The record-union., 1892-12-08

/ permit his friends oabuse me for telling him
the truth? If he was intimidated by threats
I of exposure. then he is unfit for the trust re-
posed in him by condding public and he
! ought to resign II any such threat was made
and his record was clean he owed II TO him
sell, his family and his friends to say to his
Lay on, Macduf;
And damn'd be him that first cries, Hold,
] enOugh!'
Such would have been the course ofa brave
man VINO knew that he could bring clean
record into court. l do not assert the truth of
the story, but it has been an open secret for
some time that the White case was c0nlpro-
nlhe1 Oy some hidden influence OF which L
know nothing. Still / am abused for not
standing by Rodgers when lie would not
slahu by himself. l never discouraged his
prosecution OF the case, never advised him 10
settle it, On the contrary, l advised him TO
prosecute. II is true that l did not express an
opinion on the merits Of his case before hear
ing the evidence. and l suppose therein lies
the sum Of my otfenuing.
During the late election campaign several
! officers came to me and complained that they
| had been ordered by Chief Rodgers to turn out
In Republican procession. / told them that
1 supposed they were only intended TO pre-
vent interference with the procession by dis
orderly persons. They answered no, that the
entire force, or l believe all but the Captain
ana the night jailer, were ordered to appear at
RepuD1can headquarters in full uniform and
march at the head OF the procession.
We'll, l SAID, that looks like running the
Police department as u political machine,
see that the thing is not repeated durlng this
campaign"
This complaint did not come from officers
who were Democrats; it came from Repub-
/ lcans. This remarkable order of the Chief
was obeyed on my advice.
At the next meeting of the Board OF Police
Commissioners secured the passage OF an Or
der requiring all political parties desiring the
services OF policemen for the preservation OF
order at any street parade or procession to
make their application to the Board OF Police
Commissioners. AS result OF this action l
was held up to contempt by Rodgers and his
friends for attempting TO prevent the Police
| Department from being used as political
machine.
Their abuse did not end here. There was
another ebullitiOn of virus in the same quarter.
| When the Democrats had their demonstration
in honor of their National victory, their COM
mittee requested a detail of officers TO preserve
order. The request was granted, with the eX
press direction that the officers be SO dis
tributed along the line that it would be appa-
rent that they were on duty as officers, and
not taking part as partlsans, ana because TINS
was cone l got another shot-accusing me of
partiality.
Now, Mr.. Chairman, it is fact well known
to every man connected with this department
that have never in any manner Whatever
interfered, or attempted to interfere, with the
political opinion of any of them. On the con-
trary, l have at all times ana in every way
discouraged the introduction of politics and
partisanship into the department l have
probably committed a great political sin, in
the ewes of some persons. by doing SO, and 1t
is not improbable that il is from such that
these attacks upon me receive their inspira-
tion. No matter where they come from, they
are unjust unwarranted by facts, maliciOusly
false and contenptibly mean on the part Of
the author or instigatOr.
Now, Mr.. Chairman, regret that l have
felt called upon to make these remarks. They
are not made in any spirit of malice or re-
venge. They are made i'll selfdefense and in
reply to numerous attacks and unjust i'm
putatiOns upon my official actions as a Police
Commissioner. As said in the outset, have
no hostile feelings toward Mr.. Rodgers.
have no desire to injure him in his good name
or reputation, either as an officer or as q man.
have related some things that have heard,
some that have seen, and of the Impressions
made upon my mind by things heard and
seen. l have referred TO events in which both
Mr.. Rodgers and myself were participants. L
believe l have given a fair and unbiased state
ment of what occurred on each occasion.
No one regrets MIR. Rodgers admitted fail
ure more than do. l wish that the hopes of
his friends had been realized, and that he had
the ability to make his administration a sue
cess. 1t is useless for those who are res ponsi-
bic for his election to attempt to detract the
attention of the public from the real cause of
his failure by throwing mud at his brother
officers. The real cause OF Mr.. Rodgers failure
as Chief of Police lies in the fact that ne
came into the Office untittea by nature or edu-
cation to understand the responsibility he had
taken upon himself. His mind was a perfect
blank concerning the law relating to his Of
flee, well as to every other matter pertain
ing to his duty as public officer, and either
from incapacity or unwiliingnesS to learn. 1t
remains blank at this time, and probably
will ever so remain. If One-half the energy
and printers ink spent in abusing the Police
Commissioners had been spent in prefering
specific charges accompanied with competent
evidence 10 sustain them) against delinquent
policemen. and in educating Mr.. Rodgers CON
cernng his duty, the Police Department would
not be in the demoraliZed condition claimed.
L am really sorry for Mr.. Rodgers. He is
an unfortunate victim, either TO his own
| faults, the unWiSe advice of real friends or the
Vaccinations of enemies, who are pretended
friends for their own selfish purposes. To the
hNrf 1a iff.a a,ait
victim to understand their purposes, and not
the Mayor and Police Judge, belongs tl-e
credit of Mr.. Rodgers conspicuous and la
| mentable failure as an officer. He is q living
monument to the folly of a man attempting a
role which he Is untitled to I'LL.
1 say with regret and in all kindness that,
after careful study and observation, / am
compelled 10 say that, In my judgment. he
does not possess a single element OF mind or
character fitting him for Chief Of Police, and
his administration OF the Office would inevi-
tably be a failure under any circumstances or
character of surroundings.
The trials and tribulations that beset every
man connected with police service are many
and great. The ways of the habitual criminal
and his friend and protector, the professional
politician, are ''vain and peculiar"
He plies his victim with honeyed words and
promises of reward, political or otherwise, or
with threats of political annihiation if his de-
mandS are not acceded to- 1t requires clear
perception of his purposes, and strong ver-
tabrae to enable the victim to resist his temp
tation OF defy his threats, and il he is def
never had office, for sure as effect follows
cause and night follows day, he becomes u
conspicuous failure and most likely q moral
wreck. 1t is possible that Mr.. Rodgers has not
been an exception to this rule. That he has
been set upon the mountain can scarcely be
doubted, and l sincerely hope that he has
kept his skirts clean by resisting any tempta-
tions which may have been thrown in the
way.
1t is admitted by his apologists that Mr.
Rodgers has faults. He has not developed a
fault that did not suggest itself to me at our
first meeting, and the impression then made
has been confirmed by closer acquaintance.
Instead of trying TO augment his faults or
expose them, or beiittle his Office his ad-
ministration thereof, ! have earnestly tried to
cure his defects, to make darkness light and
crooked things straight for him.
He has not returned kindness with kind
ness or listened to well-meant advice, and if
he has preferred to grope in darkness and
walk in crooked paths it is not my fault. and
| he shall not point his finger at me and say
| Thou diu itP'
1t seems to me, Mr.. Chairman, that some of
those who are responsible for Mr.. Rodgers
| election have got tired of him, or having dis
covered their mistake have combined with
his original enemies for his overthrow and
purpose OF keeping prominently before the
public the fact of his failure. / object to be-
ing used tor any such purpose.
May heaven come to his relief and give him
| power to penetrate the veil and discover their
designs. 1t is certain that they are doing him
no good
CHIEF RODGERS REPLIES.
| He Denies Most of the Police Judges
| ImputatIons.
z