San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-17
IGNORE ORDER
/ ROM MAYOR To
SUSPEND THREE
Principals in City Hall Fist
Fights Are Still on
\ the Payroll.
FOUNG In OLD JOB
eieden Withdraws Order
\ Which Resulted in
Encounters.
'OUNG in OLD JOB

4 Despite instructions issued to Com
{issioner William o. Rie1en by Mayor
Hack, Tuesday afternoon, ordering the
Lspension of City Engineer ID. d. Har-
gan, Frank Young, an employe OF the
liver department, and J. H. Sullivan,
checker in the engineering department,
Blowing a three-eornered fight, at least
70 OF the men were performing their
egular duties Wednesday. City En-
neer Harrigan despite the suspension
.der, remained at his desk all day
tuesday and Frank Young was on the
BIB Wednesday. Although Sullivan
build not be located, it was intimated
A the city engineers office that he
as still on the job.
/ Inquiry at the mayors office ELECTED
be information that though the mayor
/ nd issued written instructions to the
rect commissioner shortly after the
[ght Tuesday TO suspend all concerned.
4 conference had been held later and
he suspension held up. This confer
1 bee, it was intimated, took the form of
love feast" being participated in by
he mayor. city engineer and others.
Asked Wednesday morning If he had
the city engineer. Commits
| oner Rieden stated emphatically that
had not.
But didn't you receive instructions
&om the mayor to suspend himT the
Sreet commissioner was asked.
Did Not Heed Mayors Order.
tEtre." the street commissioner re-
M d. "The letters on my desk now.
don't believe, however, that the mayor
his any authority to suspend anyone
my department. The city engineer
on the job and everything is quiet."
/ Other officials at the city hall, among
lem the city engineer, also take the
bsition that Mayor Black is without
|lthority to suspend Mr.. Harrigan. In
|lpport of this contention they quote
Ection II of the city charter which
|,ovides that "any appointive officer or
|nploye may be removed or discharged
lilly by a majority vote of the commits
|oners on charges preferred in writing
lid after a public hearing OF such
|harges by said commissioners"
While it was conceded that this pro-
/ sion of the charter might not apply
i Young and Sullivan, the other two
PARTICIPANTS in Tuesdays bout, Mr.. Har-
| gan stated that he would not insist
Ia Young's suspension on that score.
|he city engineer intimated, however,
hat he might ask for Young's dismis-
In on other grounds. AS Sullivan was
|pt the aggressor in the second fight
tuesday, it is not believed that the
after will be pressed against him. The
ayor and street commissioner, 1t is
klieyed, are anxious to have the mat
r dropped.
Frank Young, whose appointment TO
he supervision of the entire sewer de-
brtment brought on the row Tuesday,
as restored to his former status by
commissioner Rieden Wednesday. A
signed by the street
and addressed to Mr..
Dung reads as follows:
Young Takes Old Position.
"This is to advise you that the in
|ructions contained in my letter Of the
bth instant are hereby cancelled. You
|ill revert TO your former status in
barge of sewer construction by city
brces only"
The letter of the 18th referred to
as, one signed by Commissioner RE
.1i, VllCu pldCtu lOunS III luli Cuul &c
the sewer department which prior
that time had been under the super
| sion of the city engineer. The city
bgineer, upon receipt of the letter, con-
Eonted Young with it, asking him if he
hd written it or had it written. 1t was
hen that the fight followed.
Commissioner Rieden insisted We'd
|esday that the differences between the
|ty engineer and him have been ad-
listed, although it is known that he
|rrived at his office Wednesday morn
he, determined 20 ask the city engineer,
lr his resignation. The city engineer,
is understood, intends remaining on
he Job until some formal action is
/ ken by the council. He takes the po-
|tion that neither the mayor nor the
rect commissioner can suspend or dis
barge him until the term Of the pres
ht administration expires. Officials at
he city han, however, are hoping that
be controversy will be settled and that
brmony will be restored.