The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1909-05-06
Factions in Zion City
Clash in Fight To Control
the Affairs of the City
COURT FIGHT SURET0 FOLLOW
Independent Party is Now in Charge
but Defeated Followers of Voliva
Declare That the Fight is
just Begun

Zion City had two opposition Council
meetings on different floors of the City
Hall and near riot last night as the
outcome of the recent election contest,
in which the independents defeated the
followers of Wilbur Glenn Voliva. The
opposition meetings resulted from the
refusal Of the old Council to surrender
office and the Council chamber to the
new incumbents. Withal the Council
meetings were the most tangled in the
turbulent history of Zion City politics,
and the courts of Lake county will be
called in to decide just "who's who =
politically.
The troubles began with the calling
of Council meetings by former Mayor
E. e. Clendinen and Mayor Elect f.
N. Richey The members of the old
Council, arrived at the Council chamber
as early as o'clock and established
themselves and with the aid Of twenty
special policemen, sworn in by Mayor
Clendinen, bid defiance to the new
Council.
But there was one fact that had been
overlooked, and that was the records
were in the possession Of j. II. Fayrs,
city clerk under the old administration,
but who Joined the independents at the
recent election and was elected the new
city attorney. So the Volivaites passed
the time singing Marching Through
Zion while an effort was made to
!" fnd' Mr.. Fayrs and obtain the
records.
Is Shortly before 8 clock the new al
Edermen appeared and finding them
selves barred from the Council chamber
took possession of the lower floor of
the City Hall and organized their own
Council meeting. Only then did City
Attorney Fayrs appear, and with him
were the records. The old Council was
made up Of O. P. Pugh, j. 2. Detienne,
G. w. Butt, and E. G. Thompson, the
holdovers of the old administration,
and o. w. Farley, t. R. Becker, John
Dow, w. +. Miller and E. 0. Myers,
whose terms of office had expired, but
who refused to give up their seats.
| While the old Council was engaged
in song and prayer, the members of the
new Council got down to business,
counted the ballots of the election, de-
clared themselves elected, and were
about to proceed with the business of
appointing city officials when an in
| terruption came.
Former Mayor Clendinen sent down
policeman to demand the city records
from Mr. Fayrs. The officer was told
| to go back with a reter5 discourteous.
Then o. W. Farley was sent down to
Interview Mr. Fayrs. He was told
he would be elected bodily from the
room if he did not remove himself in
record time.
Then the new Council filed all the
city Offices and ended by ordering the
officers of the First State bank not to
pay out any city funds held by the
bank on the order of the old treasurer
The two Councils adjourned simultane-
ously at 9 0 clock and jostled ard push
ed in the hallway Of the City Hall.
The election which brought about the
| troubles was held on April 20, the in
dependents winning by majorities of
from II to 81 votes out of total poll
ed vote of $40. A Council meeting was
called for April % to count the vote,
but the Volivites declared that fraud
and illegal voting had been practiced
at the elections and Mayor Clendinen
refused to call the Council meeting
| Mayor elect Richey issued a call for
Council meeting and Mr.. Clendinen
responded by calling meeting of the
old Council. The volivites announced
at the close Of the meeting that the
LEGALITY Of the election will be con
tested in court and that steps will be
taken today to nnllify the acts of the
new Council and to enjoin it from hold
ing other sessions or transacting city
! business.