The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-09-23
BURNS IN COUNCIL
ruE MAYoRs rERTINENF NEpoRT
And a Oh.skj decentralization from the
ouiliy PolIcsnan-Ho wants an Iuvo,u.
CATION By special Committee. but
don't gstit-o,hsr Matters Touched.


At the regular semi.monthly meeting Of
Council last evening tho most interesting
matter brought before the body was the
communications in relation TO the INTEL,
lIoEScER's expose Of Officer Burus'S mis-
conduct. The expectation that the mat.
ter would be broughtto Councils atten'
ton had the effect Of attracting g large
lobby, which waited patiently out in the
windy corridor, being prevented from
OVERLOOKING into the Second Branch cham
Der to crowd the members, by the s.alwart
form OF Policeman Bob Ipnkins, who
stood guard In the doorway.
As soon as the Burns mstter had been
disnosed Of, tho lobby disappeared.
The Hrst paper on the Burns matter
was communication from Mayor Grub,
in the course OF which appeared the fol-
lowing;
MAYOR GRuBB's MESSAGE.
~ again call your attention 70 the
shameful manner in which the police de-
partment is being managed.
Five days ago James Burns was pub
licly charged with drunkenness aRd black
mail and OF intimidating women Of the
town for the purpose OF prostitution.
81 have examined these complaints and
believe that many, II not all, OF these
charg, can be- proven, and further be-
licye that Chief Smith knows him TO be
guilty Il such conduct as should prompt
his Immediate dismissal. ask this hon.
orsbIe boly to take such action as will
lead to m Investigation not nlyof Officer
Burns but the Whole department. l sub
nit charges as published,
Accompanying this were the articles IN
relation TO the matter taken from the IN
TELLIagScRR Before any action was
taken on this, the following was also read :
BURNS MAKES A PLEA.
To His Hoa0r, he Mayer and C9uHc2.f he
City u IIhcsiiDg.
GENrLEMgN:-O the lOsh day oil Sep.
TENDER, 1885, there appeared in THR
WHEELING ISTELLIdENCER, a newspaper
published in the Cityof Wheeling, charges
Of q serious nature against the under.
signed. herewith file q copy OF the said
newspaper containing the charges against
me; would respectfully ask this honor
able body to appoint special committee,
with power 10 send for personsa and papers,
and 10 investigate said charges.
Respectfully,
JAMES BURNS,
Deputy Sergeant.
Mr.. Grusc said that ue thought there
was no necessity for special committee,
ma the Council ha an abba Committee on
Police, to which the matter, II 1t was To
be referred, should 60 He made a mo-
ton to that effect, and Mr.. Stanley Sec
onded it.
MIR. Healy called attention to the rule
requiring charges to be sworn to, and was
informed by the chair that this had no
reference to any communication the Mayor
might make, the Mayors ordinance Civ
ing him supervision Of all departments
and tho right to call Councils attention
TO any matters connected with thegoVern-
ment Of the city.
a CONCURRENT VOTE.
The chair decided that il the power to
send for persons and papers was granted
the reference would require the concur.
rent action OF the Fist Branch, as an ex-
penditure Of money might be involved.
The Committee on Police is composed
Of Megsrs. Happy, List, Myles aud Nc
Gregor from the First Branch, and Messrs.
Stanley, G. B. Caldwell, Jaeger and Wier
from the Second Branch. This COMMITTEES
has already before it a resolution giving II
power 10 send for persons and papers, and
tnstructing it to investigate as to the truth
Of the charges contained in an article emit
tied, "Under the Gaslight," published in
the Sunday Register some time since.