OCR Text |
Show COUNCILMAN BS TO BE OUSTED Geo. Graves Serves Notice on City Auditor to Stop the Pay of th Councilman of the First Ward, Claiming Austin is Disqualified Political Treason Said to be the Cause of the Action Taken. I This morning a communication was filed with the City Auditor, protesting against the pa)nient of any further salary to Councilman Austin of the First ward. The communication claims that Austin Is dlsqiialilied from holding hold-ing any onVe in the City of Ogden by reason of the fact that lie is employed em-ployed by a corporation that does business busi-ness by virtue of a franchise granted by the city. The communication read-5 as follows: I "Ogden, Utah. Feb. 11, 1910. "Mrs. Florence ONell Stanford, City Auditor. City. "Dear Madam: I hereby give yon notico that I protest against the payment pay-ment of any further salary to Councilman Coun-cilman John Austin, councilman from tho First ward, rpon the ground that he is and was Ineligible to bold said office at the time of his election, and nt the present time, and that ho Is employed by the railroad companies running Into Ogden, and was so employed em-ployed at the time of taking his seat, which companies are operating under franchises granted by Ogden City, ?nd under the constitution any employee of a corporation so operating is absolutely abso-lutely pred'tdod from holding office. I therefore notify you not only to refuse to pay any further salary, but. in case you do so I shall bo compelled to take action against ourfcelf and your bondsman, and also to have your office declared vacant. This is not a threat, and I do not desire to he considered con-sidered so, but is made for the purpose pur-pose of advising ou what action I intend to pursue. "I hope It will be unnecessary for us to have any controversy over the matter. Yours truly. (Signed) G. A. GRAVES." It is claimed that Councilman Austin, Aus-tin, In a committee of prominent Republicans Re-publicans of thla city, voted to kl'.e Geo. A. Graves the office of fire ohh ', and that Mr. Austin congratulate,! Mr. Graves In the presence of fm ly-sevcn leading Republicans of Ogden on having hav-ing received the unanimous endorsement endorse-ment of said forty-seven Republican.-, which Included the Republican executive execu-tive committee, and such congratulations congratula-tions wore performed in an audlblo voice, together with the shaking of hands, which was greeted with great applause The rejection hy the City Council of the appointment of Chief Graves a Are blcf was brought aboi:t by Councilman Coun-cilman Austin refusing to support Graves. It is said that Mr. Graves looked at Councilman Austin's .action ns political treason and treachery, and so that when he discovered that tho councilman had no right to hold officii in Ogden City, he felt It his duty to take steps toward having the First ward represented by some one who s qualified. Just what further action will lo taken after the serving of notice iM$ paper has not been advised. The reporter- fried to get into columunl'd-tion columunl'd-tion with Chief Graves over the telephone, tele-phone, but Mr. Graves refused to talk. One week ago one of the coMDfil-men coMDfil-men was Instructed to withdraw Mr. Graves' name should It bo presented, again as fire chief. From that It ma be taken for granted that Mr. Graves is out of the race, and that nw there is no compromising, and that It will be a fight to the finish. |