The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-05-21
WHAT THE CHIEF WANTS
Interesting Communications to the
Committee' on Police
At LAST NIGHTS MEETING
But no Final Action Taken-.A Mem.
bcr Refers to n Growing Evil and
Suggests that tho Department
Should have Creator Powered Grave
Charge against Members of the
committee.

The Council committee on police held
the most Interesting meeting last even
ing that it has had since the suspension
Of several officers waa before 1t to DO
acted on. Tho first business taken up
was tho routine Of paying bills and tho
like. Bills ~aggregating $3.50 90 were
recommended to Council for payment
on account of the police department
and $7S o. on accounted the city prison.
The Ancient Order OF 1iibernians pc.
titionod for a squad Of police to do es.
cort duty for their parade on juno 10,
and the request was granted. .
A communication was read from
Chief McNlcol in which he called attcn.
ton TO the fact that Officer Jake Deku
was oil duty in tho course OF a month
more days than no was on. flo spoke Of
Deku as 4 p%cnsioner on tho department,
which needed the services OF every man
on its pay roll, and as KIDD that somo ac-
ton might DO taken which would give
him authority to put on a inanin tho
disabled ones place.. IAitor some dis.
cusslon, IN the course Of which all tho
members Of the committee seemed to
be u unit that the chief was justified in
what no said, but they wanted to give
Deku some sort OF II show The. matter
was therefore allowed to 10 over till the
committees next meeting.
. Mr.. Jefferson called the attention of
tho committe to tho necessity which
existed Tor some sort Of Il reform in re.
gard to the conduct Of houses OF i'll
fame. He said houses were omen oil
day on public thoroughfares, children
were, seen passing in and out, and tho
doors and windows were left wide
open, SO that all passers.by could SEQ
the inmates in the rooms, often clad in
a manner not fit for public view. >
The other members seemed to agree
that Mr.. Jefierson's point was well
taken, and after some discussion the
matter under discussion was referred to
the city solicitor, with a request that he
report il tho existing ordinances were
sufficient to cover the case, and, if not,
that he draw up IN ordinance covering
the case. I.cG :
The committee seemed to lose sight
OF the TACT that the existing ordinances
forbid the existence Of houses OF ill
fame.
Another very interesting commune
cation from Chief McNichol was read,
in which he said that members of this
committee had vilifed the police de-
partment for enforcing the laws, MS the
officers we're sworn to do, and had en-
b%arrassed and hampered tho admins
tration OF justice. He asked the. COM
mittee to recommend to Council the
passage Of an ordinance giving him the
power to discharge instead, Of merely
%suspending a member of tho force.
The communication was discussed
somewhat informally, and then infor.
mally dropped.
There has boen a good deal Of inquiry
and discussion on the part. . the public
US to what right Council has-tdFdeprive
the chief of the power to remove his
own deputies, for whose official conduct
he is RESPONSIBLE on his bond. The
matters brought up last night will prob
ably not be allowed to stay where they
were dropped by the committee.