New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1915-08-19
Did CURTIS BLUNDER
in MAKING PHOTOS =?
''Document" Only a ''Scrap
of Paper" Says Mayor
Quigley.

According to Mayor Quigley today.
| Councilman Curtis was hoist by his
| own petard when he allowed his en-
| thusiasm to carry him US far as hav-
! ing a resolution photographed so
| that he could show the council how
the mayor had "tampereo with a pub
| lie document
Councilman Curtis threw his money
away when he paid a photographer to
reproduce the "document'' as it was
but memorandum Of a vote taken in
the council and rendered to the mayor
by City Clerk Thompson, his honor
claims. Like the famous Belgian
treaty, it has turned out to be nothing
more than a scrap of paper" says
the mayor.
At the June meeting, the council
took action regarding the advisory
board and the purchase o. an auto
mobile for the public WORKS depart
ment. At the July meeting Council
man Dolan moved to rescInd action
Oh these votes. City Clerk Thompson
typed what he thought was a copy of
Councilman Dolan's motion and pre-
sented it to the mayor us a memoran-
DUN, the following day. The mayor
stated that it was incorrect and, &C.
cording to his honor, the city clerk
ran his pen through the sections
which the mayor believed were not
included in the motion. The paper
was not a public document and could
have been used, the mayor says, as
cigar lighter or a decoration for the
interior Of a waste basket.
On the other hand, many are Won
Gering by what authority City Clerk
Thompson permitted the paper to
leave his possession if it was public
document AS city CLERK he is GUS
todian of all documents from the
council meetings. If the paper was
valuable document, it is being asked,
why did he permit it to be taken from
the building to be photogra phed?
And by what right, Mayor Quigley is
wondering, did Councilman Curtis
tt; Ike the paper away from the office
of the city clerk? The councilman
and the city clerk are on intimate
:erms and the former spends many
hours in the latter's office.
Mr. Curtis made the following
statement to the Herald today:
Il wish to clear up my position in
regard to one Of the mayors vetoes at
last nights common council meeting.
'The charter is explicit in stating
that all votes, resolutions and ordi-
dances that pass the common coun-
Gil shall be presented to the mayor
for, action. He can approve, decline
10 act, or veto, but nothing is said,
about the power to divide or separ-
ate any one act Of the council, con-
sequently, as in any state or municipal
government, without distinct per-
mission he must approve or veto the
resolution, bill or whatever it is as
whole proposition.
Next, the common council itself
only has the right to pass upon the
correctness Or incorrectness of the
report of it's proceedings as made up
by it's clerk. This prevails in all
bodies, legislative, fraternal, business,
religious Or corporations
1.-The clerk of the meeting Or pre-
siding officer does not have the right
10 say what they did Gid not do,
that must be decided by the body it.
self and changes if desired made by
1t in due form.
THE case in point now is that the
proceedings of the preceding meet
ing were written up, printed, and put
before the council last night They
were adopted as presented without
any changes Or corrections.
There was a disposition made of
business before the council at is pre- !
vlous meeting. This was presented to
the mayor in typewriter forms as
official, and as it appeared in the |
printed minutes of that meeting it |
vas adopted at the meeting last night |
This written statement, vote or
whatever it may be termed has been |
changed by crossing off several words |
and lines and now differs materially |
from what the council decided was |
done. Tn fact, this matter was divided !
and part supposed to be nullified. This |
is undiSputed.
Il was Informed that the mayor
made this change. 1t has his written
disapprOval on it, and I had every
reason besides the understood word
Of the city clerk to believe that the
mayor made the change 7 am in
formed today by the city clerk
that he is not sure whether
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