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Show COMMISSION CANNOT AGREE ON A PURCHASING AGENT Cook and Critchlow Get Two Votes Each; Wells Favors Clawson; Lawrence Blocks Decisive Action. , . , , FOR one hour yesterday tho oity commission tried in vain to agree on the question of a successor to "Warren C. Boguo as purchasing pur-chasing agont. At the conclusion of tho meeting, which broko up with the commissioners farther from an agreement than before, nono would venture ven-ture an opinion aa to what tho outcomo might be. Mayor Samuel C. Park and Commissioner Commis-sioner Richard P. Morris backed David D. Cook, secretary to tho mayor, while Henry W. Lawrence, whoso power ii is to make tho nomination, aa tho purchasing pur-chasing agent is in his department, ta-vored ta-vored John Q. Critchlow. Commissioner Hobcr M. Wells favored Spencer Claw-son, Claw-son, and Commissioner V. Jl. Shearman aunounced that ho would support anyone any-one named by Commissioner Jjawroncc. Commissioner Lawrence omphatically refused to place in nomination the name of Cook under any circumstances, declaring de-claring he believed tho mnyor's, secretary secre-tary was responsible for an articlo in Tho Tribune' yesterday morning in which it was reported that Lawrence had boon inllucnced by his son, George N. Lawrence, to support Critchlow. Lawrence Is Immovable. Mr. Lawrence was asked it ho would nominate Cook in case three other commissioners com-missioners agreed upon him. Ho said that ho would not. The question then arose as to whether anyone but tho Unanco commissioner had any right to make a direct nomination, nomina-tion, inasmuch as the offico is in his department. de-partment. Thero was differenco of opinion on this. Commissioner Morris pointed out that it had been dono in the past, citing tho fact that he had been forced to accept a city engineer two years ago whom ho did not nominate it was pointed out, however, that the j ordinanco provides that the nomination shall bo made by tho commissioner in whoso department the office to bo filled lies. "But in case three of us agroe to support Cook how are we going to bring his namo before us if Mr. Lawrence will not nominate him?" asked Commissioner Commis-sioner Wells. Nobody appeared to have tho answer, and when the meeting adjourned ad-journed tho question was still an issue. On it may depend the outcome of the light. Explanation Is Made. When tho mooting began Commissioner Commis-sioner Lawrence asked that all tho newspaper men bo presont, as ho wished to make a statement rclativo to tho article in The Tribune. He thon produced pro-duced tho applications of twenty-tour candidates and road them all to the commission. Having dono with this he took from his pocket a copy of The Tribune, and turning to the article m in question proceeded to an explanation of why he had nominated Karl A. Scheid, a rclativo of his by marriage, for city recorder. Mr. Lawrence said that he had refused re-fused at first to nominate Scheid "bo-cause "bo-cause of the relationship between them, but that ho had finally given in to the urgings of other commissioners and business men and had named him. "But did you not make the statement state-ment at tho caucus before the appointment appoint-ment was made that you would not voto for Scheid unless there were threo other votes for him besides yours?" queried Richard P. Morris. Mr. Lawrence admitted, having made tho statement, "but went on at great length to explain that ho behoved Scheid was the best man for the position, po-sition, and when it became apparent that two other commissioners wcro in favor of Scheid ho yielded to pressure and submitted Scheid for the position. Morris Cites Record. "'But at tho caucus there was only one vote for Scheid," Morris insisted. "The mayor and myself were for Ben E. Roberts, Commissioner Wells was for David Cook and Shearman cast the only voto for Scheid." The implied question in Commissioner Morris's statement and the insinuation it carried went unanswered. The finance commissioner attempted no further explanation expla-nation of the Scheid matter, but proceeded proceed-ed to denounce tlic article In The Tribune which set out that his son had Influenced him to vote for Critchlow for purchasing agent. : Mr. I-jiwrenco passed the article around to those commissioners who had not seen It. and said: "I believe I know who Influenced the printing of that article, but 1 wish to say that nobody has any Snllucnce over me. George N. JLawrenco has no more Influence Influ-ence than any mnn would have. I believe be-lieve that article is a direct attempt to iiitlucncu tho nomination now to come before be-fore the commission, but 1 am not afraid of anybody and no newspaper la irolns to scare me " Mr. Lawrence pounded the tablo as he spoke, with a great show of Indignation, Indigna-tion, windlns: up by nominating John Q. Critchlow. Silence ;is absolute ns that of tho sphynx sottled upon the meotlnpr. No vote was called for, not. even tho llnnnca commissioner appearing eager to forco that nomination to an Issue, How to make any other nomination in vlcv of the ordinance giving Mr. Lawrence that right exclusively, was the puzzle before tho commissioners who had other candidates candi-dates to support. Finally Commissioner Morris broke the silence by asking If Lawrenco would agree to recommend any one of the candidates If threo other members mem-bers of the commission agreed upon one. Objects to Cook. "Yes," responded Lawrence. "But wait," he added quickly. "I won't recommend Mr. Cook, because I believe