Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-04-02
STILL iii SUSPENSE.
he APPOINTMENT OF A NEW POLICE
FORCE POSTPONED.
The Commissioners Could Not Reach
an Agreement, but Will Try
Again To-day.

Front and l streets presented an ami.
mated scene al day yesterday, and the po-
lice political fight bubbled and sized, until
by O'Clock in the afternoon, when the
Commissioners meeting was announced 10
take place, matters were at white heat.
United States Senatorial canvass could
not have brought about more button -hol.
ing, wire-pulling, etc., than has this little
one-horse police business.
The three Commissioners reached the
police station early in the forenoon, look
ing much the worse for the pulling and
hauling they had received at the hands of
the crowd of politicians and men with
pulls" The Commissioners Immediately
closeted themselves in Chief Drew's office,
and remained in consultation for several
hours, while the crowd outside surged
about res;lessly and momentarily increased
in size. As the hour for the meeting drew
near the crowd began to file into the Police
Courtroom, where the meeting was to
take place, and when the time did arrive
the place was packed almost to the suffoca-
ton point.
The Commissioners did not put in an
appearance, however, and rumors of "a
split buzzed about among the anxious
throng. When half an hour more had
elapsed, and still no Commissioners. the
rumors began to take on some of the ap-
pearances of facts.
Down in the Chiefs office there was
much bitter contention. The Commission
ers resolved themselves into an impromptu
caucus and attempted to reach an agree
ment on the applicants for fifteen places on
the regular police force, and one Captain.
They had before them fifty-one petitions
for those fifteen places. and upon compar-
ing notes the Commissioners found that if
each was allowed the number of men he
wanted, the force would consist of twenty
one men instead of fifteen. being six too
many. The culling out of these six was
what all the trouble was about.
The fisty.one petitioners for stars are as
follows: James Rice, August Schneken-
dick A. O. Farwell r. g. Breckenridge
(for Cap.ain), +. 4. Fox, a. Agner, F. w.
Bennett, Il. G. Carroll, T. Crump, Benz.
Chambers, ]. Campbell, Ed. Dolan, J. A.
Douglas, NJ. D. Eldred, AL. Gibson. L. w.
Farrell, K. Frszee, d. w. Higgins, VIM.
Lowell, J. Harlow, Paxon Mcdowell, VIM.
Mclaughlin, A. j. Mccormack, NJ Morelli,
+. Rider, G. Rowland, Ed Ryan, l. ]. Sim.
mons, William Scanlan, Robert Stafford,
L. Wagner. J. A. Wilson, James r. Wells,
X. Goods, X. 7. Wingate, P. F. Herringer,
L. Rippon, G. Y. Churchman, B. +. White,
John Putnam, John w. Hanly. O. Harvey,
+. Shook, f. Taylor. VIM. Arlington, r.
Cunningham, E. Franks.
The Commissioners could reach no agree
ment, and finally decided to call the meet
ing, but 20 postpone again Immediately.
They filed up into the crowded Court.
room and sufTered tberncaluas bo storoJ
at by the anxious throng. After the read
ing OF the minutes of the last meeting,
Mayor Comstock announced that the meet
ing was for the purpose of electing a new
police force.
Judge Buckley promptly arose. and, ad-
dressing himself more to the spectators
than the Mayor, said: Il desire at this
time to make motion fol the postpone
ment of this election. NV reasons NAV be
given briefly. During the past year the
police force has consisted of a Captain and
twenty-five men. The present Board
is in favor Of reducing the force
to fifteen men. / might state that we have
met and tried 10 agree upon who shall
compose this new force, but have expert
enced great difficulty in the matter, which
is probably not news to many of you. We
have been unable TO agree. 1t is our de-
sire and wish to select a good force, and in
consequence VIC VIII ue6u more Time In
which 10 reach a satisfactory agreement
If We have few more hours to consult, it
will be benefit both to US and the people
l therefore move that we postpone this
meeting until o'clock tomorrow after
noon"
OF course the motion was carried unani-
mously, and the Commissioners again SUBJ
mitted themselves to the tender mercies of
the button holers.
The Commissioners held another caucus
at the Chiefs Office last night, and it proved
to be more harmonious than the previous
ones. Suil the desired agreement could
not be reached. They succeeded Introducing
the number of favored ones from twenty
one to seventeen, but beyond this they
could not agree. Each Commissioner de-
clared that he would not scratch another
name eff of his list, and thus the matter
stood when an adjournment was taken at
II o'clock
Another caucus will be held this morn
ing, when another attempt will be made 10
scratch eli two more names, so as TO get
the list down to the required fifteen.
1t was stated last night that during the
caucus The Office of Captain was not dis
cussed. the understanding being that there
would be no need for such an officer during
the coming year.