The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-16
DEFECTION'FRO MORRIS DIDN'T
 MATERIALlzE
Re-election of Present Har- bornaster Perfunctory
 Party Performance. Berger Bertilson's
 Ballot Caused
 4 Caustic Criticism

NC1 IlSUlC OllU1ClC1U Mayors Mind Made Many
 Marvel-Apparently An
 gry at Action-Democrats
 Didn't Divide-Morrisite
 Made Merry.
 With the glad blithesomeness that a condemned culprit brings to the con- strUction of the gallows upon which he will presently be suspended with nothing between his feet and the ground Mayor Lee last night broke a tie in the Common Council, and thus made Charles H. Morris harhor mas ter for another three year term, and defeated Frederick Schreiber, the Democratic nominee. The vote was a strict party vote, F to F.
 The session was not an entertaining one for the Mayor. The duty of fbreaking the tie was imposed upon him by memorable party necessity, but the duty of listening to the ovation that Morris received from the very consid-
 
 the council chambers was not imposed upon him, and he accordingly placed Alderman Wilson in the chair while these demonstrations were in progress, and got as far as possible away from the sounds of to his ears, too raucous lni4'th, and the sight of something that to him would have been so very very like a. triurnphal procession, of a nodi- fled Roman type, with the formerly rebuked, chastised and humbled har- fbor master in the leading role as con- queror, and his honor an humble pris- oner in chains. tied to the chariot wheels, 1ashed to the mast, and all those other things that are used to keep reluctant people on the spot. The Mayor, in short, got out.
 To experienced observers, and there were many such present, the at1nOs- phere, before the vote was taken was Dcharged with something. The Mayors friends were expecting reprieve. They knew that in Schreiber the Dem ocrats had a very popular man, who would hold the Democratic Aldermen away from Morris as perhaps no other man could, and they expected some thing.
 What could that something be? ffatYr1y it could only be that some Re- leave his caucus.
 Some betting there had been all the day before, and last evening, to the effect that 8 Republican would vote against Morris. There had been guesses at his name. Some even claimed to know the name.
 Especially clearcut, definite we'll particularized and expressly stated was the rumor that Bertilson and ,raEue would be named tellers and when, sure enough, they were desig- alated tellers. by his honor's choice, hum of "I told you so'' went round the room.
 So strange a coincidence was remark able. 1t will be called to the atten- tion of Prof. Hyslop, and the British and American Society for Psychic Re- search as remarkable example of spirit communication, or possibly of telepathic waves. How otherwise could an action of hours later he known hours before.
 But this was not all. No, certainly slot! Runor also had it that Bertil- son was depended upon to cast the deciding vote, removing the duty. from the. Mayoral place. But at this point the spirits, telepathy, or whatever 1t was, failed to materialize.
 Fifty eyes were fixed upon Bertil- son as he passed the hat. AS many glanced from time to time at Tague.
 There is a story written by Frank Stockton. which is known as the Lady and the Tiger In the story there was a daughter of a barbaric king who loved a man. who her father, the king, detested with a savage and perfect wrath. The king decreed that the lover of this barbaric princess should go into the arena before all the people, and should have his choice of opening two doors. If he opened the famished tiger, who would eat him up. If he opehed the other door, out would step a beautiful lady of the own suite of the fbarbaric princess, to whom he would be promptly married.
 Now the barbaric princess knew which was behind either door. She loved her lover with her whole heart, but she was lbarbaric, and a good hater. When the lover came into the arena see indicated to him which door to open. And he opened it. The prob lem of the story is Which stepped out from the open door, the. lady. or the tiger?"
 Now the Schreiber ballots were a beautiful pale pink, like a debutante's ball gown, while the Morris ballot was white as the Mayors face.
 So the breathless spectators at the municipal drama, which of course was not presided over by a barbaric king, had, to thrill before them: What bal lot would Bertilson drop. A white bal lot. or a pale pink ballot?
 But this was amuSement for those interested in minor drama. Others watched Bertilson, but they watched the Mayor, too. What ballot did his honor wish Bertilson to drop? A white ballot, or pale pink ballot, one to him the symbol of political pur ;ty. and the other typical of the red flush of political wrath?
 An, the inscrutable human counten- ance. Oh, the inscrutable executive soul, Who can read the minds of bar barrie kings. or of modern mayors!
 Bertison dropped 0 white ballot into the hat.
 The other problem remains unsolved. Or does it?
 Any way the drama is played out. the hero has been honored. rewarded and ovated, the villains. if there were any. have been punished and relegated 10 seciusion. and the fight to shift the clty harbor line will continue with It's chief friend in the har rbormaster's r's chair.
 A large party of oystermen and friends of Harbormaster Charles H. Morris who filled the spectators seats, 1 cheersd and applauded when his re- election Of the harbormaster for a term | Of three years was announced. The 1 pandemonium reigned for several min- utes until Mayor Lee pounded with his l gaxel for order al
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