The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-04-14
WORDS AND BLOWS.
Police Commissions Lively
Meeting on the Street.
SHERIFF wooLERY TAKES PART.
He Calls Commisslsner Leagerwood
Dcwn-Captain Kent and Lfeuten-
ant Bowers Asked 20 Resign.
SHERIFF wooLERY TAKES PART

1ne BOARD Of police commissioners 01o NOT
hold formal meeting Last night becsuse there
was no quorum, yet the members met each other
ana there were several exciting inesSe which
made 1t interesting for not only spectators but
Tor those concerned II was expected at this
meeting that Chief OF Police Rogers would sub
nit to the commissioners list of policemen
whom he would Recommend to be dropped
from the force The list was drawn up in COM
plianee with the agreement that the city could
Dc guarded with fifty eight men Just q wen Is
the seyenty-four now on the force. IL was also
known that Chief Rogers had requested the
resignation of Captain A. u. Kent and Ieuten-
ant Richard Bowers, TO take effect at once. This
matter vas also expected to be disposed OF.
M7.D O'Clock Commissioner Manning arrived
1t the city clerks Office, where the board was to
meet Fifteen minutes later commissioner
Ledgerwood arrived, and few minutes after
ward the two Democratic members OF the board
were engaged in low conversation. Suddenly
Captain Manning became angry and went out OF
the once AT O'Clock Mayor White and Com
missioner Crawford joined Leseerwood, and the
trio waited for quorum. Commissioner Guy
did not arrive. A OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES reporter
stepped out in the hallway and found Commits
siener Manning standing near the elevator and
told the commissioner that the board was wait
Ing Tor quorum.
els Guy in there he asked
ssNo, he's not"
swell there won't be any quorum They can't
r1ng any cold deck In on me like that. They
would get me IN there and run everything their
own way. won't see Rogers put such men ~
Captain Kent and Ieutenat Bowers of the force
Tor purely personal reasons. He says they are
good officers but he wants them Oh because they
are not 'near to him. When he was appointed
he said that he would choose his men regardless
OF personal feeling. won't be quiet and let him
back down ON his promise"
Hall an hour after Commissioners Ledgerwood
ana Crawford and Mayor White with Comptrol-
clerks office and started down to Guys drug
store ON Commercial street to hold . meeting
there. Commissioner Manning met them on the
stairway and followed. On Second street the
party was Joined by Sheriff Woolery. Commits
sioner Guy was alone in his drug store and said
be could not meet with the commissioners there
for somebody might come in any moment with
. prescription and take him away, so IL was
agreed that they should meet at 10 o'clock this
morning in the city clerks ONCE. Mr.. Manning
wanted the meeting set for the evening but he
was overru!ed-
After little jesting the whole party left and
started down the street. Commissioner Manning
and Sheriff woolery walking together in the
rear. Ledgerwood was ahead with Commits
sioner Crawford and Chief Rogers. At the cor
nef of Yesler avenue and Front street, just in
front of the Olympic building, Sheriff wooiesy
paused and called to Ledgerwood. who then
walked back. A few words passed between
Manning, Ledgerwood and woolery, when sud-
denly Woolery raised his voice and said:
"Ledgerwood, if you said that dare not en-
force the law and arrest gamblers, you're liar!'
"You're another!" shouted Ledgerwood be-
tween his teeth.
The lie passed again, and when Ledeerwood
called WooIery liar and further applied an
epithet that would not look well in print, WOOL
cry Let out his fist, straight from the shoulder.
at Ledgerwood's head. Manning caught Wool
ery's arm In time TO divert the blow, and in
stead of having broken jaw Lcdgerwood's face
was only slightly touched, the blow giancing
the cheek In q moment several men caught
hold Of Wo0lery, and in almost the same sec
ond, before any one could stop him, Ledgerwood
rstsed heavy rosewood cane, which he always
carries, and swung It straight down on Wool
eYy's head. The sheriff ducked and the cane
broke in two like pipe stem over his shoulder.
Woolery's friends pulled him away by main
force, and Ledgerwood walked on between
Crawford and Rogers, Woolery calling him q liar
and daring him back, but Lcdgerwood did not
turn around, he kept right ahead. holding
tightly in his hand the butt of his rosewood
cane.
In moment woolery was cool and walked to
his Office with Captain Manning. The affair
was explained by them Captain Manning said:
'The night Rogers was appointed chief Led
gerwood talked q long time with me. and wanted
me to vote for Rogers. This would not do, and
during the conversation he made the assertion
that Sheriff Woolery dare not enforce the laws
against gambling. l told Woolery what he said,
not expecting trouble"
Sheriff Woolery when seen said.
sAs soon as Manning told me what Ledger
wood had said ! looked for Lcdgerwood, but
could not find him for two DAYS. Then ! saw
him alone and asked him If he told Captain
Manning what had been told me. He claimed
he never said anything OF the kind. went back
TO my ONCE and be telephoned me that some
thing of the sort had been said, and that he
would see me and explain the matter.
81 have seen him several times since and he
never offered an explanation, and when gave
him an opportunity tonight TO voluntarily ex-
plain he did not do %. So / called him back
and asked him before Manning if he did not say
that dare not enforce the law, and he said
yes Then asked him what be meant by de-
nying 1t the day or two before, and also told
him he was liar when he made the statement
When he applied to me what III let no man call
me went for him, and hav'nt got satisfaction
yet"
Mr. Ledgerwood could not be found during
the evening 10 give his version of the affair.
lcARTrRcI