The Cambridge City Council spent an angry two hours Monday night arguing over Acting City Manager Ralph J. Dunphy's removal of City Solicitor Andrew T. Trodden.

Three councilors--Edward A. Crane '35, Thomas W. Danehy, and Alfred E. Vellucci--denied Trodden's charges that they had illegally pressured Dunphy for his dismissal. Two weeks ago, Trodden said he felt that the council majority--including the three--had followed an illegal procedure in the removal of former City Manager Joseph A. DeGuglielmo '29.

Dunphy maintained that he simply wanted to select his own city solicitor--his "right arm." He expressed no dissatisfaction with the legal abilities of Trodden, a friend since their school days together. A new solicitor has not yet been named, but Dunphy said he had two men in mind for the job. He said he had no present plans to remove any other City officials, and promised to meet with the council in executive session if he should decide to fire anyone else.

Explanations

Trodden and DeGuglielmo's three council supporters did not accept Dunphy's explanation. One of the councillors--Daniel J. Hayes Jr. moved unsuccessfully to dismiss Dunphy.

Invited before the council by Hayes, Trodden presented his account of the firing which, he said, occurred last Friday.

Dunphy--"They have been after me night after night wanting to know if I had fired you."

Trodden: "Who told you to fire me?"

Dunphy: "The Big Guy."

Trodden: "Who, Ed Crane?"

Dunphy: "Yeah, you don't know what I've been through."

Trodden: "Who else asked you to fire me?"

Dunphy: "Vellucci kept on me and the guy from North Cambridge."

Trodden: "Who, Hayes?"

Dunphy: "No, the other guy, Danehy."