Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-16
COMPETEN MAN
RESIGNS OFFICE
LONG BEACH CITY ATTORNEY
DISPLEASES
Trustees and Mayor of Seaside Town
like II Not Because Monk Ar
rested vioIator of Liquor
Ordinance
Long Beach Office,
12s East Third Street.
Phone-Home 297.

Phone-domc wi.
LONG BEACH, May 15.-Carl Monk re-
signed the office of city attorney last
night at the meeting of the city council,
Mayor Downs and Trustees George Ben
son and r. s. Oakford. The resolution
demanding the resignation was adopted
after a dramatic scene in the council
chamber, drastic remarks being made
upon the subject by ministers and other
persons in the lobby. Trustee Mohren-
tee Lent voted affirmatively, but stated
that he did SO in order that he might
move to rescind at the next council meet
ing.
considerable feeling. Many citizens as
sert that the action of the council was
hasty and i'll advised.
The charge preferred against Monk last
night was incompetency. 1t is believed
by many, however, that the request for
his resignation was result OF his action
Proprietor w. ". Barlow of Hotel Del
Mar with conducting a blind pig during
the Shriners festivities at this beach,
That Monk should be asked to resign was
agreed upon at a private meeting of the
trustees In Mayor Downs office just be-
fore the, public meeting was called to
order. Toward the close of the regular
meeting Mayor Downs passed to. City
Clerk Baldwin the following resolution:
Resolved by the board of trustees, that
the resignation Of City Attorney Monk Is
Trustee Lent at once arose to demand
q public statement by Mayor Downs or
Trustees, oakford or. Benson. as, to the
would only be justice to Monk, to the
who were not informed as to the reasons.
c. H. Windham followed Lent with. a
similar demand There was considerable
kandclapping as Windham spoke, but
Mayor Downs offered no explanation.
Patsor Questions Board
"Is it the judgment of this board that
Mr.. Monk is incompetent?" was the
ton, pastor of the First Christian church.
lit is" answered Mayor Downs.
rs he immoral?" Rev. Mr. Thornton
asked. lNd ).
LAS citizen then, not as a minister of
the gospel said Rev. Thornton, II con-
slider it an insult to the people Of Long
resolution. l have never heard Monk
spoken of save favorably, and he has al
ways seemed, perfectly competent 1t
looks to me like there is 'nigger in the
woodaile.'
I'VE are trying to find him." said the
MAJOR.
How is Monk incompetent?' Windham
asked.
Come to M office and I'll tell you."
said Mayor Downs.
The vote on the resolution was then
taken. Monk afterward read his resigna
ton. as follows:
TO the board OF trustees OF the city
Observation-Disclosures, the above named
| beard has made official demand, through
the affirmative votes of Trustees Downs,
| Oakford and Benson, for the resignation
| of undersigned as city attorney of the
city of Long Beach, now, therefore, the
undersigned hereby tenders his resigna-
! tion as such attorney, to take effect i'm
mediately.
And, whereas at meeting of the three
| trustees named above as voting affirma-
frnlN IA11 fha nf T,-.Y- -frA- ~
| H. Downs Immediately preceding the
regular session of the board of trustees
of said city on this date. it was stated to
undersigned that the said three trustees
were taking said action demanding such
resignation principally at the behest of a
large number of citizens composed Of
taken by undersigned in matter of en-
forcing ordinance No. 100 of said city in
the matters of a violation thereof in the
Del Mar hotel in this city on Thursday,
May 9, 1907, therefore in rendering my
resignation beg to state that it is my un-
alterable conviction that a public Off
of office can do no otherwise than en-
force the ordinances on the statute book.
Returns Contingent Fund
meeting of the aforesaid three trustees
heretofore designated as voting affrma-
lively, 1t was also stated to undersigned
that the said Trustees Downs, Oakford
and Benson believed that the contingent
fund heretofore placed in the hands Of
the city attorney for the enforcement of
political purposes, therefore the under
signed desires tor state that the said con-
tingent fund is wholly intact, as it has
not been deemed advisable to expend any
of said fund to the present time. The
city attorney will return the full amount
of said contingnt fund. to wit, the sum
of $500, to the city of Long Beach to-
morrow.
"In rendering his resignation the under
signed desires to thank the board of trus-
tees for all their courtesies to under
signed. CARL MONK"
Mayor Downs stated after the meeting
that he, thought Attorney Monk showed
poor judgment in proceeding against the
proprietor of the Del Mar. He and the
other trustees who asked for. the resigna-
ton asserted however. that Monk had
rot given prompt attention to matters
of city business, owing to the pressure of
his other law business.
The matter of Monks successor is al
ready being spoken of. Attorney George
Hart and Wallace w. Young are both
mentioned.