The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-07-10
INCREASED poLICE FORCE.
The Racket Mr.. smiths Resolution
CanEcd ia the Committee.

Caused ia the Committee. Z,
The Council Police Committee met at th
City Building last evening, and had quite
lively session. After disposing Of feV
bills, the resolution offered by Councilman
Smith, OF the Seventh ward, presented sev
eral weeks since, providing for five add
tional policemen, was taken up. Capt. Ben
nett was on hand to favor The resolution ant
show the necessity for recommending III,
increase to Council. He showed that since
the men had been put on the night turr
the streets have been more orderly, aud the
robberies only two or three in number
True, no robbers had as yet been captured
but the Committee rhust remember thai
the system. had been in vogue but two
weeks, aud that the thieves, knowing Off.
Cers 10 be 90 the watch, were more wary
lie showed that the number OF arrests had
been larger, that the fines and costs collect.
cd since two or three men had been added
few months since, had more than paid
the salaries Of the force, aud that last
month alone there was surplus Of over
$500. He further went on to say that while
the night force wasa suooess the day force
was dismal failure. He had forr
men for the day turn and it WAS an utter
impossibility for them 10 properly guard a
city over four miles long and with $4,000
inhabitants, The idea that they could was
lvdiCrogs, and unless he had additional
men, he thought the wisest thing would be
to put them on with the night force or dis.
pense with tho night force and put all on
during the day.
Mr.. Clator, Of the Third ward, Is mem.
ber OF this committee, and It is gall a1d
wormwood 10 him that the committee nGs
no more authority over the Chief and his
men than il has-w&ich is very little,
Here was chance for the committee 10
get in its work. He oppoged the rcsolu-
ton, and opposed it vigorously. He harp
cd on the fact that the committee did not
control the force, and when Captain BEN
nett answered, Mr.. CIator wanted 10 know
il in addition to running the police the
Captain run the committee.
To this the Captain very wisely paid no
attention, and the committee proceeded y
discuss matters. Finally il thought that 1t
would be well enough to let affairs run
month longer and see what the result
would be, aud the resolution was voted
down. Every well, gentlemen" said Ben.
nett, as he rose to 80, ~ shall keep men
on during the night time, and il there is a
howl during the day time and cry OF
where are the police?' or il any one suffers
loss during the day, blame yourselves
For over Two years had them on dur.
ing the day and kept them on from
. a. N. to l and 2 AN I'll give you a
pointer-I'm not going to do that again.
The men are human and must have sleep,
and they shall have it, too. Here Mr.. Cha.
tor made kick about the committee hav-
ing nothing to do with the force. As for
anyone's suffering, he hesuppo:el that either
the city or the pVOpe would suffer, ,but that
didn't worry him apparently. In the mean.
time Mr.. Healy bad moved that an
addition Of three men be made, and that
motion prevailed, Mr.. Clator vo!ing
against it.
Capt. Bernstt was found in wroihy
stite over the way Clator had talked. "By
the great born spoon" said he, ''itmakes
me mad when talk business, to have a
man kid me. What does he kick at
every thing for? It's that wav with nearly
everything that comes up in Council. It's
enough TO make one tired. BY JUve
I've worked bard TO get an efficient
force 10 protect the city day and
night I've asked for men until I'm sick
Of 1t and am going TO quit asking. l Just
want them TO give me enough mento look
after things in tho day time, Why, if1
had hundred men it wouldn't be any
more money in my pocket Without doubt
this Council for kickers is as bad as the old
one,"