The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-09-22

several months. The topic of absorb
ing interest was the confession of iudg-
mont by M. c. Morris, chief of police.
for Sl,750, fines he had collected in the
police court and failed to pay into the
city treasury, as reported exclusively in
Sundays TINES.
Itwas the regular somi-monthly meet
ing OF tho Council. Messrs. Eckloff,
Thomas, Skinker, Camp, Sheehan,
WEIGH, Huff and President Buckner
were present. Every member was alert.
They know what was in the wind, and
the report Of the board of police commits
sioners, signed by G. A. Turner, chair
man, stating that they were degrous of
formulating new rules and regulations
Tor the government of the police forco
OF tho city, and asking leave to appoint
one chief, one assistant chief, one ser
gcant, two turnkcys and eighteen regu-
lar policemen, and to purchase two
horses, brides and saddles to mount
the assistant chief in the daytime and
tho sergeant at night, for the purpose of
seeing that tho men are at their duty,
also watch over tho outskirts of tho
city, brought Mr.. Huff to his feet IIo
said
"a few months ago l voted for these
recommendations. Since then, how
ever. there have been new develon
ments OF serious nature which demand
the immediate attention OF this BODY. |
am opposed to putting moro men on the
force under the present chief, when we
are told that he has mulcted the city to
the tune Of S1,750. Tue late Mayor Carr
had complained of shortage in the ac-
az &c IL al,
paid TO him. There was lar between
tho commissioners and the mayor, and
very little attention was paid TO many
OF his recommendations. There was
something radically wrong somewhere,
and 1t was tho duty of this council to
find out where. Until tho mon on the
force could be properly governed he
would oppose increasing their number"
President Buckner next spoke, with
warmth and power. He said he hal
voted against the recommendations
when they came before the Council.
The present police force would disgrace
any city in the land. There was
neither discipline nor efficiency. A
short while ago, while he was acting
mayor, two of the officers came to him
on the depot platform for passes to go
away after woman. He promptly
ordered them back to their beats, tell
ing them to look after the interests
committed to them here and let other
towns look after their own affairs.
Mr.. Skinker said President Bucl,ncr
had had opportunities for asccrtainine
the abuses in the police dcuartment
and ne he'd confidence in his Judgment
and fairness and would vote for an in
vcstigation.
MIR. WEIGH favored laying tho report
on the table until the next IL Getting.
Mr.. Eckloff thought the best plan
would be to appoint committee Of
three, to act with the president, in as
certaining all the facts connected with
the alleged shortage and report at the
next meeting, The article in TuE
TINES reflected upon tho chief and
others. The eyes of the people were
upon the members of the Council. "Let
us have the facts" said he, land in
acting upon them let us hcw to the line
regardless where the chips may fall.
Mr.. Thomas, chairman of the finance
committee, read the ordinance prescrib-
ing and regulating the settlement of
accounts, and stated that Chief Morris
had obtained warrants for about 81. ZOO
he had failed to settle for.
MIR. Eckloff again addressed the Coun-
Gil, saying twas reported that the chief
had taken possession of over 500 taken
from the body of dead nan Charles
Ross, and that his administrator had
applied In vain for it, although tho court
had ordered it paid over to him.
The olty solicitor said that he had no
knowledge of the matter until the mat
ter was reported to him, and then ho
had examined the titles to Chief Nor
rls' property, to find it generally en-
numbered
On the motion of Mr.. Shcehan tho
board of police commissioners we're in
structed to suspend Chief Morris pend
ing the investigation.
President Buckner announced the fol-
lowing committee of investigation:
EckloH, Coe, Huff, Sheehan, Welch and
Camp. The president was added to tho
committee and made its chairman on
motion of Mr.. Eckloff.
MIR. Skinker suggested that the clerk
be instructed to write parties who had
submitted bids for paving, explaining
why the city was not in position to
award contracts. The suggestion was
adopted.
The Huff, chairman of tho committee
on health, recommended moro rigid
enforcement of the sanitary laws of tho
city: that the health department he re-
ileVed OF the expense of supporting
paupers; that tho sanitary committee
be allowed IS extra per month for horse
feed; that the city engineer be in
structed to hurry forward the construc-
tion of lime house to cut down the ex-
pense of disinfectants. The recommen-
dations were adopted.
City Solicitor Miller said the law re-
speeding paupcrs was very plain, and
the city could recover from the county
any expense incurred in caring for its
paupcrs. Ii the proper reports of the
expense of maintaining paupcrs was
rendered there would be little difficulty
IN protectinC the city,s interests in this