The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-09-19
Caustic Satire and irony are Very
Much in Evidence at School
Board Meeting
THREINEN BILL WITHDRAWN
Hot Personal Tilt Takes Place Between
Members of the Board. and Com.
Williams Makes Charge at
an After Meet.-g

journed session Wednesday evening
for the purpose of considering the
bill presented by w. ]. Threinen, one
of its members, for supplies furnished
to one of the school buildings, and
while the purpose of the meeting
seemed innocent enough it will prob
able go down on record as one of the
rare old times in and about the city
hall.
A great many things were said in
the meeting proper but the caustic,
classic and picturesque language used
at the after meeting made the city
hall no place for newspaper re porter,
hardened as he might be, and it is
possible that some of the incidents of
this really memorable night will
never be produced in cold type. 1t
sufices to say that the after meeting
was hot and sizzling one and no
place for small boys or men of tender
sensibilities.
The main meeting opened calmly
enough and City Attorney Slater was
called upon to tell the Board what the
law had to say in regard to the letting
Board. The declaration of the attor-
ney was short and to the point. He
said: Il say to this Board just as |
have said to the City Council that it
has no right to make a contract with
any of its mem bers. Such a pra ctice
is contrary to law, contrary to COM
mon law, contrary TO public policy
and contrary to the Statutes of Wis
consin, and the statute makes it a
criminal offense."
went farther and declared that any
member of the Board knowing the law
and making such contract would be
equally liable to criminal prosecu-
ton. He cited the one case from the
Supreme Court of Wisconsin but ad-
mitted that the records had not shown
any prosecutions under the act. He
held that the law had been on the
statutes of the state since 184o, but did
rot attempt to give any reason why
filled the state institutions of reform.
At the conclusion of the opinion the
flood of irony and sarcasm was un-
corked and Mr.. Threinen, who was on
hand to defend his own case and who
was not without support on the Board,
innocent1y asked whether the law re-
ferred to all mem bers and he further
ed his request by asking if president
of corporation could hold his position
without having stock in the corpora
ton. Commissioner Threinen had a
look on his face which indicated that
he was going to spring something
more than window shades, and the
members of the Board who had gone
to the meeting looking for fireworks
wiped off their goggles and watched
closely the flight into corporation law.
Then Threinen sprung the secret
when he declared that Attorney James
Cavanagh, who was credited with be-
ing the man who brought the law to
light, was president of the Kenosha
Gas and Electric company and that he
had voted. for two bills presented by
the company on Tuesday evening.
Some of the members expected that
Cavanagh would release hood-gate
of oratory, but in reply his argument
was decidedly tame beside the sar-
castle remarks of Threinen. He
simply discussed the law from the
standpoint of common sense and said
nothing about his connection with the
corporation.
Then President Craney took hand
and asked some pertinent questions,
demanding to know why the law had
been discovered at this time and ask
ing Mr.. Cavanagh if he had expert
enced change Of mind or had sud-
denly ''got religion
Commissioner Cavanagh warmed
up little under this thrust of irony
and informed the Board that he had
laid the matter before the Board lust
as soon as he had discovered the rul-
ing of the Supreme Court and that he
simply wanted to clear his own skirts
of any criminal liability.
Chairman Craney then declared
that if the law was enforced it would
be impossible to get men with bust
ness interests to sit on the Board, but
admitted that there was no question
as to the law in the matter.
Commissioned Threinen kept prod
ding at Commissioner Cavanagh IL
regard to his Office and the blow fin
ally fell. In that rare vein of oratory
which the attorney assumes only
when great interests are at stake, he
arose and informed Mr.. Threinen and
the other members of the Board that
he did not own single cent Of the
stock of the Kenosha Gas and Elec.
trio company and that he had never
received a cent from the company
save in his lawful capacity as IN at.
torney. This brought a Tapping OF
sails IN some parts of the room and
Cavanagh caused the sails to be
reefed down tight when he declared
that if any of the members of the
Board could prove that he had any
pecuniary interest in any bill ever
allowed by the Board he would resign.
He declared that as an aftornav he