The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-05-15
From Mondays Daily.

From Mondays Daily.
City Recorder Hodapp's office is at
stake Whether he is able to retain
it will depend upon the outcome of
the trial before the council on charges
preferred by City Attorney Schmitt
and adopted by it at the special meet
ing held Saturday evening. The trial
will take place on the evening of
May %, and Mr.. Hodapp can and
doubtless will be presented by coun-
sci.
The special meeting was attended
by all of the aldermen except Aid.
Atchison, who was out of the city.
and was presided over by Mayor An
drews, who briefly stated the object
of the meeting.
City Attorney Schmitt then present
ed lengthy typewriter complaint
which he read. 1t recited the various
steps taken by the council in award
ing the garbage gathering contract to
Jacob Effer, and the attempt made by
the city recorder to set aside this
award and to himself award the con-
tract to A. L. Daily, and his action
in including Daby's bill in the city
payroll, thus resulting in its being
held up and the laborers deprived of
their money. 1t characterizes Mr..
Hodapp's action in assuming to dis
approve the award of the contract to
Mr.. Effer and in attempting to usurp
the power of awarding the contract to
Daby as "willfuI, unlawful, wrongful
and fraudulent" and says that he
agreed that the city should pay Daily
Thought he we'll knew he had no au-
thority whatever in the premises" It
characterizes in the same manner MIR.
Hodapp's act in entering Daby's name
on the city pay roll.
Complaint Recites Facts.
The complaint recites how Mayor
Andrews demanded of Mr.. Hodapp that
he deduct the amount of Daby's bill
from the order, so that the laborers
could be paid and no money paid out
unlawfully, and how Mr.. Hodapp re-
fused to do so and still refuses. In
asmuch as no money can be paid out
of the city treasury except upon a
written order signed by the mayor
and countersigned by the recorder, the
city is unable to pay the laborers.
The written notice that Mayor An
drews served upon Mr.. Hodapp on
May 3, demanding that he prepare
an order for the pay roll emitting
Daby's name, and notifying him that
unless he did SO charges would be
presented, was recited, together with
Mr.. Hodapp's further refusal to COM
ply.
The complaint goes on to say chat
dufing all the times herein mentioned
said city recorder, j. B. Hodapp, has
unlawfully and willfully assumed the
powers vested in the common council
and mayor of said city, and has from
time to time willfully and unlawfully
refused to comply with their instruc,
tions, and has from time time there
by caused said city great embarrass-
ment, and has involved it in expensive
litigation by reason of such willful
and unlawful acts" 1t says that his
act in regard to the garbage collect
ing contract will also involve the city
i'm annoying and expensive litigation
1t adds: "That said J. B. Hodapp is
not qualified by education or training
to properly fulfill the duties of said
office of city recorder"
Daby's Political Power.
Section of the charges reads as
follows: "That said A. L. Daily is
not a responsible or reliable person
and could not and would not carry out
any contract with said city. That
said A. L. Daily, however, assumes to
be able to control the votes of some
of the electors of said city, and that
said J. B. Hodapp SO unlawfully and
fraudulently assumed to award said
garbage contract to said A. L. Daily
and so unlawfully and fraudulently
entered said sum of money for said
Daily in said order, in the hope and
with the understanding that said A. L.
Daily would procure votes for him
at the next election of said city, said
j. B. Hodapp intending to again be a
candidate for reelection to the office
of city recorder of said city in the
spring of the year 1909"
The petitioner therefore, asked that
the council also prefer the charges
against Mr.. Hodapp by adopting the
petition, and that a time and place
be fixed for his trial and that he be
removed from his office.
A resolution was presented by Mr.
Schmitt to the effect that the charges
be adopted by the council and that
the proper steps be taken to have the
trial on May % at 1870 p. m. at the
city hall. Aid. Bradley moved the
adoption of the resolution.
Objects to Proceedings.
Mr.. Hodapp said that this proceed
ing was altogether a surprise upon
him, as he had not been informed OF
fha n,Irnose for which tho Snpcia1