The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1905-12-16
Mayor Yeiser and Other Officials
Express DisapprOval.
All Deny knowledge Of a Scheme
and Openly Express Their Dis
approval.
THE TOWN AGOG OVER IT.

Universal condemnation Is all that
Is heard throughout Paducah today
over the unprecedented action of
someone last night in calling a re-
publican councilman away by tele
phoning him that his house was afire
and his little daughter was injured,
for the sake of electing a few city Of
licials that the democrats could not
have otherwise elected.
1t is proDaDiy impossible to ascer-
tain who did the work, or who is re-
sponsible for it. The police COM
missfoners will pay a reward for in
formation leading to the discovery OF
the person who turned in the fire
alarm, but persons guilty of these
sort of offenses are seldom detected
1t is very plain who was benefited
by the ruse, however Ii may have
been friends of some of the candi-
dates who had the republican mem
Der called away. or 1t may have been
someone that some member of the
general council put up to do it, II
was a despicabie, contemplate piece
of chicanery. however, and one that
is freely denounced by those in the
habit of practicing even the worst OF
bad brand of peanut politics.
Mayor ID. A. Yeiser said this morn
ing that he had nothing to do with
the trick directly or indirectly, ana
that he did not know any more about
it than people who never heard of IL
until this morning. He declared that
not only did he not know anything
about 1t. but that he heartily disap-
proved of it, as we'll.
Mayor Yeiser said he was in favo.
of the election of democrat to each
of the offices, and would have talked
any of the republican members into
voting his way If he could have done
it. but that never in all his life was
he even accused of as dirty a trick
as that of last night. much less gull
ty of one. He declared that he knew
nothing about II and did not want
people to think he did.
President Dick Davis, of the board
of aldermen, said the same thing.
Both said they really thought there
was a fire until Councilman Hill re-
turned and the plot was laid bare.
President Davis said. however, that
the republicans could have either
adjourned or taken a recess If they
had thought of it. He said that when
the vote was being taken on market
master, Councilman Taylor, demo
crat. when his name was reached,
said "Wait until Mr. Hill comes
back" showing that he would prob
ably have voted with the nine repub-
licans for either adjournment or a
recess. Alderman Davis said the
whole thing was as much a surprise
to him as to anyone else, and that he
disapproved of 1t.
Disapproval has been genera
wherever the affair has been discuss
ed A prominent capitalist here to
day said that he didn't want TO live
in any town where such things were
permitted, and didn't want to brins
anyone else here to live. One of thu
industries he has in hand employs
1900 men, which means 2,200 fam
lilies, and this man, who made hi
statement in the presence of Mayo
Yeiser today, declared he would no
bring anyone to live where such &C
tions are tolerated.
No one blames Councilman Hill
He did what any other good husban
and father would have done-rushe
TO the aid. as he thought. of his fam
ily. OF all the expressions heard to
day. not one man has expressed him
self as thinking that he himsel
would have done anything, excer
, what Councilman Hill did. OF cours
had Councilman Hill stopped to In
vestigate. he would have learne
that the whole thing was ruse, bu
not one man In a thousand woul
have stopped to investigate.
Many of the best democrats ar
openly denouncing the proceedin
last night. and one telephoned to tn
> Sun Office TODAY that IL meant abou
500 more republican votes in theme,
u city election.
II is not known whether or M
Is there will be any effort to set asid
the election. A prominent attorne
: said today that it could easily !
# done either voluntarily, or by law.