Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-21
THAT LETTER LIST.

What Some Of the Onlcials Removed
by the District Commissioners Say.
STATEMENTS BY Ex-coILEcroR COOK, xx-Auprroa
rIcHKSoR, Kx-oHIEF OF POLICE WALKER, AND
CORRESPONDENTS on TIE COMMENTS OF THE
COMMISSIONERS.
Printed elsewhere in The STAR to-day win
be found the list Of changes in the District
officers transmitted to the Senate by the Com
missioners, with their comments on the causes
of dismissal of some of the most prominent
removed officials. As there are two sides to be
heard in each case to get at the facts. there
are printed below the statements of some of
these disc harged employees:
WHEN MR. WALKER WAS CHIEF OF POLICE.
"The Commissioners have said that was
thoroughly unqualified for the discharge of the
important duties Of chief of police" said ex-
Chief Samuel H. Walker to a STAR reporter this
morning, 'and after a careful consideration of
the subject have come to the conclusion that
they were right; judged, of course, from their
own standard OF what constitutes fitness. There
were. however, some few things for
which was fit was qualified to
was good enough democrat, the Commits
sioners thought, to satisfy the party demand
for the removal Of the courteous republican
gentleman, William NICE. Dye (although /
never claimed to be a democrat). was hard
enough worker and sufficiently capable to win
and keep the esteem Of the best men on the
force, but, nevertheless, was unqualified.
one OF the arguments against my lack of quail
hcation can be found in the fact that refused
to recommend the appointment Of an incom-
potent candidate on petition signed by dead
men to the place now ably filled by Capt.
NJ osv tlo -, IL L.
based on my refusal to consent to the appoint
ment OF an ex-detective to the position occu-
pied by Inspector Swindells. although the ap-
plicant had behind him the District boss"
who occupies that position?" queried the
reporter.
'.Look around the city hall for him: Won can
not miss him." laughed Mr.. Walker, and then
he continued, "But there were
MANY OTHER REASONS
why was not fitted for the Office. refused
to inspect bawdy-houses, so that I might be-
come acquainted With the prominent nameless
official who had so much influence over legis-
lation, and whose name was suppressed in the
investigation testimony by Commissioner
Wheatley. Then / was unoualified
because did not agree with
Commissioner Webb as to liquor licenses. l
never could have agreed with him and have
retained my selfrespect. Why, when the pool
room was raided on D street, and over 100 boys
under fourteen years of age were taken out
OF it, the Commissioners refused to do a thing
to aid In the work CT trying to save the boys
The Commissioners had power to regulate such
matters but they did nothing. Why? 1 don't
know. Just about that time called Commits
sioner Webb's attention to the fact that No.
l452 Pennsylvania avenue was rented by his
nephew and used as the local
HEADQUARTERS OF THE LOUISIANA LOTTERY
COMPANY,
a barefaced violation Of law. What did he do?
He said to me: Don't you know that more than
half the Senators and Representatives are in
terested in this lottery business?' There was a
significance i'll his remark and in his manner
that could not be mistaken. A few days later
the big lottery sign was taken down and the
headquarters were removed to F street. Then
made war on the lottery people and
great many cases were made
against them. An agent of the company, a
man OF some prominence, came into my office
and asked me to accept a present of few
tickets, at the same time giving me definite as
surance of the fact that one of the tickets
would draw prize of $4,000, if 1 would only
behave myself refused the proffered bride,
and such conduct on my part was simply add
ing to the testimony which eliminated in
verdict that I was thoroughly unqualified
The fact that also refused numerous pressing
invitations to visit the high-grade poker dens
was most damaging when my qualifications
for chief of police were being considered;
have no doubt that had become a habitue of
such resorts l would have been q most
acceptable officer. The fact that l did not
any railroad or corporation strong
enough to influence legislation was against
me; 1t was serious weakness in my case; had
no combination behind me such as supports,
for time, some public officials, therefore /
must have been thoroughly unqualified
WHY HE RFsIGyED-
81 do not exactly understand why the Com
missioners should jump on me at this late day.
I resigned in obedience to their request, and to
aid them in reaching some end dated back
my resignation nine days. Both Webb and
Wheatley told me that either must resign or
their heads would come of instantly. obliged
them and they ought to reciprocate.'
"Things are coming out just as said they
would. In letter to the Commissioners. dated
December II. 1886, said: i told you that you
needed about one-tenth Of my backbone to
stand up for the right and defy false public
sentiment created in the interest Of the lawless
elements of society; that il you yielded to them
the better elements would certainly in the end
make You regret the action you had taken, or
demand your release from the responsibility of
office"
That reads like prophecy, doesn't it?"
1T is very unbecoming," concluded Mr..
Walker, sin men who have been tried by con-
gresslonal investigation and by the standard of
public criticism, and condemned by both, as
thoroughly unqualified when they are asked
to step down and out, with good grace, to stop
and make faces at others who have honestly
endeavored to do some little toward the eleva-
ton Of the moral tone of the city, which they
have, by their conduct, tried to debauch."
MR. COOKS SIDE OF IT.
Ex-Collector Cook to-day made the follow
ing statement to STAR reporter:
1t seems scarcely worth the while to make
offset to any portion of the statement of the
of the District of Columbia,
made to the Senate OF the United States. in
their reply to the request for information rela-
tive to the dismissal of certain District off,
Gals; but, as the reason they gave to me in the
letter of dismissal is quite different from that
in the reply to the Senate, it may be
well to present them. 1t may be said that
neither contains the full truth, as is known to
every person in this community. This letter
of dismissal states that the action of dismissal
is not based on any consideration touching
your personal or official integrity, but is taken
solely for the purposes of administrative expe-
diency. The reply of the Commissioners to the
request OF the Senate says: Jno. +. Cook was
from the Office of collector of taxes
for failure to give intelligent supervision to
the preparation of a statement of taxes in ar
rears-a duty specially imposed upon him by
LAWN consequence OF which payments were
disallowed by the accounting officers of the
Treasury department and the bondsmeu of the
Commissioners placed in jeopardy. Also for
general lack OF sympathy with the Commits
sioners in their effort to apply improved
methods devised by them for the conduct of
public business in connection with tax ac-
coupts and an obiectionabl manner in d;s