, 1873-01-30

pcnaon authorized by iaw--fhe raid WAalihurn hay-
ill., aiaycr Ind 0onan Council IL p,'rsanee ot nv5
poo Io T. n NV ~ lawfully Of
s % Msyor' II hs %ta M ssa authority to
Fsrnoye any a. aI otceia Of tho poce force, and
tSsn'n os Sssfssn se.rs md p'r"'n n'loed In the
fssrth,-1Isve 10 Mayor by and with thu
e III sf Tho
sa,S lhe to !rses rsS'fi %o
tho oi]lce Of Superintendent?
to s fores1E questions y earnest
JosEru MED1L1, Mayor.
To which tho following reply was reccved'
r... ,.u, ,,.,,,, IAw M DnrAa7MEr4, Jan. 20, ISIS.
sin: % Yoar aostion of Iii, date, with cop!ea
oforders oto ineued by tho Board of Police IL re-
Fe fioin sa IL na sa ~ e
'nitte1, WIZ @ not authorized y laT: ~,
Eme; wS;asn !S, H. & te
rotha third question wc anawer Tint by lilo oct Of tho
general S,i naarsh 1s Y
he ~ ooe at aeS oaers not
by ths peoplc and all ncmbers Of boards, wneher
ID 9S S sasr
sssf; I'D gs;. ss; sts3s ss Fl e Ths
tho gAIne manner rs nther city officers.
TO tho fourth question, Answcr that, in cAsc Of
vacancies in the police force caused by DEATH Eesjgna-
ton, absence, Or rsaoysh you haso tho authority by
act referrcd provides thet "1ayor u ercrV se
sy Ss.n ca r 1te ss ss:s ff ses eas
powers nyon tho Mayor, but imposes upon him very
ss taa' i 'gs saRas
FoEce nry ecd to disorder, either ~ tho force or he
city we urs Of opinophat you would be fully justified
you ,ssaa ssch ordeE vii 10 tae ls e tho police
o0fpersN!'9a y ar,32s Counsel
DIXON REFUSES TO OBEY.
whe7 4 sufficient number OF copios Of tho
ATsyor's proclamation to tho ollcora aud patrol
mon Of ito Police force M had been written, H.
kand. and vent from lis own Office Into TINT OF
scresant SAN. Ellis, Chief Of tho Detective De-
nartmont. Ho found tho sergeant seated ct his
' VA srho Sorgf,ant went in search Of him.
Wi,"n ;1;Yon ontArod, Wnshburn asked him II ho
haaTd ~ HE proclamation isaued by the Mayor.
yha detoc tiYe ropliol that ho know nothing Of
the documt ,at except from Aoarsay.
Il Tho I supo. :inteudent then road from tho paper
b. e pleasa napp Il T1on Would deliver tito proolama
o eonbo y; ho n,s To9%S5 % stno Wn1 was w1pSar pGos
the Superintendent s1iched to hayo tho procla..
nation taIon to Heiptl?g otaco' or to ono Of
The detective Inc uiroa ii the saperintendent p #
personal favor or u official duty:>>>
Washbusn roplol3 TINT compllat1Ca'. would ho
an net OF official lu ~, and would impls' IosPec.
and obod1once to bill as General Snperint. t.sldent
Of Police, not Elmt =. Waahburn, plain ct'-
Dixon asked If ane Superintendent had read
tho Mayors proclaim ntion to each momber Of the
police forco' and geft their individual opinions
The superntendt mt said le Ind not
Tho detective tn gu said that ho did not think
It was proper that he (Di1on), private of tho
sides in quarrel xsaeh did not directly interest
city should ro1nain neutral ind perform its
duty to the' best Of itR ability until
Poiics and the General Superintendent could DO
adjusted. THO men were directly responsible to
their commanding officers, andsaB his command
Ing officer, Sergeant Ellis wssthen present, no
ent Washburn should como through him.
The supe rintendent said @1e was glad to hear
the detective talk out. and Say just what he
tue Question was, would ho (Di1on) oboYy tho Or
dor, Or would lo not9
Dixon replied that he would proter that It
should come through s',rgoanttt Ett;E Ellis
If he would nccopt and enforce the order which
had just becn given to Dixon.
THO Sergeant aaid that he could not DO It. Ho
was acting under Instructions from tho Board
and Acting Superintendent Ward end, from
Whit ho know Of the duties and regulations Of
tho Police Department, no could not understand
how ho could legally obey eny other authority.
respectful to Mr.. Washburn personally.
thcm vas purely official. Ho fcit certain tl1at no
personal affront was intended.
Tho Interview ended at thia point tho Super
intendent going to some distant part TT tho
building, with the copy Of the proclamation still
in his .hand. It soonled to the reporter, from
conducted themnelyes, that they wero on
eass0r ease q tho dyIos M p and respensibiIies @
of their position, without my desire to injnro
view was very pleasant, so far as manner and
language was concerned, aud tho Chief went
away seeming to understand and appreciate tho
delicate position Of bis snbordinates
THE CAPTAINS, .....
At a late hour in tho afternoon, tho three
tCsptcinB wore notified by the Board, through tho
Acting Superintendent, TINT their Attendance
at headanartor1s 1 vas oarnssty dea!rsa Thoy
Gund OF Tho Nord soito, being tho first to arrive.
Ho looked and acted like man whose idoas
upon police mattorB wero in . hopeless state OF
so Rs h 5 aaa tG a fa
vaa pinned on the Board, tho atato
law, and tho city charter. and that he
would stand or tall with those yonerablo institu-
:tions. Fronch Of tho West Division, arrayod In
"a Wilderness Of buo cloth, dotted hore and thore
sssith brass buttona, and With his massive head
Burmountcd by citizon cap TINT looked many
aizes too small for it, propeiied his .port1y por-
son into tho Boara room with grestyioicnco, and
looked around amilingly. Hickey was still nb-
sent, however, md tho Commiesionoru decided
not 70 hold any conforonce until he was present.
PnENcu'a POSITION.
While waiting for tie arrival Of their colleague.
.Gund and French distr!p.tad themselves about
headquarters, aud epoko frao,',y with everybody
who approached them. Thoy haa ..'oard OF tlo
Mayors order to tho officers aud patrolnieen, bit
had not yet Boen 1t. They soomod t6 Ee
aware OF ita tenor, however, and made
90 bonos about saying publicly tint
they would not obey it. French, contrary to all
:proconceiyed notions OF the man, wa1od poetic.
To his imaginative mind the Bonrd Of Police was
Y. rock. It was truo it had grievoua rent in it,
+, ,~so.thirds Of tho massiye geological formation
la 'sGpE beon dotaohel by an explosive document
e. I'll lAIi L.. IL. L..