The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-03-27
FRED LEONARD
FALLS DOWN HARD
Tries to Take Scalp of Clerk w. H.
Wilkins and Loses in the
Council.
CONDUCT IS DENOUNCED
OBJECT OF HIS WRATH CALLS
HIM "UNPRINcIPLED."

Fred J. Leonard, the American"
chairman of the board of public works.
fell down hard last night in an effort to
remove W. II. Wilkins, the Democratic
clerk of the board. The council refused
to sanction the removal after Mr.. Will
kins had taken the floor and character
lied Leonard's conduct as undetermined,
unprincipled and dishonest" The Amer
lean" party failed to line up solidly in
support of its chairman OF the board of
public works, which explains the fact
that Mr.. Wilkins will continue for sea-
son to connect with the city pay roll.
Mr.. Leonard sent in communication
saying that Mr.. wilkins had resigned,
and that the board" had appoiEted +.
X. Christensen in his place, the appoint
ment to take effect April l. Mr.. VIII
kins was present. and asked for the right
TO be heard, which was granted.
Says 1t Is False.
Il don't believe" said Mr.. Wilkins,
that there is man within the sound
of my voice who does not know that the
statement of the chairman of the board
of public works is false. My resignation
was in the hands of Mr.. Leonard for
fraction of day, and then withdrawn
1t was withdrawn both by word of mouth
and in writing and for good and suffi-
Client reasons
Mr.. Wilkins charged that in present
ing his resignation and not his subse-
quent letter Withdrawing 1t, Leonard
was guilty of unfairness. He challenged
LeOnard'S assertion that the board had
appointed Christensen, and declared that
Leonard could not prove that any meet
ing had been held where such action had
been taken. He said the board could not
appoint successor, and pointed out that,
by an ordinance passed last November,
officially vested in the chairman of the
board. Under that ordinance, he de-
cIared, he had been appointed for two
years If he was to be removed, he de-
manded that charges be preferred against
him. He quoted City Attorney Ogden
Hiles as saying that his term was for
Mr.. Wilkins said he had been willing
to resign when he thought his resigna-
ton was wanted for political reasons.
He avOWed himself a Democrat, and said
he was proud Of It. He had so notified
Mr.. Leonard he declared and Leonard
had told him that he did not wish his
resignation. subsequently Leonard had
said that political pressure was so strong
that he was forced to request his resig-
nation. He had then rendered it without
due consideration.
Subsequently, within two hours, in
fact. Mr.. Wilkins said he learned that
mand at ali, Then he withd GpSrf the r es
ignation. He closed by Charging the
chairman Of the board with CUMBERLAND
unprincipIed and dishonest" conduct in
Carter Surprises Brethren.
The roll was then called and Council
man Carter caused his American"
brethren TO sit up and take notice when
ne voted to retain Wilkins in office
Councilman Ferry. also an American
asked to be excused from voting because
he wasn't sufficiently familiar with the
facts Holiday explained his vote by
saying that wilkins had framed up the
ordinance Of last November with a view
to keeping himself In office
Councilman L. d. Martin. an "Ameri-
can" swung his arms in a TRADE against
Wilkins. He said that the ordinance OF
November was "a scheme COncoCted to
keep the present clerk in office" He de-
ciared that Wilkins lacked the manhood
to resign as the old board of public
works had done, and bitterly denounced
him for his attack on Leonard.
Frankly avowing that he didn't know
where he was at" Mulvey said he might
have voted to keep Wilkins in office but
for the attack he had made on his su-
perior.
Wilkins Holds His Job.
The roll call on the motion to confirm
Christensen resulted as follows
Yeas-Black, Crabtree, Holiday, Martin
Mulyey. President Davis-6
Nays-Barnes, Carter. FernstrOm, Hol-
ley. TUddenham-5.
Absent-O Donnell, Preece, Wells
Excused-Ferry.
Inasmuch as eight votes are required
the confirmation failed.