The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-04-05

On ths slst day 81 March, Nsjor John .. VIZ
hanson. chief Of police, acting upon report
made By commissioa appointed to redIstrict ne
city with view 70 placing more ofdcen on duty
in the rear Of the city, ins6ed an order removing
from he Second District recorders court, the
officers detailed for duty there, and substituting
others IN Their plsceu- The mayor, upon being
informed Of the issuance Of this order. directed
Lieut.. Madden, Of Tie Second District, to suspend
me chiefs order, end retain In the recorders
court the officers At present detailed for duty
there. Lent. Madden accordingly Addressed the
following communication TO the chief Of police:
OFFICE OF LIEUT.. SECOND DlsrR.cr PoIIcz,
April Z. 1865. &
j. J. Williamson. Ksq.. Chief Of Police:
Sir-Ibe order for the change OF court officers
has been suspended BY his honor the mayor.l
Shall place the oficers detailed for conrt duty
respectfully,
(signed t g. MADoEn,
Major Williamson, on the day following this, his
first knowledge Of the mayors action, addressed
to thar official the following communication
OFFICE OF rHs Os.lkF or POLICE,
New Orleans, April 2. lo68. (
u.
Sri have The honor to transmit herewith
an official copy Of communication from Lieut..
Chris. Nsdden. Second District. received 81 this
Office on the LIST inst, IN which l am informed
that an order issued from this office relative 10
change OF detsils in the recorders court has been
suspended by his honor the mayor There being
no record of any such order Instructions as that
alluded 70 by Lieut.. Madden, in this Office the in
formation OF your action IN this regard, coming
from such source, caused some surprise, as it In
rfoot odo Evil of< ff.c
to my experience.
Ii Is not to be supposed that the chief executive
Of tbe city would attempt TO interfere with the
minor duties Of this department. when BY Law the
power IL placed In the hands of its chief. Sec
uon Sd. ordinance No. l6. new series. approved
April 49, 1866. says that the chief of police shall
have general control over the police force. sub
ject to the approval of the mayor. He shall
have power whenever in his opinion the exigen-
cies Of the service require it, to transfer or ex-
change from one district to another any officer.
non-commissioned omcer, or private OF the police
force"
Section 9th Of the same ordinance expressly
directs that the lieutenants of police "shall re-
port TO the chief Of police snd be subject TO his
ORDERS" 800 1i I.il
Please see section fifteen same ordinance. The
evident intent Of section five. above referred to-
Is to prevent any unusual or unwarranted inter.
ference by the mayor Of the city with the details
of police duty, at least without the knowledge Of
the chief. The precedent which would be estzb-
lished BY your honor, even If allowed by law,
(which M the opinion of this department il is
not,) would be- to say the least, q bad one, more
especially as We are now upon the eve OF gen.
eral election, when the entire populace is Iaborinz
under state Of political excitement seldom, II
ever, equaied, when the greatest care and watch
fuiness should be required OF the officers Of police
to control the force under their command. and
prevent their active cooperation with some Of
the many political parties thereby essening their
influence sno cesoy,ne , 81, 70 unanml
soSore when fbis onesiion has sriseo The r;gSs
wa vaived for obvlous reasops. Now the cese Il
sorne What dif5erent. Parties who are not IN anv
Ss:;rs ceftsin orSers from fbis ofca - ~ sn'
nuliec The reasen for sncb desire il rnrsrsnt IN
ali That CERTAIN of3cers N the noce sborid nv
attention TO instrucsons given them Without ~
color Of law, in preference to those which are
bend but that such il the fact cannot be doubled.
II those Who are neraoraIIv inrerssfed =, ~
great politicaI contest now pe1ding desire ~ ma.
nipuafe porion or ali Of he pol7ce force Of this
civ for their own purposes. thew viii And An IN.
surmonnts HE obstacle h their yav in The dster-
mnaf;on of This ofice IN confna the orerssicns 81
The po,ce force m its leotimafe fnncfions ana n
il believed that net ONLY the Law but The viii of
fbe neonle viii rustain tbis Action Verv resoecr.
foil1' vanr oseiient servsnf' '''P'o''
~ - j. J. WILLIAMSON cbsf Of Po,cs
m. .. -. ....,.,,. a. -
Ano mayor, upon feoe"ins 'ns ie''or' a.
dressed the following official communication to
Major williamson:
nsjsr j. J. Williamson. Chief Of Police: ~ Elts
SIR - Yopv order Al I;e,t r,bv;s u,aa.r
changing The ofscers az he Sscond D;.sr,ct ne,
corder's Court. il hereby susnended. From ana
sfter tSis dafs s,I orders cksnS;nr H. cIer ~
cornorals ana serceants If the Malice Scrce iii
need the approvsi Of this once Rssnectful,v :
s-c'' f71s7' : .'''''' n ~ n B. HEzra, nsysf.
His honor also ct once preferred charger
ana speci6cations aoainst the chisf AZ folIovs.