Williams news., 1908-11-28
FLAGSTAEF'S DILEMMA
 IS ON THE OTHER HORN
TCommunicated.1

A law suit. entitled Hop Sing against Chester A. Black. town clerk, etc, which comes from Flag staff, and which divided the good and bad people of that ethereal and usually upright and sanctimonious burg into two hostile and most bit ter and acrimonius factions. those hostile to the contentious of plain tiff largely in the majority, has just been decided by Judge Sloan in favor of the plaintiff, after hav- ing the case under advisement for several months. Primarily the question involved was, whether the town council should dominate the municipality of Flagstaff or out side influences, which controlled heavy financial interests" and a combination of them, should run the town government. It so hap pened the suave and smiling clerk stood in with the ''interests," un- fortunately, hence the law suits. In 1906 Flagstaff elected seven councilmen In the course of a few months various ''resignations" and abandonment" of office took place in the council until there were only five members left. Geo. 1 w. Glowner was the city attorney, who was honestly and conseien- tiously trying to do his duty with out fear or favor. The statute pro- vides how vacancies may occur in office; and it also provides how vacancies may be filled and that majority of the councilmen shall constitute quorum to do business.
 Two of the aforesaid five coun- cilmen being dominated by the interests" deliberately refused to attend the meetings of the council, thinking thereby they, the afore- said two, would prevent a quorum from meeting and hence prevent the transaction of business by a valid council. If they could suc- ceed they would paralyze the right arm of the town government and it would be without any government whatever. That was the advice of the interests" and those in their employ. The remaining three councilmen. Ben Doney, Geo. Black, ST., and Dr. G. F. Manning, having the best interests of the community at heart and courageous and incor- ruptihle, absolutely refused to stand in with the "interests," and upon the advice of the city attorney, that three members under the circum- stances constituted quorum to do business. persisted in holding meet ings and transacting business, in the face of the insults and criticisms of the hostile. servile and corrupt dominant sentiment, controlled by the aforesaid interests"
 These honest, patriotic three members met as council and transacted business. Among other business transacted claim in favor of one Hop Sing was allowed by the council for feeding prisoners in the sum of $3O 75 The clerk as treas urer refssed to pay the warrant on the ground that at the meeting at which the claim was allowed there was no quorum. only the aforesaid three members being present. There upon Hop mandamused the clerk and treasurer, compelling him to perform his duty. The decision is to the effect that the three mem. bers constituted a legal quorum. Therefore all the business trans- acted by these three members be- comes legal and valid.
 Under the instructions from the council Mir Glowner acted as the attorney for Hop Sing.
 w w. Goode returned from the i | Phoenix faiI last Friday evening. |