The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-25
FOR CHIEF OF POLICE.
ACTING CHEF GREEN THE LEAD
ING CANDIDATE.

-
The Election to Take Place Next Week
Six Candidates in the Field-The
Council Inclined to Follow the Policy
of Promotion and Put Lieut.. Green
at the Head OF the Force-A Dark
Horse Talked Of
Next week the City Council will elect
Chief of Police to fill the vacancy occa-
stoned By the death of Gsn Anderson. The
candidates mentioned in connection with
the Office, as far as can be learned, are
Lieut. Green, Acting Chief since Gen. An
derson's decease, Gen L. McLaws, Col r
J. Davant and Messrs. Clement Saussy,
Charles c. Hardwick and Charles J. White.
There may be some dark horses. in fact one
Alderman binted to a MORNING News re-
porter yesterday that there would be dark
horse.
The Aldermen seen yesterday were not in
clined to be interviewed. Some Of them
were willing to talk, but not for publica-
ton. Others had nothing TO say, but each
wanted TO know what the others had to say.
Beyond the tearing down of a column Of
figures constructed upon estimates Of the
str Myth of Lieut.. Green. and having them
built up again from time to time, the inter-
views turned out TO be nothing but inter
changes of opinion as TO what Others would
do. and how others had calculated right or
miscalculated altogether.
LIEUT.. GREEN IN THE LEAD
Judging from the drift of the expressions,
Lieut.. Green appears to have the inside
track. In fac, some of his supporters in
the Board Of Aldermen say that he will,
have seven votes, and be elected on the first
ballo;. and they count on the votes of
the following aldermen: Col. Lester, Mai
Schwarz and Messrs Reid, Myers, Nell and
Nichols, the latter the chairman of the
Police Committee. The correctness of this
estimate is denied by other Aldermen. As
a matter Of fact, Col Lester thinks it is
very doubtful whether he can get back
from Darien in time for the meeting at
which the election is to be held, and it is not
only doubtful how he will vote but whether
he will vote at all
There is at least one other Alderman in
the list above mentioned who cannot safely
be counted on for the lieutenant, and at
least one other who does not stand thor
oughly committed. The desire to kindle an
ambition for promotion in the police force
is a factor that viii sway the minds
and votes of more than one mem
Der of the City Council, and
it is argued by the friends of the promotion
to select It's executive head. but
that Lieut.. Green should be promoted to
Chief, and then in the line Of promotion the
senior Sergeant would succeed as Assistant
Chief, and one of the policemen be FRO
NOTED to the Sergeantcy.
IN FAVOR OF PROMOTION.
The desire to pursue this policy is pretty
general among the older men, and while
they were not free to be quoted on who
they intended TO vote for Chief, they are
certainly opposed TO abolishing the office of
Assistant Chief, or at least safe majority
are opposed to such step. They hold that
the efficiency Of the force would be crippled,
and that owing to the small number OF men
it is none too efficient now.
1t is not unlikely that had it not been for
the two cases of mistaken identity con-
nected with Lieut.. Green's administration
there would have been little, if any, opposi-
ton to his election. This is being met by his
friends, who argue that such cases, while
embarrassing, are OF every day occurrence
throughout the country, and that it is the
safer plan to detaln an innocent
man until his identity is established
than to let a guilty man escape, and
that in the Angel case, had it not been a
case Of mistaken identity, and Lieut.. Green
had failed to co operate with the officers of
announcer oLate IN pursuit OF fugitive In
OBTAINING the party described, he would
then have deserved censure and defeat.
They also claim that were it not for the
personal friendships between the rival can
didates and the Aldermen, the vote would
be practically unanimous for Lieut. Green.
The situation may be briefly summed up
as the field against the lieutenant, and If
the latter don't pull through, a dark horse
will be sprung and elected on the first bal
1Cf I mill tr,lx
votes on the first ballot, possibly five or six,
and whether the field can combine against
him successfully will only be known next
Wednesday night