There was one empty seat at the City Council meeting Monday night. Absent was the third-term councillor who once spoke for big business and developers' rights; silent was the leading voice of opposition to rent control.

Embarrassment to the city and the loss of one of few property-owners' advocates were the primary concerns for Cantabrigians in the six days after Councillor William H. Walsh's indictment on 59 counts of bank fraud and conspiracy.

But the indictment and yesterday's arrest of the influential official may mark more than the political demise of an Independent icon. Walsh, whether innocent or guilty, has tarnished the reputation of the Independent camp, a close-knit block on the council that presents itself as the standard-bearer of traditional conservative politics and values.

Though Walsh legally retains his seat on the council, observers say that he is effectively no longer a city official.

The Independents will try to distance themselves politically from Walsh, while the left-of-center Cambridge Civic Association (CCA) will try to use the incident to its political advantage, observers predict.

"The CCA would seize on anything to further their own interests. That's life and that's politics," said Al W. LaRosa, who served as a councillor Leonard J. Russell.

Glenn S. Koocher '71, the host of a local political talk show, predicted that the CCA will use the indictment to stigmatize the remaining Independent councillors, Sheila T. Russell and Walter J. Sullivan, who have publicly expressed loyalty to Walsh.

"There has never been a CCA councillor indicted and [the CCA] will try and make the most of this," Koocher said.

Sullivan and Russell refused to comment on the Walsh affair, saying only that it is "unfortunate."

Immediately after the indictment was issued, the CCA distanced itself and its five endorsed councillors from the incident. "The CCA has been opposing Bill Walsh and his style of politics for years," said CCA Executive Director David R. Leslie '69 last Thursday.

"What we want to make clear is how very far apart we are from Councillor Walsh," he added, saying the CCA-backed politicians can "stand tall and untarred."

Even some of the groups which comprised the bedrock of Walsh's constituency have backed away from the embattled councillor, trying to avoid the cloud of corruption hanging over their advocate.

"Councillor Walsh has been the most vocal anti-rent control councillor for several years and for that we are grateful," said Denise A. Jillson, co-chair of the Small Property Owners' Association.

However, Jillson added that the group has avoided aligning itself too closely with Walsh because "we knew there was an investigation going on and we did not want to go down with him."

But both Independent and CCA supporters say that Walsh, and the two-year probe into his financial dealings, have already brought down at least one city official. That casualty is former City Clerk Joseph P. Connarton, who was an investor in a Walsh condominium project.