Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-23
'C|TY HAS FOUR MAYORS
WITHIN AS MANY HOURS
memphis Sets Up New Record in
Tumult ltcsulting From
Municipal Tanglc.
ECHO OF CUSTER SUIT:
oufgrowth OF Newspaper Crusade. in
Which Officials Arc Charged With
Failure Ia Enforce Laws, and Mis-
conduct i'm Office.

I MEMPHIS. February - Hcureani-
@a'i"n of tn" Memphis Municipal Com
mission to-day gave the city four
! MAYORS within as many hours and re.
suited finally in the election or Thomas
g. Ashcroft capitalist aud former
newspaper man. as head Of the city
government. /" serve the unrxpircd
term Of Edward :. Crump. which viii
end in 1870
tru'np. oustcd from Office last No
Ncnh"r on charges OF failure to en-
!"rcc the prohibition and other state
laws anu prevented from assuming
"i'i'c Tor new term which began Jam
harE J. pendin" II supreme Court de
'IS'on' WAS Installed in "iIcc as Mayor
Ia' IN" morning session Of the com
mission. relieving ". r. M,I.aiu ,'rumu
immediately resigned. aud Il \. u,lcv.
VII" had been installed as vice Mayor
assumed tn" position vacated by
ltrunp. U,lcy's tenure was short
however and while papers in custer
proceedings aCains, him were being
prepared. he rendered his resignation
la' the afternoon session OF the COM
mission. and ASHCROFT WAS elected
KEPT FROM OFFICE
UNDER SAME CONDITIONS
tilcN was c"dcfcudant with Cr,nup
IN the custer suit last November, and
had been prevented from assuming
Office for now term on January
owing to the same conditions which
held IN the crump case. The Supreme
Court decision. handed down ten DAYS
ago. held that Crump and Utlcy were
entitled to take Office for the new
terms, but. in another case. held tina.
failure TO enforce tho laws during a
previous term might he made the ba sis
Tor new custer proceedings In view
iof this ruling, Crump and Utlcy re-
tired.
After the election of Ashcroft as
Mayor. McLain was elected vice Mayor
and fire and police commissioner. O.
I. Love is the only member of the
commission named at the city election
last April the others having been
elected by the commission TO fiji va
,cancies caused by designations.
Another development to-day was the
Ming of custer suits against Utley. w.
~. Stanton. acting city Judge; T. J.
Alfskeal. and Frank c. Rice. county
registrar. They are charged with
knowing and willful misconduct in
office: violation of the statutes involy-
ing moral turpitude. and failure to use
their offices TO uphold the majesty Of
the law"
stanton was ousted from Office with
Crump and Ctiey last November The
previous ejectment will be cited as a
cause OF removal now. The petitions
which were filed by counsel represent
ing the States Attorney-General. will
be heard in Chancery Court on Feb
ruary IS.
~
affairs here is the outgrowth of
newspaper crusade and the publica-
ton OF allegations which charged mis-
conduct In certain branches of both
the governmental and judicial systems
Much Of the criticism was against
the administration OF Mr.. Crump and.
Judge Jesse Ellington, Of the first di- 1
vision OF the County Criminal Court
lnNestie tion OF charges against Judge
tdington resulted in the adoption or
resolutions by an organization OF law
yers asking Governor 7. e Rye TO call
special session Of the Legislature to
consider impea chment proceedings
Judge Ellington. in statement read
from the bench. declared the charges
utterly were without foundation. and
invited a full investigation Of his on
cial conduct,
committee Of lawyers also vas
appointed at a meeting Of Tn" Bar
Association TO inquire into the oni-
cheney Of the second division OF tho
County Criminal Court presided over
by Judge James W. Palmer. and the
Office Of the County Attorney General
L. Newton Estes. Judge Palmer has
since resigned In a statement. he de-
c!ared criticisms against his admins.
tration were untoundcd, but declared
that. in view OF the criticism, he cor
sidcred his usefulness as Judicial
officer impaired.
In addition 10 the custer proceed
ings instituted to-day, a suit seeking
the cjcctment OF j. a. Reichman from
the Office OF sheriff also is pending
The date for the hearing has not been