Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-10-31
THE SWIGGETT Fl ED B Ii
THE OBTEF or POLIOE CHANGED
EITH DISH0k ESTE.



MAI" p0sEi, and Ghicf SEviggctt
haas N0ih,ng To say.
Tho ASTON OF Mr. Samuel r Lawson,
q IL 'pu hlinan member of Council from
the sixth ward, in attacking Cbiet OF Po
! licb SRgeett's bill for feeding prisoners
tis police station during September at
Thursday niyht's meeting Of Council has
oroa.ed somewhat OF sensation. The
matter is now in the hands OF the Coun-
cil police committee, and an investiga.
tion will follow.
The cost Of feeding police station cul
prits hiss long besn bone of contention
in City Council. Prior to 1893 the chief
of police was allowed, by city ordinance,
is oents per meal for each prisoner, and
made good thing ont OF it. The cusion
was to send to The Clayton House
kitchen, where, for % or 80 cents, q big
basketfnl oil table leavings could be pro.
cured aud pretty good eating they were,
too, oitsn comprising choice outs of
beef, remnants Of sirloin ateak, haggled
chopr, piecea of cake, sections OF pie
and other edibles left on the plates by
guests and the efore not in shape for fur
ther use at the;hotsl.
Lstsr 10 the year frequent snarls 90.
cusred in Council over the bills OF Ohief
| OF Police Hswkins, the Democratic mem.
bers of the police committee insisting
that thsy wers too large, but they were
allowed by Council right along. During
the Legislative session of 1853 the new
city charter was passed and the object
ing members Of City Council carried
their tight to Dover, where they succeeded
in having olause Inserted in the charter
allowing the chief only for the
actual cost Of the meals furnished pria.
oners and requiring him to make aft.
davit to the correctness of the bills. But
the new law mlds no change. Chief
Hawkins still charged 10 cents per mssl
and Chief DouglIerty did likewiss. The
latter, no wevsr, had his wife to furnish
the meals md paid her the full amount
charged Chief Swiggett has also charged
the regulation price OF 10 cents per meal
and procured the food from the Clayton
House.
The bill to which Mr.. Lawson objected
at Thursday nights meeting of Council
amounts TO $63.60. II is marked "cor.
rect" by Oity Auditor Newell, and en-
dorsed "examined, approved and pay
ment recommended" followed BY the
signatures of Messrs. Sawdon, Baugh,
Shsa MCCALL and White. mem oers OF the
police committee. Annexed is the aft
davit of Ohief Swiggett attached to the
bill:
Cry OF WusIIHaFoN, ss:
Personally came before me, Austin Hsr-
rin.tor, mayor OF said city William Y.
Swiggett, high constable, who being duly
sworn according to law, did depose and
say that the foregoing is Just aud true as to
number Of meals furnished and price paid
for the same.
W. Y. SwIGGErT, High Constable.
This 17th day OF October, A, d. 1889.
AusiIS HARRTSaToS, Mayor.
This is the form of affidavit adopted
by Chief Hawkins and literally followed
by his suooessoe7, the cautious wording
making it mn aft iavit merely as to the
number OF meals furnished aud price
paid FOR the game"
WHAT THE PRINCIPALS SAY.
Councilman Lawson's charge was that
Chief Swiggett, on getting his check for
the feed bill, paid one. half of the amount
to the party furnishing the meals and
put the other half in his pocket. On
Friday morning a GAzETTE reporter
spoke to Isaac @. Pyle, proprietor OF the
Clayton House, where the meals are pro-
cured, with reference to the subject.
sit is not true,n said Mr.. Pyle. Mr..
Swiggett does not get the checks csshed
and give half OF the prooeeds to me-"
Then Mr.. Pyls began to speak OF the
quality of the meals furnished the pris-
oners, how they consisted of slices of
fresh bread aud nicely selected cuts of
meat, made into sandwiches, instead OF
the hodge podge mess swept from the
dishes as they were brought from the
table, as was formerly the case. He said
that for awhile lie kept regular account
of the number OF mesls furnished, but
Iatterly he had left this work to Chief
Swiggett and accepted his account.
The reporter suggested that the point
at issue was not the character OF the
meals, bat the charge that Chief Swiggett
was receiving more than their actual cost,
contrary to the provisions of the city
charter.
"Ohief Swiggett gives me his check for
the feed bill every month";" said Mr..
Pyle. lyon will find my endorsement
on the back of all the checks dawn to
his order for these bills. He giveB them
to me aud receive tine money"
"And you do not give Chief Swiggett
any of this money back ?" was next
asked.
'You will have to ask him about that"
replied Mr. Pyle.
NOTHING TO SAY.
Ohief Swiggett was found at his desk
at the police station.
You have seen the charge made
against you in City Council, by Mr..
Lawson, I presume" queried the re.
porter.
"Yes, read it in the morning paper"
! replied the chief.
"Well, have you anything to say about
itP"
~ have nothing at all to say" replied
Chiet Swiggett, deliberately. "Mr. Law
son can take his own course."
After Mr.. Lawson raised his objec-
,, tions, Mt last nights meeting of City
Council, the bill was recpmmilted to the
police committee. The committee will
probably investigate Mr.. Lawson's charge
during the week.
] PromtSing Negroes Office.
A letter from Snow Hill, Worcester