City Clerk L would not submit to
anything like it,
Here Alderman Johnson asked if
this was not the custom in the caucus,
and had not Alderman Andrews per
sued the same course. To this Alder
man Hicks said that the course pun
sued was the same as heretofore.
But Alderman Croker was still at
fever heat. With flashing eyes. and
dramatic voice he declared Twill bolt
the caucus nomination of Mr.. Nor
wood, and l nominate w. II. Hood for
Alderman" At this Alderman Noweii
with rhapsody in his voice exclaimed
II second the nomination.
Then up rose Alderman Hicks.
Pointing his finger directly at Alder
man Croker he said:
DO you understand what you are
doing?"
What do you mean?" asked Mr..
Crocker.
Il mean" said Mr.. Hicks chat Ii
you persist and bolt that YOU will not
be allowed in the caucus hereafter.
1--WE will see about that saio
Croker, for L will carry the case to
the members and have vote on it.
Here Alderman Hicks repeated his
warning and Alderman Croker sald
that City Attorney Watson had said
the caucus was wrong, again declar-
ing he would not submit. Alderman
Johnson called on Mr.. Watson to eX-
plain his position and the City Attor-
ney said that he had stated that iii
Congress and other deliberative bodies
the chairman had voted twice, but
that he doubted that this was right
AS to this caucus, he declared it could
make its own rules, and anSWerln3
further questions said it was custom
airy i'll the Raleigh AIdermanic caucus
for the chairman TO vote twice IN case
of a tie"
Again Mr.. Croker Numbered out
his nomination of Mr.. Hood and again
Mr. NOVEL; said Il second the nOmina-
ton There was much talk but Al
derman Crocker finally declared that
in six years of service he had never
bottled and hated to do so now, so IN
the interest of harmonw he would
withdraw the nomination of Mr.. Hood.
Thus the bolt fell fiat.
Upon this Mr.. Separk arose and
said that only the usual custom haa
been followed, and that once "AiecK
Andrews and | had fixed up job as
TO how to DO something of the same
kind. Then Alderman Crocker, say
IL, . .tefSN, Lo1 nV,lx
followed out he withdrew and retract-
ed anything that he had said that re-
fected on anybody or anything, while
Alderman Habel declared that if there
had been anything wrong in the mat
ter he would have objected. Then
Mr.. Norwood was unanimously elected.
Dispensary Affair.
During the meeting Alderman Sc
park took a whack at the dispensarA
lie introduced a resolution prohibit
ing the sale more than once a day TO
any purchaser of whiskey and limit
ing the sale of beer to six bottles T.
day. He declared that he had voted
for the dispensary as a moral aid ana
not as money making machine. that
Whiskey and beer har been sold at
wholesale and that he was against
whiskey and beer had been sold at
this. He said it was a shame and q
uiS5 idCe u SeG people carrying DOT
ties of beer along the street and
drinking openly from whiskey bottles.
There was much discussion as to
the control of the disoensary and the
limitation of the Watts law aud the
amount that could be sold, as well as
to the rights of the Dispensary Com
missioners to regulate all it's workings.
Finally it was explained that the COM
nlissioners We're taking action on the
matters referred to, and that they
would act SO Alderman Sepa-sz with
drew his resolution, the understand
ing being that the members of the
board would individually give their
opinion to the commissioners and
that strict enforcement of the law
would be required.
Other Pertinent Matters.
An application was received from
Mrs. y. S. Belts that she be continued
as city weighmaster. The board con-
tnued her in office one month.
A petition was submitted by Alder
man Boylan for the opening of a street