Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-07-18
THE POLICE MUDDLE.
The Commissioners Attempt
to Fire" Chief Burns.
HE REFUSES TO CAPlTULATE
Detective Glass Elected Chief and
M. r. Higgins Selected for
Deputy and Captain.

The regular weekly meeting OF the
Board of Police Commissioners was held
yesterday afternoon in the Mayors
Office, Hon. H. 7. Hazard in the chair,
and full board present. Owing to a
number of rumors that had been bruited
about to the effect that matters OF more
than usual importance were to be dis
cussed, relative to further changes on
the force, general air of disquietude
pervaded the room before the meeting,
but no inkling of the truth was ascer-
tainable from the commissioners.
At 215 O'Clock Mayor Hazard took
the chair, and the meeting was formally
called to order, when Mr.. Knox moved
that the board, before the reading of the
minutes, hold an executive session. This
was vigorously objected to by Mayor
Hazard, and the question was raised as
to the unconstitutionality Of such a
method of procedure. While the charter
was being inspected as to its provisions
for the meetings of municipal bodies, the
minutes we're read and approved.
Mr.. Lindley, at the close of this pre-
liminary, informed the board that he
had been misinformed as to the qualiti-
cations of Officer Harthorne, and
he had, since the last meeting,
at which he had voted for
the removal of that officer, dis
covered that he was as fully qualified
to hold Office as Officer Goodman. He
therefore moved that the removal OF OF
ficer Harthorne be reconsidered, and on
this being carried, the matter of his be-
ing reinstated was put to the vote, and it
was so ordered. The question OF going
into an executive session was then
brought up again, and as it was found
that the charter was silent on the method
of holding the meetings of the Police
Commission, though providing that those
of the Council and Board of Education
should be in public, the motion carried,
in spite of Mayor Hazards objections.
In reply to the chairman's questions as
to the object of his colleagues, Messrs.
Knox and Lindley said that the matters
to be discussed were such that it was
considered best that they should not be
made public. Mayor Hazard again pro-
tested against such proceeding, but the
motion was carried by vote OF three to
L
inson and the reporters at once withdrew
from the room.
1t 4 80 O'Clock before the door was
reopened to admit the representatives of
the press, and the regular business be-
fore he board was proceeded with. The
first matter discussed was the petition OF
Serivecke and Watkins for new license
at the Alhambra saloon, formerly known
as the Missing Link, which was referred
back to the petitioners last week with in
structions to obtain the consent of the
property owners in the vicinity. Mr..
Knox moved that the application be de-
denied, and upon putting the motion to
vote tie resulted; and Mr.. Knox moved
that it be granted, and another tie was
registered, and the application was de-
MED, and the Chief of Police was in
structed to close the saloon.
The petition of T. T. Thomas for a
license at the saloon on the corner CT
Marchessault and New High streets was
granted, as was also that of E. w. Myers
for transfer of license for the premises
at q Los Angeles street, heretofore is
sued to Myers & Champion.
The City Tax Collector reported the
following persons delinquent in the pay
ment of licenses for saloons: E. H.
Boyd, 115 North Spring street; P. Bus
sen, 178 East First street; c. Belli, 143
Upper Main street; Bovee & Marcy. 604
Downey avenue F. Czarski, 205 Upper
Main street; Eichorn Bros, 800 Downey
avenue II. Foster, Is North Main street
j. Fleishman, So Wilmington street
Theo. Froehlinger, Is Requena street; ; d.
Felix, Is North Main street; A. Gruer,
corner First and Alameda streets; j. d.
Guerrero, AL North Main street; D.
kuch, "a North Spring street Mueller &
Roth, corner of Hoff and Water streets
Peter Mueller, junction Of Main and Ala
media streets A. Olivier, 305 North Ala
media street; Ed Reid, 212 North Main
street; A. Richenbach, 152 North Ala
media street; J.. Thorp, 565 East First
street.; H. Weiderman, 800 North Main
street, Upon motion Of MIR. Lindley the
license If the above saloons were ordered
revoked, and the Chief instructed to
close the houses.
The petition of N. W. Hoffman for ap-
pointment upon the police force was re-
ceived and filed.
A communication was received from
the Council relative to the application of
Mark Jones for the return of money paid
by him in order to obtain transfer OF
license from Rose & Bilderrain, who
were delinquent in May last. The mat
ter was laiu over for one week.
The regular business having been fin
ished, Mr.. Lindley made motion for
the removal of j. F. Burns as Chief of
Police. This was seconded by Mr.
Knox, who asked for the roll call.
Mayor Hazard entered vigorous pro-
test against such motion, and said that
he did not believe that the board had
any authority to arbitrarily remove the
Chief without cause, and he was certain
that the charter did not confer any such
right upon the body. Mr.. Knox again
asked for the roll call, but the chairman
said it was evident to him from the pro-
ceedings had heretofore that his col
leagues had some person, whose name
was as yet unknown to him, for
appointment in Burns place, and
that he did not believe that they
could remove Burns legally, and that
such a proceeding was subversive to the
interests of the public and the harmony
of the city government. He then paid
very high tribute to Burns administra-
tion, saying, among other things, that
there never was less criminality in the
city than at present. 1t might be that
that was the objection of the Commits
sioners to Burns, for all he knew; and
for his part he did not propose to stay
and see it done.
Mr. Knox for the third time asked for