The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-12-16

Constituting itself into trial court.
and sitting IN impeachment proceed
ings against the city treasurer, the
city council last night held an interest
ing meeting, lasting about two hours.
The matter reached enc very point of
voting upon the question of whether
or not the treasurer was guilty of the
charges which the mayor had fled
against him, in that he had failed to
make the requisite bond as required
by law, when a motion by Alderman
Williams. following a suggestion OF the
mayor, that final action in the treas
urer's case be postponed until the next
regular meeting, prevailed.
The cOuncilmen were all sworn. tax
ing the oath as prescribed for jurors
and had the vote Of guilty" have been
carried, or had been in the majority,
il would have carried impeachment
At the last moment, the question was
explained as to the meaning of the
vote, the mayor and the city attorney
joining in the preliminary discussion.
1t was the mayor who suggested that
final action be postponed in an en-
deavOT to get an ordinance in shape
lowering the bond. The idea was to
have one or two special meetings, con-
COnCannOn gave notice that he would
introduce, have it read and properly
referred and all this done so that it
could be reported at the next regular
meeting, which will be held on We'd
nesday, December p. The finance COM
mittee reported against the lowering
of the bond of the treasurer, doing so,
it was reported by the committee, upon
the advice of the city attorney. Tho
ordinance, therefore, is not so sure Of
passage.
AS at the first meeting which had
been held to hear a report of the
bond trustees and to get the recon-
mendatiOn from that body as to city
repositories for the city money, Al
derman Kugleman presided. Those
present were Aldermen Bear, Concan-
non. Durham, Kent, Meyer, Renshaw,
Pfeiffer, Williams, Welsh and DeSiIva.
TO CONSIDER SUSPENSION.
Upon converting the marshal report
ed that he had served all aIdeTInen
with a notice of the meeting, with the
exception of the president OF the
council, who is out Of the city. Alder
man ROcheblave had not been served
personally, but a notice had been left
at his home.
L ne N4CA lCuu Tie Ghll AbE LlhC ulGEL-
ing, which stated that IL had been
called for the purpose OF considering
the suspension of the treasurer and.
also the charges which had been fled
against City Treasurer Harry T. How.
land by the mayor.
THE MAYOR WRITES.
A communication from the mayor
was then read. Il reclted that the
case had been referred to him for any
action as he saw fit by the council,
and inasmuch as the treasurer had
failed to make bond in the sum or
$4,000, as required by law, he had
seen fit to and did suspend him from
Office.
UPHELD MAYORS ACTION.
Alderman DeSiIva introduced a regO-
luton hich in effect was that the
council upheld the mayor IN his action.
in the case, and he moved for it's
adoption. The motion received a
ready second, Alderman Meyer getting
his second hrst on the record. Just!
before the resolution was voted ons
J.. +. Bingham, who later appeared and
addressed the council iu behalf of thei
temporarily deposad treasurer. wanted
the resolution held up, inquiring if itsi
adoption wouId dispose Of the case I'M
regard 70 the treasurer He was in
formed that the case would come up
il due order and he would be heard.
REQUIRED TO ANSWER.
Another resolution by Alderman De-
Silva, which was also readily adopted,
required the treasurer TO appear and