The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-11-17

ium ana y. n. Rafheld.
The minutes OF the regular meeting
OF October 2sth, and special meetings
of October eth and OF November End
were read and approved.
The police report for the month Of
october was read, showing 160 ar
rests Tor various cluses, and a total
collection OF $i,sS6.50 in fines.
Mr. Hargrove, representing the At
lantic Coast Line. appeared before
council, seeking relief OF the part OF
that road, from persons riding bicy-
ciee on railroad property In and
around the passenger depot, and ne
groes beating rides of. freight out OF
Sumter. The mayor stated that he
was not sure Rs to what sreps could he
taken ~ the city t. prevent sue In
matters, but would look into same
and present tho findings at the next
regular meeting of council. at which
time further action would be taken
Mr. n. T.. wnder. ehieg OF the fire
department, made request for an in
crease In the salary OF Mr. o. III. Nc
KaEen, senior truck driver but the
increase was not entertained by
council at this time.
Mr. Gentry was present, and sub
mitted the proposition OF opening a
dance hall In the city, two dances to
be given each week under his man
agement, and requesting council TO
nx license covering same The mat
ter was discussed at some length and
Mayor jennings favored making a
nat rate OF $50 until January lst.
1871. Councilman Raffield suggested
that Mr.. Gentry organize social Grub
which was permissible. and thereby
obvlate' the nee essity for a license
which suggestion was accepted.
. A letter from Mr.. ID, J. Winn, dated
October 2sth! In which he makes com =
plant about Il, certain oak tree having
been cut down and sawed up, and
also about the donation o. a certain
pisce nf land to straighten Purdy
shcet. was read TO council and re-
ceived as information.
The clerk read a letter from
former Street superintendent. G. Il.
hnggins, asking to be re-instated,
which request was acted upon when
deciding the case OF Mr. Terry. the
present street superintendent, who Is
10 be relieved by Mr.. Huggins on No
yember 18TH Council directed that
Mr.. Terry be paid his salary TO jan
uary I, 1921 due TO the heavy ex-
pense incurred by him In coming 20
Sumter.
Tho resignation OF Howard Still
well as city manager. was read TO
council. but as such resignation was
rcouched I'm language misleading TO
the general public. In the acceptance
OF same. II was decided to make ,hc
following comment foI the benefit OF
the citizens OF sumter:
Mr.. StiliwclTs resignation was not
voluntary. but after consldcrlng sew
eral matters i'm correction with his
actions as city manager. ccurcil no.
tilted him that his services would no
longer be needed, but permitted him
40 tile his resignation. Some of the
reasons actuating council taking this
Hep were as foll,Ys;
In one instance. without consulting
council. the manager traded off one
of the city's mules for n horse for
the use OF the street superintendent
Another instance was that the man
agcr directed the clerks office not 10
charge any minimum for electricity,
nut only for the current actually con-
sumcd. This was also done without
consulting council aud when council
iHquircd OF the Cry manager why this
change was made. he most positively
denied that he had authorized the
change. but the evidence produced was
absolutely conclusive against the
statement OF city manager. and he
was notified that council did not aC-
Cept his word, and ir tact was abso-
Iutcy satisfied th; I his statements IN
reference to the aban dOnmen. of the
m n mi oh
were absolutely false: and In many
other instances. where the question OF
Neracity came up. council was salts
ned that the manager had not ad-
hcred TO the truth. ard II had reach
ed the point where council could place
no coincidence In his statements
All of this was bad enough, how
ever. and convinced council tnat Mr.
Stillwen was not the proper person
TO mold the position of city man
ager. Further. II wak brought TO tho
cuentior OF council by the city clerk,
Mr.. j. w. BrGnson, that there were
certain telephone bills which Mr..
Stillweu had approved for payment
hs proper charges against the city.
ana had directed the clerk to charge
such telephone messages 10 different
departments on the City's books. but
believing that these charges were i'm .
proper. the clerk submitted thu mat.
ter TO council Rhd vas instructed To-
investigaro further. and upon com
plction OF such Investigation IL was
found that these messages referred
20 were messages phoneL Ivy Mr..
Stillvell to his wife In Atlanta. On
whereupon Mr.. StiliwelI being inter.
viewed by COUNCIL I'm reference tc snme
could give no SatisfactOry explana-
ton, but stated that the charge,, ,,srrc
In error. but council was thor,uRhI,
satisfied that thy we're not errors
and 50 notified NJ stlllweli, direetlnp
his attention tn tae fact that he haG
Approved mach of theaa s,nn,.1 a..