The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-03-24

that if you will do your duty as men and officers
to the citizens of Sesttie-enforce all OF the Or
dinances-you will come out all right
When the afternoon patrol reported off at $50
O'Clock Chief Rogers introduced Mr. Thornton
to the squad and Mr.. Thornton address sed the
officers in about the same terms as before.
The following communication was sent by
Bolton Rogers to the mayor last night:
J. 7. Ronald, Mayor Of the City Of Seattle: 1 beg
TO acknowledge the receipt OF your order to this
date in which you undertake to remove me
from the office of chief OF police OF the city OF
Seattle, and designate Mr.. H. G. Thornton as
my successor.
l assume that this action is taken by you in
consequence OF a conversation which was held
between us in your Office yesterday afternoon.
On that occasion you requested nv resignation
replied that l realized that you desired the
ohice OF chief of police to be filed by man in
political sympathy with yourself, and that had
no desire to hold the Office in defiance of your
wishes. l added, however that as you and your
political friends had unoficially made
charges and accusations against my conduct
as an official l felt it TO be but just
that should have an opportunity to meet the
accusations officially, before surrendering my
office. felt that was entitled TO an investiga-
ton. knew that l was able to disproye any
charge OF official shortcoming that you might
bring against me. ! offered to go before the
police commission without an attorney and with
out witnesses and be judged entirely on the
evidence of the witnesses that you would bring
against me- stated that would be perfectly
willing TO resign as soon such an inyestiga-
ton was completed, regardless OF what the re-
suit OF that investigation might be.
As have said have no desire in the matter
except to close my official career in a manner
creditable to myself and to my friends. You
have seen 1T to disregard my request for an in
yestigation. You base your order Tor my re-
nloval on charges too vague TO justify even re.
ply, and you are willing to permit me to have
no opportunity to answer the assertions which
you make.
Yourself a lawyer you base all of your asser-
tons upon no better ground than that you
your moral certainty" would amount to before
any legal tribunal you well know. You are
afraid 10 meet me before any such tribunal, or
to bring any charge against me in such man
ner that may answer it in a legal way. l am
perfectly content that the people of Seattle
should judge your conduct in this matter.
do not propose to enter into the legal phase
of this matter at present. I am satisfied that in
undertaking to remove me in defiance OF the
known wishes OF a majority of the police COM
missioners you are exceeding your powers under
the charter am satisfied that could legally
have disregarded your order, and maintained
myself in office in spite Of il. l realize, how
ever, that such a course would have been detri-
mental to the public service and subversive of
public order.
In view of these considerations am willing
that the gentleman designated by you shall con-
troll the police department until the next
regular meeting of the board OF police commits
sioners. In thus allowing you to take actual
possession of the office, however, do not yield
any of my legal rights in the premises nor do
acknowledge your right to override the police
commission and nullify its action.
BOLTON ROGERS, Calef OF Police.
Seattle, March %, 1892
II. @. Thornton, who is now acting as chief,
came to Seattle in 1870 and was soon after ap-
pointed to act the police force of the city. He
was the only member of the department He
afterward served as a deputy under the late
Sheriff Wyekoff and was for long time city
constable. He succeeded o. ID. Butterfeld as
chief of police, and served in that capacity
during the last four months of Mayor Moran's
term.
Although Thornton stated that he would
make no changes, he privately informed Detect
i've Charles Phillips that his resignation would
be acceptable. Phillips said that was all right
and soon atterward addressed a letter to the
mayor rendering his resignation.
Mayor Ronald takes the ground that he has
power to remove any appointed officer (article
XIX, section :, OF the charter, but this has
hitherto been assumed to mean any officer ap
pointed by himself-that is, he could remove
any member Of the board of police commission
ers or OF any other board appointed
by himself. The chief of police has
been supposed not to come within that
provision, he being an appointee not OF the
mayor but of the police board and included in
section S, article XXIL, "unless otherwise pro-
or department authorized TO appoint any deputy,
clerk, assistant or employee, shall have the right
to remove any person so appointed"
II the mayor can remove the chief for cause
he can remove any and all employees OF any de-
partment, deputies and clerks, and so
defeat the provisions of the charter which
gives the right of appointment and removal 10
other officers and boards, including the police
board which, under section OF Article VII,
ssys: "The police commission shall appoint the
chief OF police and all subordinate police
officers" and may, from time to time, remove
the chief OF police or any such police officers,
for such causes as to them shall seem just and
proper"
Section of Article V. says the mayor shall
direct and control all subordinate officers of the
city, except in far such control and direc-
ton is by the provisions OF this charter reposed
in some other officer or board"
The index 10 the charter, following the mani
fest intention of that instrument, divides the
officers Of the city into elective sppointiye and
subordinate, the chief being included in the
third division. The appoiptive officers are
given as police commissioners, board OF public
works, comptroller, board OF health, port war
den and library commission"