Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-06-05

Yesterday morning, owing 20 tie late
mess e. the ho1E when the CooHcil adj
i<uarnsd, our rsportss vas compelled 10
e'ss his report Of ths impeachment pro
Greetings against Chief Wsolsry of a
the elsss Of yodes Lswis' opsniBe re-
marks on behalf Of the cbisf. 1hs
Jzdgs vas followed BY
CITY ATTORNEY HAxToED,
Who feplisa 70 the obiectiSos 70 The
ar4ieisa Of impeachment and charges
made By Mr.. Woolary's attorneys a.
follows:
. "In regard to Article nrss, where Il il
charged that on April IL, lss5, Jshs
Lear, the Mayor. lawfully commanded
end directed the Chief Of Police 10 a.
eertais the faets in relation 70 any sales
III Intoxicating or cait liquors By MY
trs a Powers, Who were carrying on
thar saloon bnsiness without . license
and O. make q sworn complaint against
Them and 20 ascertain the names OF
Witnesses By Vho@ sueh complaint
Oould be sustained, and 20 place such
sworn complaint and Inst Of Witnesses
In the hands Of the City Attorney, to
enable him 10 prosecute the offenders,
or 20 detail one or more Of the sooordi-
nate police officers Of the city TO pei
form saia services and that the ssld
awful command the sail James n.
WeoIaFy, Chief Of Police, did vilfully
refuse 10 obey, and has ever SINCE vii
sulIy refused and still refuses TO obey
OF execute. To this charge / under
stand Judge LsWis to make the point
that thsre il no specific Law giving Vie
Mayuf power 10 order the Chief Of Po-
Iice To make oompl lint against odand-
srs. IL Ia true there 10 ne specific lAw
70 that effect but think tne charter
gives the Mayor POSER TO do a great
mAny things which is docs mot specit-
cally point out. The charter OF Seattle
provides for q miniature govern
ment on the American plsD, With
its executive, legislative and jude ]
brannhes. The Mayor u the heid
and director Of the executive officers,
and has q sort Of general supervision
over the other officers Of the city. The
msyor cannot be impeaohed. The
Council has she power TO Inpeach or re-
move any Subordinate officer for cause.
Among the subordinate officers may be
mentioned the Attorney, Chief OF Pc
ice, Clerk, Treasurer, etc. II the mayor
Il chief executive officer, the subordi-
mates in that department should be di-
rected by him. There Is an implied
power 10 the mayor 10 direct every
snhordinats executive officer in the
clsy, There must be some head, and
unIess there il such inplied power. cur
etsy eoyernmsnt Is a very weak AFFAIR.
| The ordinances which toe chief was
asksd 10 enforce was AZ ordinance pro-
vidilae for licensing saloons, and a very
| Important one, as It Affects materially
she revenue % the city. These men,
| Meyers and Powers, are violating both
| the Territorial lag and the city ordi-
nance. II thess lass and ordinances
| arc being violated 70 the serious injury
OF the city, IL 10 the duty of the chief
| Of police and police officers TO make the
| necessary complaints. II they fail In
| ths saisaharps OF their duties 10 the city
thsu the mayor, / take il, 10 in duty
boui,d 10 see thas they de perform theii
duty. The ordinance itself, No. 6S5
provides for the renewal Of the officer,
| Who knowing Of Its violation, fails ID
4
any police officer to make complaint II
he knew Of the violation. Ibis artieis
charges that the cbief knew OF the vio-
lati0n. aud refused to make the com
plaint. Ordinance No. 397 makes 10 The
duty Of police ofiioers TO make sworn
complaints where they know Of viola
tons Of Law. The chief 10 the head
Of the fogos, and the mayor
acting In his capacity as head
Of the city government had q right ID
direcs that complaint be mad. The
City Attorney 10 the prosecuting officer
and it IL his duty to appear for the city
| in all matters affecting its interests, and
in an important case like this, which
affects the eiiy's revenue, Il 10 his duty
20 give special attention 20 the matter
and see that good complaints ere made
Thare has been no attenpt to ipstituts
Star Chamber proceedings in the CITY
Attorneys office. he has only sought
10 oversee the COMPLAINTS when made
In order b. save the city expense. hold
thai IL 10 the duty Of the Chief of POLES
| 10 look 20 the enforcement of all laws
beth Territorial and CITY. The Sheriff
has o large field, taking In the whole
comfy, and Il 10 impossible for him q
give these matters the attention 10 com.
pei rigid enforcement Of the crimina
laws. especially in cities where thers
are police forces. To look after al
maanef Of offenders is what poles
forces are for.
10 regard 10 the laird article In the
charges against the Chief, 10 IL conceded
10 be Sufficiently srscife, ~ Il charges
the neeiect OF plain duty.
Judge Lewis claims that the fourth
article 10 not specific, as it charges the
Chief with neglectine 20 iaform against
| persons whom he bad reason 20 believe
we're violating the gambling ordinances
In the nth article point h made thai
the Chief has not kIsolef,0is failed "a
oonaplatn against unlicensed saloon
kosperA My answar is that she Chief
should know all those who have licenses
and thoee Who have NOT. The license
u required 10 be eonspicuously possed
10 every saloon; besides, the Clerk is al.
ways ready and willing TO furnish the
Cties % any other officer With o list
ehouibe the expiration of ever license.
In CASE Of this kind Il 10 only neoessa-
~ that ihe charges be specific enough
~ make IN lssae. % that evidence may
b Introduced on both sides.
In regard 70 Article six. think there
% nothsng n The psint raised BY yades
Lewis that the dog ordinance is uncon.
atttusfouMl becenae IL daes nos TAX dogt
according - their value. Neither art
saioons taxed according 70 their value
They are all taxed alike, ans yet thers
" no question about the oonstitution.
ally OF the license ordinance. The Law
always distinguishes between licsnal
and Q tar. Judge Lewis eiaims that Il
d nos The Chief's duty 10 impound dozs
unless some specifc dog 10 pointed 90 /
20 hi1. This needs no answer Thu
Chief Il paid Sufficiently 10 look up OF.
Tenders. instead af waiting for some one
20 paint offenders out 20 hlm.
IhsFe 10 no necessity that the chafRss
ag'ainsi an officer Be Of that tschnieAl
nicety required IN an indicssnsnt, bur
thay mest BE- sufhcisnt - that the pzr
soii ean undsEsaAad ot What he ID
charged, 10 as % eone hers and answer. =
SupoE Lxwm
Your HansF and gentlemen OF tAs
Oo1neil. do not think 90 o1xht 10 he
10 aay rush seoas this matter. We ere
iasang 10 time IN going slow. II Ia val.
liable work We ara doing. not parsisu.
larry for The present. bat Tor all tims 20
come We are goin1 10 have city
elecsian sooa. and . sessian % the Tee.