New-York tribune., 1910-01-04
TIGER HOLDS BOARD
T4MM4NY IN CONTROL
Gresser against Fusionists
When Test VOtes Come.

The new Board of Aldermen met yester-
day for the first session. and the strength
of the Tammany control promptly appeared
in a succession of small arguments over
the rules. on the question of the election of
a successor 20 Little Tim" Sullivan. In
these test votes President Gresser of
Queens was with Tammany In memory
of the dead floor leader, the aldermanic
chamber was draped in black, which was
lightened by the scores of floral horseshoes
and set pieces sent TO the new members by
friends.
The retiring President. Patrick F. Nc
Gowan. walked into the chamber with
President John Purroy Mitchell and intro
duced him to the aldermen AS soon as
the opening formalites were over Alder
man Frank J. Bowling. backed up by an
opinion from the Corporation Counsel's Of
fee, moved for the election of a successor
TO Little Tim Sullivan
Alderman Tristan b. Johnson, the new
Republican floor leader, objected first on
the ground that the opinion came from the
office of a Corporation Counsel who had
gone out OF office After more skirmishing
and the establishing of the fact that Mr..
Sullivan had filed his certificate and taken
the oath of office, President Mitchell held
that the objections of Alderman johnson
were disposed of by the opinion from the
Corporation CounseI's Office.
Finally. after Mr.. Mitchell said that,
though the opinion was quite contrary TO
his own judgment Of the law, he would
have to overrule the objections, the alder
;,I,
showed vote of Al for Tammany, as
against 81 for the fusion or Republican
view.
President Gresser voted with Tammany
on the first question presented and contin-
ued 10 do so throughout the session. All
the other borough presidents voted against
Tammany. John J. White was thereupon
elected to fill the vacancy caused by Lit
tie Tins death
Another lineup came Immediately after
that on the question of continuing the use
of the rules of the board as they had been
for the last two years, TO which Alder
man johnson added an amendment a
test Of strength. His amendment was lost
by a vote Of Il to 33, four fusion Alder
men. seeing the uselessness of it, falling to
cast their votes. The appointment of COM
mittees continues TO lie therefore with the
chairman of the Finance Committee, and
not with the president -
on the election OF officers. which followed,
Tamnany mustered the full strength of
AZ the extra vote coming, of course, from
the newly elected Alderman White, and the
best vote the fusionists could muster to-
falling 81 on each election.
In that way Joseph J. Sculy was
elected city clerk, Alderman Bent was elecS
cd vice-chairman of the board, to succeed
IfTsar1 an
Frank J. Dowling was elected chairman of
the Finance Committee, which post car
ries with it the floor leadership of the board,
and which was also formerly held by Lit
tie Tim Sullivan; Harry L. oxford was re-
elected ergeant-at-arms; John J. McGlynn
and John J. Cleary wers elected first assist
ant sergeants-at-arms, McGlynns being
reelection. and John J. Mcclure John j.
e, uahan. Edward F. ORourke, Thomas j.
Ieahy. Daniel Z. Buckley and NJ. w
O-T)onneu were elected assistant serSeants-
alarms.
Mcclure has been an assistant sergeant
alarms since the days of Boss Tweed
and Callahan and Leahy were reelected
candidates. oxford will get $3.50 a year,
NcGlynn ana Cleary 1920 each and the
other assistants $1,000 each
a committee of five was then selected TO
inform the Mayor that the board had organ
ized but on its return bore, instead of the
exnected message from the Mayor, brief
statement that as the Controllers Office aad
not been able to furnish him. as yet, with
q statement of the financial condition OF
the city as of the close Of business on De
cember 81. lg09 he would have 10 transmit
the figures AMI his recommendations at the
next meeting.
motion that Alderman Dowling' Ken
/ neatly, Levine, Heffernan and Johnson be
appointed a committee on rules, Johnson
! being the only Republican in the number,
/ brought another lineup Of forces, when
/ Alderman Estabrook moved as an amend
uent that the chair appoint all committees.
/ The amendment was voted on first, and was
lost by vote Of Il 10 35, and then the
/ original motion was carried by the same
/ vote. enectuaIly tying the hands Of the
Li...r Il, .i1nraf fnrceE