Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1920-04-23
City Hall DoingS

All of the Commissioners were in
their seats on time yesterday, April y,
and it was butA few minutes after two
O'Clock when the meeting opened.
Owing to illness, the city clerk was
absent. Commissioner Ryan stated
that she was suffering from a nervous
breakdown caused by the excitement
and worry incident to the approaching
election. The filing OF petitions, etc,
does place an extra amount OF work on
the clerk, and then, too, the political
excitement that is in the air every
where seems to be infectious, and
everybody's nerves are more or less on
edge. No wonder Helen Geisenberger
got sick, and after the election is over,
more nervous breakdOwns may be
looked for.
w. Courtright Smith, managing sec
rotary OF the Board Of Trade, offered
to read the minutes OF the previous
meeting but his offer was not accepted.
Commissioner Ryan made a motion
that the reading OF the minutes be post
poned for one week. This motion pre-
vailed.
A committee of High school seniors,
consisting of Ruth Townsend, Eliza
beth Eldredge, Marian Brineshults
and Clarence Adds, called upon the
commissioners to request the free use of
Third ward Fire hall for a dance to be
given by the senior class on Saturday
night, May Sth, Permission to use
the hall was granted. The proceeds OF
the entertainment will be used in de-
fraying the expenses OF a trip the grad
uating class this year will take to
Washington, d. 9.
A jubilant and defiant attitude was
assumed by the commissioners yester-
day, and by other officials connected
with city hall. Joe Brown was there,
proud as a cock, and with bells on him.
He displayed a big roll of greenbacks
and wanted to bet the poor JOURNAL
reporter $50 that Smith, Ryan and
Hendee would be reelected. The re-
porter was stunned, and objected to
the offer. The reporter is opposed to
betting and told Brown so sharply.
Such a brazen occurrence made the re-
porter feel as if he was in a gambling
den. How long, oh people! are you
going to stand for such braZen bravado
as this; and within the sacred precincts
of city hall? Brown is not only sure
that the old Commissioners will go
back again, but he is also sure Of re-
appointment as water superintendent,
and in addition will have charge of the
removal of garbage. Mayor Smith also
boosted that himself, Ryan and Hen
dee would be reelected. He is so sure
about it that he almost begged the re-
porter to announce the result in today's
issue of the JOURNAL. The Mayor in
formed the reporter that an under
standing or lineup had been effected
between himself and Ryan and Hen
dee-and that meant that the old trio
would go back again for a third term.
The reporter wanted to know If the
Mayor ex expected q tip from the press
for this advance information? When
the JOURNAL reporter ~reproached Hen-
dee for weakening, the street commits
sioner said: "Nell, what else could |
do, Mr.. Leiby? The other side threw
down." Mr.. Hendee had solemnly
assured the reporter about q week ago
that he "would never go back with the
Mayor; that can never be-" The re-
porter's feelings can be better imagined
than described, at this sudden weak
ening of the street commissioner, and
al the Kaleidoscope turn of events.
The JOURNAL man was mad clear
through and he fought the whole
bunch single handed. He gave them
to understand that money wasn't GO
ing TO cut much ice in this cam paign
and that the vest pocket voters were
going to decide this fight. The Mayor
told the reporter as blandly and as
innocently as a child that "any man
who would buy a vote would be capa-
BILE of doing most anything else that
was wicked" The reporter spoke Of
detectives being already on the ground
in disguise. The Mayor replied that
he himself would have four detectives
here on election day to see that moth
ing crooked was pulled off.
The Mayor further said he had heard
that the Harris, Bright, Culver COM
bine had a slush fund of 2,00C or more.
AS to the existence or size of the ad-
ministrstion slush fund the Mayor was
ominously silent. The corrupt use of
money i'm elections is one of the mOat