Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-06-08
AUDITOR BlLLANYS lMPUDENCE.
lie Threatens a Police officer
With Dismissal.


onicer Leach Commended by the Chief
OF Police for Obeying orders--Inde-
pendent of Political Bias--He Would
Have Been Reported to the Commission
iind he Done Otherwise Than Make
the Arrest.
one of the grossest instances of bossisui
and machine politics IS revealed in the
fact of the impudent threat made by
City Auditor Henry II. Billany, Satur-
day afternoon, to Police officer John
Leach that lie would see that the officer is
making the arrest of Anderson i'll the
Third election district OF the Twelfth
ward, Rumor of Auditor Billanv having
made such threats to an officer reached
the ears of the chief of police that official
accordingly called up the officer Monday
aud made thorough Investigation of the
facts. Officer Leach made this statement;
when ] reached the city kali, after
taking the prisoner in, ! hId come out and
was standing on the pavement in front Of
the city hail steps, when II man | did not
know AT the time came up and calling me
aside introduced himself to me AS City
Auditor Henry II. Billany. He said 4
have been hearing bad reports of your
running around with Democratic poll
TEXANS.
BILLANY's pIsAPrRovAL.
You've gone to work and arrested this
man to-day, leaving two Democrats To run
! the ward. Now if this ware goes Demo.
cratic to-day you'll have to Eo.n
| These open threats and intimidation by
a city official OF an officer OF the city
| police force continued in public view of
| everyone.
| OFFICER Leach replied to Billany, 81 have
/ done nothing more than my auLy. | was
| ordered Dy the chief to make this arrest
and would have done it had it Dcen my
4 brother
Rjllany-"Wcll, you look out for your.
i SELF
THE CHIEF COMBINATION.
The Chief --"Otiicer, commend you for
! your conduct and for your acting lndc.
4 p"ndently OF political bias. | am not III.
formed nor do care what your politics
are, liul had you done otherwise than YOU
have done ! would have presented yuul
name TO the commission Tor failing to d.
1 your duty
subsequently officer Leach stated that
he and two other officers found the pros
poets OF Z riot and a resCue suCStreme that
they ordered 4 mack and placing theii
Prisoner in 1t drove quickly off from tht
precinct amid the threats and defiance oil
tile negroes They shouted ont to Andcr
sun the prisoner, "Dml't COL Don't 20
Well protect yutl." Officer I.each's hant
and arm We're covered with blood in thu
strinlnage,
liz connection with the fact of Officer
Leach action in tile matter it may be re
lated that ii II a. III. OF saturday last Chic
q. Police buan had every one of the Il
officers Of the city assembled in the cit,
hail where he had Captain Kane read tn,
following section Of the law passed at tn
recent session of the Legislature bcarin
upon the dutics Of the police at city elrc
tons THIS Is ~ follows
An net to amend An act entitled "an act t
provide iur tie registration OF voters in the rl
ul Milmlngicn, chapter ~, Vol. Mn, Laws o
Delaware;
Section :. That section Is oi the pald a.
! be aincEded by adding thereto the following
ANA II any loiireman or officer ot police ,
, the city u Wilmington wltully disubey an
lawful command any bnurd nl inApsctofs 4
election ia the exercise Oi their duty a. sllci
~ any election a. aforesaid, and upon Conyit
tiOh thereof ny tho municipal court OF the cit
. | OF liitngt"n he SHAH il addition 10 the put
, rhulcnt by ini5 act imposed forfeit his ONO
! or position upon The police force aud be i.4el
/ glbIe Tor period o. one year
Following the reading of the law to th
/ assembled force the chief made persona
i inquiry Of tie officers as to their thoroug
h Understanding Of its requirements.
i Above all he impressed upon them th
/ necessity of Keeping cool and of not draw
Q mig their firearms until they were force
Q TO 40 so Tor the protection of life not I
i approach nearer TO the polling place tina
\ the IAN says HiIess called up by the on
/. GERS Of election; and even when matte
o did look extreme not to take final actio
s until they had tcephpned to him, whe
Ii the necessary aid would he rushed out
:. fast ts horses could travel, the last ord,
b MAS to implicitly and quckly obey Il
,s orders Of the election officers. 1t seen
that when lie chief discovered the clio
= carriage with Anderson driving up to Il
i hall, he inquired Of officer Leach Il
y reason Of hiring tile coach. On learnil
e what the officer had to say Chief Doll
e expressed his satisfaction.