Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-05-20
TALK OF THE TOWN
The Secret Sessions Of the Po-
lice Board
QUITE GENERALLY CONDEMNED
~ An Classes Of cisissns-ns. Hatch
80 Judge Buslingams Dsneanes
Thsn-Mr. Lsssgsn's Dsssnss-


$780, t.-. ard e,tv ofBe;aia
- k-<cS,,ns dssr;v ;rterestsd m the
Se~tes9 s~~inss the svstsm Of the board
~ r,6c~ snd 6ve commlsaoner In
holdsne so-ealled executive sessions.
1sxpsyers vitality interested In the de-
to;Ie al the conduct Of the two most
imnortant branches Of the CITY service,
Iavvers who are astounded at the dis
- .nethods Of over.Yidipx the rights
"a The nuplic. and citv ofYiclals who see
- she ,esuIt thu end OF z question
~h;ch has long been : mooted one, all
~ taIking Of The matter. and Il 10 diff
Gcuif 10 find anyone who has any GYM
~~thv mir the hoard. The board It.
~ n divided on the ques-
Com commis.,oner BAnder still
mnintains the poaition which he
eook ia An interview with . reporter for
Tnr HrnALp Tuesday. Commissioner
Hatch. when lnterviewed yesterday.
aa,d. ssAm / in favor Of admitting the
General public TO the sessions OF the
hoard, Well. / should say was. Any
bodv can come for ali care"
"How about the reporters?' was
asked. "Come right in. I'd be glad 10
re Won there, and II anyone tries to
mt You out veil for Bender and me?
he and aren,t the whole board, but
veil do our best for you"
NacBsyusids' Thrsass.
ssa>r,.s.vv MacRevnolds ava IL We
49, m ina rscket va viii find patrcl-
~ saes,oned ~ the door 10 handle
~" sa;d the rerorter. When Mrs?
Hs1ch hesrd th,s his face became :
kr,rht red and his uttsranccs were
diecoouected. The only words that
eouIt b distinguished were. "fools,
nonseuee. rot" etc After he had re-
covered Mr.. Hatch said: s'The board
yoaxss : big Mistake in carrying on this
w.v. It results in suspicion, bad feel-
Ing and : general sense Of insecurity
Ga1por,ntendeut Eastman sits still
and dYnvs his salary while al this dis
ein!icsrv work. which he should do
ou,s .Iy and thoroughly, il turned over
% the hoard, which 20 far has made =
bosch Of Il. I cay let the pubic know
What the hoard does"
Commiss:oner LDsttgert Was very rest
~ aud uneasy whom called on. He
would express no definite opinion and
1nlksd in 3 rambling way on the good
n The depsrtment, di9grxcing . mans
family, nesdlese e1posures' and like
vague quantities. he said iii the su-
posiutsndeos does his duty and ooeys
cor orteFs he has ell he can tend to.
Tie reporters are always welcome TO
ouf nsstlnHs sxcepe when We are tran
eacsing buGness-" When the connie
GlouoE had uttered tina noble sent
mont his manly oosom swelled per-
oepsibly, and the effort seemed 70 have
80 him r O0uo0 deal.
JuAge Dsslingpns's 0pisise.
Judge Burhngame expressed himself
. follows: III can give no legal opin-
iou On thIs question Tor think IL not
fmprpbAble that IL may come before me
30 BE- decided, bat will say. ~ citizen
ord taxpayer OF Grand Rapids, tat
can ne no reason for these
executive sessious. For my part l
would rot wish to belong TO
= board that did It's buGness in such .
way. IL u not right for them to ex-
clude tho public, or the public's agents,
toe reporters, from their meetlngs. The
elections and appointments OF the
board are public business, and the pub
lie has . right 10 know how they are
conducted. There may b very Few
coses where the board might ~ well
keep lts transactions private, but they
eye very few indeed. Tho whole system
- extremely noDsepsical."
masReyaosassr wils nssR.
Secretary MscRevnolds of the board
aid III trv 10 do NV duty hare A best
c~a. and don't feel ike saving much.
mi I ere<s that IN Won reporters xeep
mn ms raeke, You'll ind : patrolman
- shSse doors Ia handle vou.5,
rr. -, .storc.v vhsn h. snard ~