Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-17
COUNCILS MAY ACT
Upon Allegheny's Official War at
This Evenings Meeting.
A HEARING FOR CAPTAIN BELL
Mayor Voegtly Has Received an Invitation
to Be Present.
ONE MORE STATEMENT FROM RUTAN

Police Captain Bell, who on Monday
night was summarily dismissed from the
police force of Allegheny, was yesterday
notified that he would be given hearing
by Chief Murphy, of the Department Of
Public Safety, and Superintendent of Police
Muth at o'clock this afternoon. When
Captain Bell was retired from duty by Su-
perintendent Muth no cause was assigned
for such action other than that he was
friendly to ex-Councilman McKirdy, one Of
the expert auditors now at work investi.
eating the accounts of Allegheny City.
The removal of Captain Bell was accepted
pecially unsatisfactory to Mayor Voegtly,
who day or so ago had locked horns with
Superintendent Muth over the suspension
of Officer Clark. The Mayor asked that
Clark's case be promptly heard, but Chief
Murphy replied that he would give the sus-
spended officer q hearing at his own
pleasure.
Tho Eject of An Announcement.
This enraged tho Mayor and the suspen-
sion Of Captain Bell only served to intensity
the Mayors feeling in the matter. When
it was announced yesterday in The DIS
PATCH that the Mayor and the reforme rs
intended going into Councils with the case,
and that an effort would probably be made
to have Chief Murphy removed from his
position at the head of the Department of
Public Safety, there was considerable feel
ing among Chief Murphy's friends, and as a
result Captain Bell was notified to report
for q hearing.
The Captain stated last night that he has
not yet been informed of the charges against
him nor has he been as yet given any reason
for his removal
Chief Murphy's friends were industrious
yesterday in their efforts to find out, if pos
sible, what Councils will do with the Chiefs
case when they meet tonight. If it is de-
termined before the meeting that Councils
Mayor and suspend or remove the Chief
then the Chief will resign.
An Invitation to tho Mayor.
Mayor Voegtly has been invited to be
present at the hearings of the suspended
officers, but the Mayors friends say he has
lost his temper with the Chief and that the
effort to satisfy him now has come too late
to save Chief Murphy if Councils can be
induced to remove him.
The last regular meeting of both branches
of Allegheny Councils will be held to-
night, and the new Councils will organize
early in April. David Macferron, the
present City Treasurer, will have
opposition for reelection. Controller
Brown will have hard fight for his place
and it is limited that the retormers will be
after him before the new Councils meet.
City Attorney Elphinstone will be opposed.
for reelection, but it is said.he will be sue
cessful.
If Chief Murphy is not removed by the
old Councils it is announced that Mayor
Kennedy when he takes his seat will de-
mSnd that all the lines shall be closely
drawn in the Safety Department and he
has already been pledged the help of Coun-
ellis to carry out any reforms he may de-
termine upon.
Senator Rutan arranged yesterday to
make another information against Council
man George l. Rudolph, whom it is alleged
was present with Martin Oliver and others
at the primary election in the Third district
of the Fifth ward, Allegheny, recently,
when, it is claimed, the election laws were
violated. The new information against
Rudolph, Senator Rutan says, will involve
not only violation of the election laws, but
other and more serious charges The Sena-
tor said he was surprised at the action of
Rudolph.
A Statement From Rutan.
s'There was testimony sufficient to hold
him." the Senator went on. TT was proven
Rudolph was in the room with the election
officers and told Inspector Kramer that he
could not go in to serve on the board. Every
man is supposed to know what the law is,
and especially one holding as high posi-
tion as Mr. Rudolph does in the public serv-
ice. It was clearly proven that the Eiec-
tion Board violated every provision of the
primary election law and the rules of the
committee, which has the same effect as
law. Rudolph controlled the board and
every action of the board. JamesNeillie, who
was summoned as witness and did not
show up, was only four squares away when
the constable went after him. He refused
to come and the Alderman declined to en-
force his attendance. He stated in his affi-
davit that he saw Rudolph pass bottle of
whisky into the board. Rudolph waited un-
til the count was made and then accompanied
Oliver away with election box and papers,
which were never seen afterward, so far as
can be ascertained. Alderman Schellman
was requested to adjourn the case for an
other hearing, because 1 had been sick and
was then and am vet. Under the circum-
stances no committing magistrate should
have hesitated to postpone, and probably no
OGu6T mdSlSLIdtc WOulu L Will uo1 ~ oC-
fore him again to make information against
anyone This is the first time in my life I
ever prosecuted anyone and never was a
party to any suit of any character before.
I will never stop now until all the parties
are brought to justice, no matter how long a
time is required to catch the two defendants
who ran away"
Another Election in Allegheny.
There will have to be special election
in the Fourth ward, Allegheny, to fill Will
lam NJ. Kennedy's place in Select Council
1t was reported last night that MI. Ken
nedy will resign early enough so that the
election to fill the vacancy can be held on
the same day the election for Mayor takes |
26. 1t was also reported that |
John Fielding will be elected to fill Mr..
Kennedy's place. Mr.. Fielding has been
on the Fourth Ward School Board for the |
last Is years, and has been connected with |
politics in the ward for a considerably |
longer period. He is considered one of the |
foremost men in the ward, and it is said |
he will be elected without opposition.