Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-03-15
Los ANGELES
HAS NEW MAYOR
City Council Unanimously Selects
w. D. Stephens as Sue
CeSsOr to Harper.
TO SERVE UNTIL MARCH 26.
That is Date Set for Recall Election
Event Disposcs OF an Awk-
ward Situation.

Los Angeles. Cal. May 15.--W. ID.
stephens was selected unanimously by
the city council for mayor TO serve
until March 26th. the date set for
the recall election.
The session Of the council today
threatened TO become a stormy one
before the selection Of a successor was
made. Feeling was very bitter and
question had been raised for which
there is no precedent and on which
the leading attorneys OF the city are
opposed. When it was convened this
morning at 10 o'clock tho report had
gone out that there would be "a dead
lock on the question of whether the
man named today shall serve for the
remainder Of Harpers term or only
until the recall election can be held
and a successor elected.
Late last night the situation was
further confused by the positive state
ment Of one councilman that the
members who were favorable to
compromise had agreed on d. Steph-
ems providing he would accept the
election for whatever period the city
attorneys held was the valid term.
stephens declined TO become the recall
candidate against Harper
MEN TALKED OF
The only names used in the talk
o. new men last night were Or. Walter
Lindley. Lee C. Gates. w. NJ. Bower,
former president of the council II
was announced that Gates would not
accent the election and Stephens did not
give am answer whether he would or
not. The decision Of the case by
Atty. Hewitt was unknown 20 the
counCilmen last night Mr.. HeWltI
gave out his Interpretation OF Li'
charter on the vacancy question, hls
ouini0u o. that the recall election
must be proceeded with; that a mayor
chosen hy the council will hold once
only until after that election ana not
ain the end of the f'uneNpired term.
He maintains that the 'uneNplreu
term" in this case expires Win INC
I recall election and not at the emo OF
/ the legal term.
] Efforts to bring about compton,
lac that would mean the retirement OF
/ George Alexander. the recall condidate'
| from the race we're impeded by the rag
| that IL Alexander withdrew the only
] Cau0luNlC on lllc tltfNNl N"AA- ~
! a. Wheeler. the Socialist nominee Inc
/ chairman 81 the Socialist committee
| saws Wheeler win not BE- Withdrawn
/ under any circumstances, as the SO
/ cialists are devoted 10 the recall ana
! believe the law authorizing the cleo
! lion valid. II Alexander should win
| draw and leave Wheeler clear held'
| of course Wheeler would get all the
| votes cast az the election, unless the
] prohibitIonists got out a large enough
| vote 40 Give their candidate majority.
/ Tho Prohibition candidate Is not on
! mo ticket and the Prohibiuonists are
/ rrenarirg 10 write his name on the
| ticket.
! A great crowd OF citizens beseiged
| the CITY hall and the council chamber
/ was iammed as Il never was BEFORE
with citizens interested IN the outcome
/ OF the recall movement.
/ II was evident that both factions
| had made a vigorous effort 10 get as
! many If ia adhereuts 90 congregate AT
l the city han this morning as possible
| BY $40 upwards Of hundred persons
| were standing in front Of the locked
| doors OF the council chamber waiting
! for the opening hour OF 10 o'clock that
| thew might b. able 10 occupy the posi-
tions OF vantage along the gallery ran
| Of the councicl chamber The gallery,
separatcd from the main council cham
bor hv a railing, has seating cApa-
cit,, Of less than $50 and 10 was the
desire of both parties 10 pack as many
on rhoIr partsans into the space as
uOreible