The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1913-05-22

IN BOARD OF MUNICIPAL oFFlCEkS'
May 18th Mayor Hanson presiding, with full
board present.
Meeting called for the purpose OF holding an
inquest on the fire in the store Of Lewis Gold
berg on Tuesday, May 1s, 1913 Mr., Goldberg
appeared before the board, was sworn and af-
ter hearing his testimony it was voted that the
cause of the fire was unknown.
Adjourned.
The board of aldermen met and adjourned to
meet IN joint convention.
IN JOINT CONVENTION.
Mayor Hanson presiding and IA present.
Meeting called for public hearing upon
charges preferred against James W. Burgess,
Road Commissioner of the City of Belfast.
Voted to adjourn to the Municipal court
room.
The convention adjourned to the Munic. ,al
court room where City Solicitor Franklin A.
Greer assisted by Arthur Ritchie appeared as
attorneys for the city and Hodgdon Z. Buzzel
appeared as council for James W. Burgess.
Arthur Richie opened the case for the city
stating the duties of road commissioner and
reading list of the charges preferred, after
which the following witnesses were called and
sworn: Eben F. Littlefield, Henry M. Bennett
Harvey S. Cunningham, Edward F. Lttefeld,
Chester l.. Pooler, Arthur Richie. Frank
Wiley, Edgar F. Hanson and Stephen S. L.
Shute.
At the close of the evidence presented by
the witnesses appearing for the city council
both sides asked for a cor tinuance to some
other night. The members of the joint con-
vention refusing to continue the hearing to
another date Mr.. Burgess counsel submitted
the case without evidence in rebuttal or argu-
ment on the part of counsel. The convention
then adjourned to the common council room to
vote upon the evid dlnce presented, going into
executive session.
The first action taken was to see if the con-
yention would vote to restore the salary of
the road commissioner. which resulted in the
following vote on roll call; those in favor
voting yea and those opposed nay.
YEA. Hutchins. Wing. Morrison, Darby,
Payson, Russ, Rogers.
NAY. Redman. Bennett, Black. Tuttle,
Pooler, Wadsworth, Larrabee.-7.
Nichols absent.
The Mayor voted nay on the tie, making the
vote nay, 7 yea.
In joint convention the first question voted
upon on the evidence presented was: Has
James w. Burgess as Road Commissioner fail
ed to obey the orders of the municipal officers?
The vote was as follows:
YEA. Redman, Hutchins, Bennett, Black
Tuttle, Pooler, Wadsworth, Rogers, Larrabee.
g.
NAY. Wing, Morrison, Darby, Payson, Russ.
IS.
Nichols absent
Question 2 Has James W. Burgess as Road
Commissioner willfully neglected to perform
his duties? The vote was as follows:
YEA. Redman, Bennett, Black, Pooler
Wadsworth, Larrabee.-6.
NAY. Hutchins. Wing, Morrison, Darby,
Tuttle, Payson, Russ, Rogers-a
Nichols absent
On motion it was voted "That the mayor
proceed to take legal action to enjoin James
W. Burgess from acting further as Road Com
missioner of the City of Belfast"
The foregoing is the official report made by
the city clerk. We were unable to get re-
port of the meeting last Monday night other
than by telephone from the mayor This was
special meeting called at the request of
eight members of the city government, who
intended reconsdering the vote by which
Street Commissioner Burgess was deprived of
his salary. H. c. Buzzell Esq, attorney for
Mr. Burgess, had advised him to resign and
had agreed to place his resignation in the
hands Of the mayor before the meeting, with a
bill to date for mis- services at the rate of $500
and team 5000; but friends of Mr. Burgess
were not satisfied with the terms of the agree
ment, and the resignation was withheld. All
the members of the citygovernment were pres
ent. The mayor told the members that the
had lost their right to reconsider the vote by
which the Street Commissioner had been dey
prived of his salary and said that through his
counsel, City Solicitor Greer and Arthur
Ritchie, he had applied to Judge w. C. Phil =
brook for an order to restrain the city from
paying Street Commissioner Burgess after
that date, and that he proposed to institute
suit against the bondsmen of Mr.. Burgess for
$1,000 damages because of his inefficiency.
Some Of those present, and some who par
eiSAPoeSu III ueSCluS, say LHaL IL WAS Slmp-
ly disgraceful. The Mayor called former
city government damned jackasses" because
they had seen fit to exercise their own judgment
and lad NOT followed his dictates, and he has
characterized the present city government in
even worse terms. This because some of the
members have realized that they were elected
not to fetch and carry for the Mayor, but to
transact the business Of the city with due re-
gard for the interests of the community.
When the Mayor had finished his harangue
Monday night he said a motion to adjourn was
IN order and Alderman Redman made the mo-
tion and it was seconded byAlderman Bennett,
and the meeting was adjourned while Alder
man Wing was endeavoring to be heard.
Another special meeting was held Tuesday
night, of which the following report was fur
nlshed by the city clerk:
The following orders were read and passed
in the board of aldermen.
Ordered. That the City Auditor be and
hereby is authorized and instructed to place
the bill of ]. W. Burgess, dated May 19
amounting to $l52.3o. submitted by him
as final settlement Of his account with
the city as Road Commissioner, and accom-.
panying his resignation of even date, on the
Roll OF Accounts for June. Council concurred
Ordered That the City Treasurer be anC
IS hereby authorized and instructed to draw
his order for the sum of $23.10, payable to ths
Maine Central Railroad Company, the same
being for freight on hose wagon purchased oi
the City of Worcester Mass Council ron,