The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-09-24
MAYOR AGAIN
AT 0xF0RD,0.
SANITARIUM
City's Chief Executive, Ac-
companied by Three Men,
Put Into Automobile and
Taken Away for Treatment.
RESULTS OF EXCESSES?

The city of Richmond is again with
out the services of its chief executive,
Mayor w. w. Zimmerman.
Escorted from his home on North
Seventh street by three men, Thurs
day morning, Mayor Zimmerman was
placed in an automobile and then
driven to Oxford, O., where, II is un-
derstood, he was placed in q SAINT
tarlum. 1t is not known how long
Mayor Zimmerman will be a patient
at the institution
Last July Mayor Zimmerman was
given a 80 days leave Of abence by
the city council. He went to Oxford
and. it is understood, entered the same
sanltarlum to which he was admitted
Thursday.
Nervous Collapse Is Cause.
1t Is generally known that intemper-
| ate excesses, complicated by a severe
mead wound received from fall in his
ONCE following an attack made upon
MIN by unknown robbers, according
10 a statement made at the time by
the mayor, brought about a nervous
collapse last July which determined
the mayor to temporarily abandon his
on1cial duties and enter an institution
to receive medical attention for an In.
definite period
Although he had been granted a
80 days leave of absence last July,
mayor zimmerman remained, at the
oxford sanitarium less than a month.
During his absence a complication in
the affairs Of the municipal govern
ment was brought about by the resig
nation of Harry Gilbert as president
or the board of works, and of Byram
e. Robbins as city attorney.
impeachment Was Discussed.
At the time certain members of
council seriously discussed bringing
impeachment proceedings against the
mayor. On his sick bed at Oxford.
Mayor Zimmerman defied council to
take such action when a special conf
mlttee of citizens called upon him to
discuss city affairs.
The citizens committee suesesteJ
to the mayor that he appoint Matt
Won Pein to succeed Mr. Gilbert, and
Mr. Keller to succeed Mr.. Robbins
Ihls the mayor readily agreed to, and
the plan of attempting to impeach
the mayor was discarded.
After receiving treatments for ona
month, Mayor Zimmerman returned tn
Rlchmond, appearing robust and re-
treshed ,and resumed his Official d,;
ties, and, incidentally, his feud with
council.
Says He Can Leave When.
At the first council meeting over
which he presided following his return
from Oxford, the mayor curtly inform
ed council that in his capacity as
mayor he could leave the city at his
own will and that while the 90 day
leave given him by council was ap-
preciated. it was not required as he
did not have to have councils per
mission to abandon temporarily his
official duties
The mayor at he same time stated
that he did not believe it would be
necessary for him to again leave the
city to receive medical treatment, but
that if he was required to do so at any
time he would feel that he had the
right to remain away from his post the
90 days remaining of his leave of
absence
Showed Autocratic Attitude.
/ Later Mayor Zimmerman while at
tending meeting of the board Of
public works, asserted that he wanted
it understood, that he was mayor of
Richmond and that he would not toler-
ate council debating the method to be
pursued in making necessary i'm
provements to the municipal electric
plant. He said the improvements
would be carried out according to his
own ideas or not at all.
1t is stated by those who are we'll
acquainted with Mayor Zimmerman
that within the past week or 10 days
he has lapsed back to former habits
which, it is alleged, brought about his
nervous collapse last summer
City officials expressed no surprise
when they learned Thursday that
Mayor Zimmerman had again been
taken to oxford for medical treat
ment.