be-lieve he Is responsible for that article In The Tribune. I will not nominate him." The other commissioners were astounded astound-ed by this accusation. They wero speechless for a moment. Then a newspaper news-paper man volunteered a statement that Cook had absolutely no connection with the article and that Cook's ilrst knowledge knowl-edge of it was whon It was published. The mavor and several others corroborated corrob-orated this statement, but the finance commissioner did not retract nor qualify his statement, and steadfastly refused to consider Cook for nomination. After another lapse of silence, Mr. Lawrence declared that he would take no unfair advantage and that he would drop tho name of Critchlow from the list, as well as that of Cook, He called for expressions ex-pressions from the commissioners on some of the other twenty-odd candidates. This gave Commissioner Heber M. Wells an opportunity to nominate Spencer Clawson, though ho did not do so until after he had asked whether anyone besides be-sides the finance commissioner had a right to make a nomination. This question ques-tion was not answered, but it was Inferred In-ferred that If the flnanco commissioner could not recommend a man who would receive three votes then It woukLbo up to tho commission as a whole to choose a man. Other Nominations. Wells having broken the ice. so to speak, other nominations were In order. Commissioner Morris nominated Cook. Commissioner Lawrence mentioned the name of Arthur J. Lowe. A written ballot bal-lot was then suggested. The result wns two votes for Cook, one for Clawson. one for Lowe and Commissioner Shearman's ballot read "for whoever Mr. Lawrence nominates." After tho mayor had read oft the ballots bal-lots the commissioners sat and stared at each other for several minutes. Nobody seemed to know what to do next. "Well, shall wo keen on balloting until somebody gets a majority?" tho mayor Anally asked. The others thought this a loo tedious method. Commissioner Wells then asked Commissioner Com-missioner Lawronco If ho would renominate re-nominate Critchlow if three other commissioners com-missioners would express their preference prefer-ence for him. Lawrence consented' to this and a second ballot on tho question of whether Critchlow would qualify for the nomination was taken. The result wns threo "yes" and two "no." For a moment it appeared that Critchlow Critch-low was to bo the purchasing agent. Mr. Lawrence remarked that he would bring in Crltchlow's name at tho next regular meeting, but Commissioner Wells spoko up Immediately, declaring that Critchlow Critch-low had not qualified under tho agreement agree-ment that ho was to obtain the votes of threo commissioners other than Lawrence. Law-rence. Difference Arises. Mr. Lawrence said he did not understand under-stand the agreement that way. but "Wells Insisted that such had been his understanding under-standing when he voted "yeB" on the proposition. Mr. La.wrence conceded the point after the other commissioners had sided -with Wells. The finance commissioner's commis-sioner's apparent victory faded into defeat. de-feat. Ho was beaten by the strategy of tho park commissioner, who proved by his affirmative voto on the Critchlow proposal that even with his own candidate candi-date out of the raco Critchlow could not obtain the requisite threo votes other than that of Lawrence. At this juncture Commissioner Morris moved an adjournment. As tho matter now stands, apparently Critchlow Is out of tho race and a whole troop of dark horses are after tho plum. Of those It was rumored last night that George WJnsness, one of the applicants having strong recommendations and Indorsements, In-dorsements, may win. The backers of Mr. Cook have not quit tho fight, however. Neither has Com missioner Wells lost sight of tho possibility possi-bility of naming Spencer Clawson. It was considered probable last night that either Mr. Wells would side with the mayor and Morris for Cook or that Morris Mor-ris and Park would side with Wells for Clawson. What The Tribune Said. The story in The Tribune of Thursday Thurs-day morning, which aroused tho ire of Commissioner Lawrence, was as follows: fol-lows: It is expected that the city com-mlsslonerg com-mlsslonerg will today select a successor suc-cessor to Warren C. Boguc, city purchasing pur-chasing agent, who resigned In order to accept the intermountain agency for an Ohio fire apparatus company. While a number of applications for the place havo been received by the commissioners, tho cholco Is said to lie between David D. Cook, presont Becretary to Mayor Samuel C. Park, -and John Q. Critchlow, who -was an unsuccessful candidate for tho city recordershlp, to wliich Karl A. Scheid, a wealthy business man, wan rhosen after receiving tho rccommon- datlon of Commissioner Henry W. Lawrence, his uncle. Mayor Park and Commissioner n. P. Morris are a:ild to favor Cook for tho purchasing agency, while Commissioner Com-missioner W. H. Shearman is expected ex-pected to vote with Commissioner Lawrence, who Is thought to havo decided upon Critchlow. The purchasing pur-chasing agent as well as tho city ro-cordor ro-cordor are In tho general division of city departments under tho supervision supervi-sion of Mr. Lawrence. Critchlow s known to bo a close personal frlond of George N. Lawrence, Law-rence, who Is said to havo influenced , his father In Critchlow'n behalf. Commissioner Hcbor M. Wells, It is naidf has not yet expressed a preference pref-erence for purchasing agent, and it is believed his will bo tho determining vote. |