Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-06-01
Republicans in the Minority in
Board of Aldermen.
burke Left the City and street Come
missioner brown WIS Removed
from OHicc while President
Taft WINS Acting Mayor.

Taft acting mayor ana prohibiting him
from sitting with the board, thus maxi
ing democratic majority of one on
Il strict party vote. The meeting Monday
night WIS held as the result of a
resolution passed ut the last meeting
of the board. asking Mr.. Brown to APP
pear to show why he should not be
removed from office because he had
been negligent in his duties and has
assisted in clccting an unfit man to
the Office of superintendent of streets.
Mr.. Brown was at the meeting
Xnd contcndcd that he had not
neglected his duties. After tho hear
ing he was removed from office, the
vote being five to four against him.
II President Taft was at the meeting
but about five minutes before eight Il
notice was handed him to the effect
that Mayor Burke was out of the city.
This prevented him from presiding,
and tho board was called TO order by
Clerk Mcmahon. after which Alder
man Courtney was elected temporary
chairman.
Mr.. Brown was asked what he had
to say in answer to the charges. He
said he had no excuses or apology to
offer for his actions. He said he was
charged with not meeting with the
commissioners, but that from his
standpoint he considered that Mcssrs.
Daley and Hicks were tho commissions
crs. He said he was not attempting
to settle the question before the
supreme court had passed upon it but
that he did not believe Mr.. Laid was
legally elected. He said he had not re-
fused TO talk with MI. Daley about street
| affairs On April - he said that Mr..
Daley informed him that he had been
elected n street commissioner and asked
what there was for the board to do. Mr.
| Brown replied that there was nothing
until it was time to hold the annual meet
ing. Mr.. Brown said the annual meet
ing was arranged to take place at four
o'clock in the afternoon and that Com
missioner Hicks said as the democrats
were in the majority they wanted -
democratic chairman. Mr.. Brown raised
no objection to that ard Mr.. Hicks was
elected chairman. The meeting was then
ADJOURNED until evening
! y. the cv, ming session the question Of
II superintendent came up and at that
time Mr.. Brown said the democrats were
| entitled to IL superintendent of their
| political faith and that he did not care
who was elected He said that Nh Hicks
wanted Mr. Clnpp and that Mr.. Daley
announced that at one time he was ready
to vote for Clapp hut that he had changed
! hi. mind and would not vote for him.
Mr.. Brown said that Mr.. Hicks was very
determined and that seeing Mcssrs. Hicks
ana Daley could not agree he decided
| the matter by voting for Mr.. Clapp He
said h" knew little about Mr.. CEpp but
that he cid know Mr.. Hicks, knew him
very well. and was willing tn acc, pit his
Judgment. He also knew that Mr. ClapI,
lad been elected an auditor by tine board
of aldermen and supposed he was re.
slonsihle
! MIR. Brown said he had rot recognized
Mr.. l.add as n commissioner because he
did not lelicVc he was one. He said that
| ne mad not refused to consult with Mr.
! Daley and that he had signed two bills
which Mr. Daley had brought for his ap-
| prevail. He said he WIS once told that
,hat there was to he . meeting of the
commissioners but finding that Mr. Iadd
WAS to he thorc he refused to meet with
'hcm II" said he considered that Mr..
| HICKS was chairman of the beard and
that nc would have beer willing to meet
Win MIN and Mr. DALEY at any time.
commissioner Daley reminded Mr..
Brown that he had forgotten about the
pay ron. Mr.. Brown said that "a nay
roll had been made ont by Mr.. Clam
and Herald Stevens ana that he signed
it. Later Mr.. Daley came to him with
IL pay roll which included two names
not on the ono he had already signed.
| In ci
fused to sign another one IL week lat
| or.
Have you not said that you thought
you made mistake in voting for Mr.
| Clapp?' asked Alderman Willard.
no. replied MIR. Brown
INA you not vote for Mr. Clapp in
order to cmbarass Mayor Burke?
NO. | am IL strong republican hut
have never stood for rcpublicanism in
city affairs. | want TO see good men
elected, he they republicans or demo
Gratis. If | could have had NV wav I
should not have voted for Mr. Clamp or
Mr. Shccran hut there was no other
way to settle the question Of superin-
tcndent."
| Alderman Courtney asked Mr.. Brown
If anyone had spoken to him about
voting for Mr.. Clapp before the cleo
ton occurred and Mr.. Brown replied
that several people had asked him to
vote for Mr.. Clapp.
WAS it not understood that You were
to vote for Clapp9' asked Alderman
Courtney.
NO" replied Mr.. Brown.
Continuing. Alderman Courtney said
that Mr. Clapp made the statement be-
| fore the election that he would be sun.
erintendent in spite of all the demo-
Gratis in the city--that it was fixed
Mr.. Brown said that Mr.. Clapp came to
sec him but that he had no right from
anything that was said to think that
he, (Mr Brown, was going to vote for
him.
Mr.. Daley and Mr.. Ladd were each
called upon but they had nothing in
particular to say.
Alderman Reeves spoke OF the fact
that Mr.. Clapp had been elected by tho
board of aldermen as an auditor after
the charges OF attempted bribery had
been made and that 1t was alleged some
of the brides had been offered to men,
stood in Il bad light by electing him to
the office of auditor IL he had actually
offered members brides.
Alderman Meagher asked Mr.. Brown IL
he had not approved bills after they
had been paid and the latter responded
that ha night bnyo dana On AIdoc,,,o,