The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-03-30
CHIEF OF POLICE.
Drew Tries Cunning Game to Hold
the Office,
But the Newly Elected Chief Was
Not TO be Caught
so Easily.

to Insult the voters of this city, and with
the most brazen effrontery declares that
ne will not give up the Office he now
holds. His term expires at midnight of
March 3lst.. His successor, John b.
Rodgers, has been duly elected and
qualified, has received the certificate OF
election, taken the oath of office and filed
his bond. He Will enter upon the duties of
his Office early on the morning of the LIST
OF April. il any one attempts 10 obstruct
him in the performance Of the duties of
his Office, he WILL if he does kis duty,
place that person under arrest. IF that
person happens to be Chief Drew, he viii
then have an opportunity of taking the
matter into court 10 ascertain who is the
legal Chief of Police.
This is the proper course to pursue, but
Chief Drew and his shrewd attorney
thought they could get Mr.. Rodgers into
trap which would result in leaving
Drew in possession of the Office. The
latter, therefore, yesterday sent to ROdg-
ers the following letter:
SACRAMENTO, March %. 1892.
| John y. Rodgers Esq. Citt-DEAR SIR: At
the recent municipal election held in SacTa-
mentO city you received Il plurality OF the
votes cast for the off e of Chief of Police and,
as am informed, nave received a certificate
/ OF election to that office. l was regularly
elected Chief OF Police of Sacramento City in
! March, 1880, took possession Of the Office on
! the lst OF April, 1850 ana ever since have
| Teen, and now am, in the actual occupancy OF
! SAID Office and diSchaTgin@ its duties.
! The law under which was elected declared
| that hold my Office for the term OF two years
! ana until my successor was elected and quail
| fed. ! have been reliably informed that ut
! the time you claim to have been elected Chief
! Of Police GU were not citizen of the United
! -tseTp CYaA1 na1aY ff.,NF 2
ana were therefore not eligible to be a cand.-
| date or TO hold the office in case you should
! have received plurality or majority Of
votes.
L have been informed by the counsel whom
l have consulted that the mere fact that you
have received a certificate Of ele elton does not
| add IN any manner to your rights or legal
! claim TO the office of Chief of Police. Under
! the law was obliged TO, and did. give bond
! IN the sum OF 80, 900 for the faithful perform
| ance of my duties as Chief of Police. The
| bond holds good until my office is surrendered
| legally to my legal successor. ! am informed
! by my counsel that if L surrender the Office
! which now hold to q person not legally
authorized TO hold the same that my bonds
men are not thereby eXonerated, but would be
responsible for the acts OF the person to whom
! thus surrendered the Office in case he was
! not legally entitled thereto.
| From information derived from yourself
and from the records Of this county and pub
! LEGATIONS in the newSpal erS, there arise very
grave DOUBTS as to your citizenship and quail
hcattons as an elector; doubts so strong that
| nothing but the decision of q court of COM
/ petent jurisdiction can definitely settle them
! Under the circumstances l feel that viii be
/ doing wrong TO my bondsmen and to myself
! If l surrender the Office of Chief of Police to
you without such decision from such court
and hereby notify you that 1 shall continue
| 10 hold the Office of Chief of Police of Sacra-
mento City until the courts decide that L am
| not legally entitled thereto In arriving at
| this decision am influenced solely by my de-
/ sire to see the law enforced.
relieving that you are law-abiding citizen,
! and that NCu, as well as myself, would like to
see this gu tstiOn promptly dec .ded, take this
! opportunity of saying that am ready 10 agree
/ with you and your attorneys upon the meth
| OGS best adapted to secure q decision of this
question at the earliest possible moment. To
this end l viii stipulate, that such proceedings
may be taken as your attorneys and mine
may agree upon, before such court or Judge Is
may be designated by your attorneys; and
will still further Stipulate that the case may
be Immediately taken 10 the Supreme Court
so as to arrive at an authoritative decision by
the highest judicial tribunal ofthis State upon
the question as to whether or not YOU were n
| citizen of the United States and a qualified
elector at the time OF your alleged election Is
Chief Of Police.
Certainly, If you were such citizen and
elector there can be no trouble for YOU to
show it, and you should be as DESTROYS as N.Y.
courts to decide upon the question, and thus
end all cavil in the matter.
1naSmuch as this is public question have
given copies OF this letter 10 the newspapers OF
Sacramento tor publication.
l await your response and hope it will be
immediate, and that you will be ready and
willing, as | am, to permit the courts to pass
upon this important point. Very truly yours
WARREN F. DREW,
Chief of Police OF Sacramento CITY,
1t will be observed that Chief Drew is
very solicitouS about the responsibility of
his bondsmen. He does not, however
seem to remember that Mr.. Rodgers has
also filed bond in the sum of $4,000 to
faithfully perform the duties of the office
OF Chief of Police to which he has been
elected. He does know very well that his
own bondsmen are not responsible for
one moment after his term expires, as his
successor has been duly elected and quail
fed, and he will no longer be in office
after midnight on the 3lst.
But the little game did not work. Mr.
Rodgers promptly sent reply to Mr.
DrcW's letter, which shows that he knows
what he is about, and that he Will take
the office at the proper time. The letter
is as follows:
SACRAMENTO, March 90, 1892.
Warren f. D1eaU, Esq, Ctty.-MY DEAR SIR:
am in receipt of your communication OF
this date.
IN reply thereto 1 shall state that I was ot
the recent municipal election duly elected to
the position OF Chief of Police of Sacramento
City, have received my certificate of election
from the Board of Trustees, have taken the
| oath OF Office and filed my bond, and on April
i, 1882, l shall take possession OF the Office to
which | was elected
So far as any liability of your bondsmen is
codcernet. allow me to say that there is no
law in this country that compeis you to hold
any Office tor moment longer than you wish
TO, and your bondsmen are only liable SO long
as You are legally in Office.
Besides your bonGsmen can very easily es-
cape any imagined liability by getting off
your bond. There is nothing to hold them for
q longer time than they wish to be held
The lew expressly provides that q bondsman
may retire whenever lie pleaSes
DO not propose 10 enter into q discussion
with you as TO my citizenship but l shall say
that L am now aad tor many years prior To
my election have been citizen of the Cnited
States.
You or any other person may contest this
matter If you choose, but ii would be the
hight of folly for me to suspend my official
duties 10 allow some citizen 10 determine
what he may consider objections to my eligi-
| bility.
I nave 10 objections to your doing so. but
until my term expires or | am ousted by some
competent court shall exercise the duties of
the Office of Chief OF Police OF Sacramento
and you can impede and obstruct me in the
performance of my official duties as much as
you please.
II YOU desire to litisate my title to the Office
you have the undoubted right 10 90 so.
But pending such contest shall act as Chief
OF Police and you shall not perform the duties
OF an Office whose term has expired and To
which you have no longer any claim. Yours
truly, j. 3. RODGERS.
MINNIE'S RIGHT BOWER