Perth Amboy evening news., 1917-01-03
DEMOCRATS START COURT
FIGHT To KEEP JOBS
tContinued from page 1.)


When asked this morning as to his
opinion on the matter, Former Judge
Adrian Lyon said that he thought
Wights stand was well taken, and
| that the law as far as he had looked
| into it, was on the side of Wight as
| city attorney. He admitted that he
had not gone very deep into the mat
| ter, but said that he believed that it
| would be covered by similar cases
which have been set as a precedent
Mr.. Wight is making a fight upon
| his own initiative. He claims it is not
political and concerns nobody but
himself. He feels that under the law
he Is entitled to three-year term as
| city attorney and he therefore wants
| 1T. He gave notice to the council last
night and notified City Attorney Leo
Goldberger that he would institute
proceedings and that the city would
be spared from expense and trouble,
| so far as he was concerned, but that
Mr.. Goldberger would be held respon-
sible for the costs, damages, etc.
! Collector of Revenue Matthew T.
Smith today made it plain that it was
not his intention of helping to bring
| the affairs of the city into any legal
tangle in order to hold his position.
He declared that 1t was a case of
| technicality being involved, he did not
want to hold the Office against the Re-
publicans, but on the other hand, if
| ne was legally entitled to three-year
term, he felt that he should have it.
He has not started any proceedings,
has not engaged counsel and at the
present time has no intention of fight
| ing. He realizes that alth hough the
| Republicans had passed the law in
| question in 1904 to protect certain Re-
publican officeholders in this city, it
appeared that they did not want him
in office longer than Jan. 1, 1917, and
i he is not inclined to hold the office
| against their wishes upon any techni-
cality.
| City Treasurer Rhodes appears in
clined to fight to retain his position
He claims that his case is identical
! with that of Mr.. Wight. Neither MIR.
Smith nor Mr.. Martin are certain of
| 1nstituting proceedings. Mr.. Smith
states his name was mentioned to
Lawyer Brown as a probable contes-
| tant just prior to the council meeting
last night and before the subject had
received mature consideration. He
has been given some legal advice
from various attorneys and indicates
that he may seek higher authority
before making up his mind.
Several of the new Republican ap-
LaRoe Immediately after the alder
manic meeting last night. Mr.. Walk
er will probably take charge as COL
lector of revenue February 1. Mr.
Hanson is likely to begin acting as
city clerk early next week Mr.
Munoz, elected by vote of four for
three years, at a salary of $500,
was sworn in as street commissioner
today and is preparing to take charge
as such official. Mr.. Walker, who
was elected by a vote of four for
three years, at salary of $4,000
year, was sworn in last night. Mr.
Hanson, elected by a similar vote and
for similar term, at a salary of $3.50
and fees, has not been sworn in as
yet. Leo Goldberger, also elected for
three years by a vote Of four, at
salary of $1,000, was sworn in last
night. Former Mayor Garretson,
salary Of
in up to