Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-12-22
Joint Session Wouldn't Adjourn,
so Aldermen Held Meet.
Ing Anyhow.
MEMBERS Hello IT WAS ILLEGAL
Ford, eurcher and Harris Wanted to
be Excused from Voting After Joint
Meeting Resumed Business, But the
Body Refused to Excuse-overscer
of Poor and School Trustee Elected.

a most remarkable situation dcvcl.
opcd last night when, with the two
branches of the city council in Joint
session ana refusing To adjourn. Col.
Marquis Jones. president of the hoard
OF aldermen ana cx.ofIicio president
of the joint meeting. called the board
of aldermen to order and that body
proceeded to consider the street rail.
way ordinances.
Council Harris and other members
were inclined to argue the point. hut
Col. Jones pounded vigorously upon
the table with his cane, commanded
Mr.. Harris TO take his scat and final.
~ restored something like order. The
aldermen went ahead with business,
with half dozen common councilmcn
still i'll their seats and the remainder
out in tho hall.
Twenty Present.
The councils met in joint session to
eject an oversccr of the poor, to sue
cecd the late MIR. j. e. Ford There
were present: Aldermen Burchcr. l..
S. Davis. Read, Richardson. Weston.
Walker and Jones. Councilmcn Boil.
ing. Cheadlc. Christie, Cox, II. Lee Da.
Wis. Ford, Harris. Kcllum. Morgan,
Via, Wallace. Washhurn and West.
There were five nominations-Rc
Il. b. Sanford. by Mr.. Christie, |. N.
Morris. by Mr. Chcadlc. w. b. Bal.
lard, by Mr. Weston. G. b. Hackctt.
by Mr.. Burchcr, and John t. Burchard
by Mr.. Kcllum
Numerous Ballots Taken.
After half dozen ballots had been
taken ana the names Of Mcssrs. Bur.
chard and Morris had been dropped,
ana an effort to decide whether Mr..
sanford or Mr.. IIackctt should bo put
up against Mr.. Ballard, who had been
receiving tho highest number of votes,
had resulted In tic, President Jones
declared that he was compelled TO call
the board OF aldermen together. The
board had been called to meet ut s: 30
O'Clock and 1t was necessary that the
meeting should begin before . o'clock.
AT this point Mr.. Walker nominated
j. ID. Godsey and when Mr.. Godscy
was not elected on the next ballot,
President Jones proceeded to call the
aldermen to order.
Aldermen Meet.
Tho question was raised that Il was
after Q o'clock and that the chair could
not call the meeting. City Attorney
Massie was called and he said that as
all the members were present. the
president had the right to call the
meeting TO order.
Three Had Gone Home.
When the board of aldermen had
disposed of its business and the pros
idcnt called the joint session TO or.
der again, IL developed that Mcssrs.
Christie, Morgan and Washhurn had
Soue home. l.cSsrs. Ford. Burchcr
and Harris strenuously objected to 20.
Ing into an election. claiming that It
would be illegal ana unfair to the alb.
sentees. Several motions to adjourn
were lost, when another ballot was
taken aud Mr.. Godscy was elected. re.
ceiving the votes of nine of the soy.
cntcen members present Tho vote
stood as follows: For Godscy. Roll.
ing. Chcadle, II. Ice Davis, Ford. Rob,
inson, Via, kcllum. Walker and West:
for Bnllard-toy, Read. Weston and
Jones: for Burchcr. l.. S.
Davis, Harris aud Wallace.
Mcssrs. Bnrchcr. Ford ana Harris
asked to he excused from voting, hut
the body refused to excuse them
School Trustee.
During the meeting communica-
ton was received from Supcrntend-
tili III SCHOOLS w. e. Morton. stating
that vacancy had been created ON
the hoard by the resignation of Mr..
FLOYD A. lIudgins Of the First his.
trict. and that Mr.. C. L. Siblcy had
moved his residence temporarily from
tho district Tho clerk explained that
he had Mr.. Sibley's resignation, but
that tho latter had stated that he
was boarding temporarily out of his
district, but intended to move hack
Just as soon rs he could get a house.
and did not desire the resignation to
be presented unless il was asked for.
No ono asked for the resignation and
ii was not presented.
Mr.. Cox nominated Mr.. !. w. Allen
to succeed Mr., Hndgins. after the lat
ter's resignation had been accepted.
Mr. Boiling nominated. Mr.. o. D.
Bachelor. Mr.. Allen was elected by
the following vote:
For Allen--Cheadlc, Christie. Cox.
II. Lee Davis. l.. S. Davis. Ford. IIar.
ris. kellum. Morgan, Wallace. Walker,
Washbnrn and Weston: for Ratchclor
-Rolling Burchcr, Read, Robinson
West and Jones.