The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-03-26
THE CHIEF OF POLICE.
Meeting Of the Board to Be
Held Monday.
INTERVIEW WITH THE MAYOR
He Does Not Desire to Dictate to the
bosrd-Thornton, Quilter or jack
son VIII Be Acceptable.

SNe>N SOoSioA Oi TIC DOdfQ Oh MOuuay IuoFu-
ing at IL O'Clock, when action of some
KIND Will be taken on the mayors demand
ior the removal of Bolton Rogers. Neither
OF the commissioners whose resignation
was requested has made any written reply,
but messages have passed and the mayor
had an interview with Commissioner
Stone for the purpose of talking matters
over.
Mayor Ronald was asked by Posr-IN-
TELLIaENcER reporter yesterday what steps
he intended to take if the commissioners
did not resign. He replied that he had
asked the commissioners to resign because
he did not consider that with the feeling
manifested by the board he could hope
for cordial support in his policy. Further
than that he had nothing to say on that
subject.
This contest is not Of my seeking"
continued Mr.. Ronald. 81 made no
secret of my belief that there ought to be
change in the administration of the
police department. 1t was one of the
issues of the campaign. 1 supposed
that Bolton Rogers would recognize
the public sentiment manifested
by the vote. I asked him to resign. He
agreed to do this. I saw him on Monday,
and then told him if he would give me
his resignation, to take effect on April 1, 1
would put it in my pocket until that time,
and nobody should know anything of it.
Meantime he could continue in office, and
all he had to do was to enforce the laws.
told him I could not pretend that l was
his friend, but would treat him in gen.
tlemanly way. said l would call the
board together on April 1, and he could
then put in his resignation. 1 have said
nothing against Mr.. Rogers that 1 have
not said to himself.
Rogers left me on Monday with the
request that he have till Tuesday morning
to decide. He did not come on Tuesday
morning and I sent for him. He did not
come until Tuesday afternoon, and then
We spent about two hours talking over the
matter, many subjects being introduced
which Mr.. Rogers seemed to consider as
likely to change the condition of affairs. 1
repeated my offer as to his resignation,
but when he told me he should withdraw
his acceptance and abide by the result 1
saw there was no other course for me than
to do as 1 afterward did.
II admit that the documents introduced
at the meeting were prepared. had very
carefully and thoroughly informed my
self as to my powers under the charter
and told Mr.. Rogers then there were two
things he would learn within the next
forty-eight hours-one was that I could
not be trided with and the other was that
the charter had not before been correctly
interpreted. told Mr. Rogers also that I
was disposed to do better by him than he
might have expected in offering to defer
acceptance of his resignation until April 1,
and then let him withdraw in a quiet and
peaceable way. Mr.. Rogers made the mis-
take of his life in not accepting that Of
fer"
"Have you indicated your preference for
q chief to either of the commissioners 2"
he was asked.
~ have no objection to repeating to you
what said to Mr.. Stone. do not de-
sire to dictate to the board. l told him my
own preference for chief was H. G. Thorn
ton, but either James Quilter or Andrew
Jackson would be acceptable. referred
to them because their names came up dur
ing the conversation"
"Will you say anything as to the charges
that are said to be impending against Mr..
Rogers?"
II have nothing more to say on that
subject than appears in my letter to him.
IT. as am told, Mr.. Rogers intends APP
peaing to the courts, shall be prepared
to justify my own action. Nobody ever
questions my veracity and when say I
have reason to believe that Mr.. Rogers
should not be chief of police it may be as
sumed that 1 have reasons which are
satisfactory to myself. have repeatedly
said Mr. Rogers shall not be chief while
am mayor.
81 understand that Mr.. Rogers closed
up the gambling games in order that it
may be said they were closed when came
into Office, and that if they are opened
again it will be with my sanction. can
only say that as they were closed when
came into power, they will still be closed
when transfer my authority to my sue
cessor.
~ hope that by Monday the present
friction will be ended; but I am going to
do what think is right irrespective of all
other considerations"
Commissioner Stone said last night that
the report of his interview with the mayor
was substantially correct They had a
long conversation, he said, and many
points were talked over, but the result was
not unsatisfactory.
"Mr Ronald and are quite agreed that
the police department should be free from
politics. am opposed TO making either
the Office of chief or the force political
department If the chief is to be changed,
shall vote on Monday for the man con-
slider best qualified for the position,
whether he be Republican or Democrat.
Other things being equal, l prefer Re-
publican, but the most important thing
for the city's interests is to have good
chief, and that very soon, so that the pres
ent disturbed condition shall cease.
shall oppose making any change for politi-
cal reasons"
Bolton Rogers was asked what he in
tended to do, but he declined to be inter-
viewed.
81 repeat what l told the mayor" he
remarked however, that | did not ex-
pect to stay, but l did object to going out
until the vague charges insinuated against
me had been so formulated that / could
meet them Mr. Ronald's accusations are
in such shape that | can make no specific
denial and a general denial proves moth
ing. | am willing TO abide by the result
of an investigation, and resign whether
they are proved or disproved."
New Church at Fremont.
At the close Of the chapel car meetings
this week. at Fremont, Baptist church
of over twenty persons was formed. Rev.