The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-04-13
THE POLICE MIDDLE.

clapper-clawing when a little patience.
philosophy and %forbearance might give
all fair sailing and all open sea. But,
needs must when the devil drives
and he is somewhere a driver, gener-
ally, when there is a quarrel TO the
fore. The worst of il is, that il is not
always the one who Is in the wrong
that suffers most. But philosophizing
don't mount to much in a quarrel
while the blood is mp. Ii is not assinl-
Hated. 1t is, in fact, very much IKE
one of Mr.. Midshipman Easy's fathers
lectures OH phrenology, to Mr.. Mid
shipman Easy's mothers mind it
makes no impression whatever. SO,
perhaps, we would better tell what all
the difficulty is about.
1t appears that the trouble COM
menced at the February sitting OF the
council. John Woods was appointed
policeman in November All was kept
Oh the force until this disagreement
arose. He vas a quiet, sober man, and
walked around considerably, but ain
the four months that he was OH the
force he only made tour arrests, and
the city was paying him $40 per month
for an average of one arrest per month,
when the marshal could have made the
same arrests and it would have cost
the city but 81, which would have been
a saving of at least $3.50. At the Feb
ruary sitting the mayor re. appointed
Mr.. Woods as policeman, and the coun-
ell asked that he be put on as night
Waterman instead of day policeman,
which was done. AS night Waterman
he made no arrests whatever, and
when Mr.. Kelly's house was robbed
could be found nowhere. AT the March
sitting he was re-appointed by the
may Or and the council refused to con-
firm the appointment, and the mayor
gave the council to understand that the
city could hereafter 60 without a po-
liceman, as he did not intend TO appoint
any more
Then the picnic commenced.
John Woods friends got up a petit
ton with $50 signers, asking hat he
be re-appointed as night Waterman,
some of our substantial business men
being signers. Afterwards several OF
them stated to members of the council
that thew were sorry they had signed
the petition, as it was a reflection on
the former action of the council, and
they had not examined into the matter.
There was a great deal of opposition
to Woods reappointment, and h great
many prominent business men that
fully understood the matter upheld the
council in its action in refusing to con.
firm him.
Last Monday night the mayor made
his appointment as calaboose keeper,
and the appointment was confirmed.
Mayor Welborn then appointed Woods
as night Waterman and he was re-
jected by the council. Then the may
or said: 81 will now exercise my au-
thority MIR. Wallace, l command you
to forthwith issue a commission to Mr..
John Woods as special policeman for
the month of April"
Mr.. McCausland arose and said he
would like to know who was running
the affairs OF the city, the council CT
the mayor.
Mr.. Welborn then asked MIR. Gray
to take the chair and he stepped to the
floor, and said that Mr.. Woods had
been DETAINED by members of the coun.
Gil, and that he vas not going to see
him treated in that way; that he was
going to appoint him, and that he was
going to see that the city paid him fol
his work.
Mr.. McCausland then offered the
following protest, and the mayor abso.
lutely refused to let him put it before
the house, although it was the wish Of
the council that he should do 80: "Be
it resolved by the city council that the
city register he ordered to issue nc
commission whatever to John Woods
as policeman for the month of April
1889, and that the register cause notice
to be served on the said John Woods
that he shall not attempt to act as sucf
officer, and if he does he will not be
, paid by the city of Lexington"
MI. Schaefermeyer then asked the
, city attorney for his opinion on the
matter, and the attorney replied tina
any arrests made by Woods would b,
: unlawful under the circumstances, anC
he would see that arrests made by hin
would be dealt with as unlawful.
, During the wrsngle Mr.. Schaefer
meyer offered his resignation, stating
that if one man was to run the finan,
cial affairs of the city, and its council
had no voice in the matter he did no
care to belong to that body. His resig
i nation was not accepted.
, Mr.. Chinn also offered his resigna
ton but it was not accepted.
, Mr.. Chinn on Tuesday morning as
member OF the city council served motto
. on the city register moi to issue an
commission whatever to Mr.. Woods
as it was contrary to the wish of tn
council ,'and in direct opposition to tn
proceedings OF that body.
Several members of the council hav
employed Nr. Blackwell as their attol
ney, aud they are determined TO IT.
conclusions with his honor.
These are the facts fairly stated.
1t seems evident that the mayor Is i
the wrong. If this is true the mos
graceful thing for him to do is to ad
. nit it. as it would be for the council
men to do were they in error. Blu
let us see if they are. 1t is unque'
tionabiy the mayors prerogaiIve TO al
point this officer, Nth The consent {
The council. So tar as we know he hs
no power whatever to make the ap
a pointment except with such consent
lie would very properly resent at tn
C hands of the council a dictation as I
d whom he should appoint. He shout
therefore as carefully avoid all atteml