The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-10-02
A POLICE DEADLOCK.
Anti-Rogers Faction Tries 10
Elect Thornton.
THOUGH NiooLE IS SUSPENDED.
He Insasss ON Taking Part fa the Pre-
eesdfngs of the Cemmssstoe, bat
the Mayor sssnds Firm

4
Rogers and install II. @. Thornton. an ex-
chief and oi6-tims constable, well known
In the city. TAe battle Was bitter. bat II
Mayor Phelps, as the chief executive Of
the city, has any power TO suspend an
sppointiTe officer who is under grave
charges. Thornton has no claim 10 the
ONCE. 80 that the whole question depends
on the Legality Of Niggle's suspension
About O'Clock yesterday afternoon
Mayor Phelps suspended Commissioners
Siggle and sent him the following notice.
dated September =, with sne usual legal
| formula ~ the head
To John g. Nicgie. Polic< Corzmissioaer
| Of the CITY Of SEATTLE.
"NHEzEAs, /, Byron Phelps, mayor OF
The city OF Seattle. have preferred charges
against you as police commissioner
| OF the city of Seattle, eharg-
ing you with misconduct in Office
as such police commissioner: and
| "hHEaEAs. You have been served with
copy Of the charges aud with citation
directing you 10 appear before me, as
mayor Of the city of Seattle. nj time and
/ place ia said citation specified, TO answer
said charges and show cause xhy you
should not be removed from tue office of
| police commissioner OF the city Of Seattle;
/ and,
/ "WHERxAs, Tho hearing OF said charges
has been continued at you instance until
Wednesday. the 81 Of October. 1891;
/ Now. therefore. you. the said John
@. Niggle, are hereby suspended from the
Office OF police commissioner of the city of
Seattle until such time as the charges so
as aforesaid made against you shall nave
been heard and determined"
/ Mr.. Niggle Immediately consulted coun-
sci and decided TO deny the right OF the
mayor TO suspend him. When the COM
| mission met at $40 o'clock ali were pres
| ent. including NiggIe, who said he had
| received the notice of suspension, but
insisted on taking part in the proceedings.
The mayor told him that he would not
be recognized. and his name was omitted
| from the roll call. Niggle said he wanted
no discussion, bat asked TO be marked
| present and allowed to take part in the
| proceedings, or have the minutes show
| that he IA ado his claims.
! The mayor replied that grave charges
had been made against Niggle, and a con-
| tinuance had been granted At Niggle's
| request. He had suspended Niggle on the
| advice OF the corporation counsel. He
| then instructed The clerk not 10 recognize
| Dir. Nigglc.
| The fireworks now began In the form of
a resolution introduced by Commissioner
Cheasty. Ii read as follows:
| ''WHEREAs. On September S. 1891, Bolton
| Rogers was removed from the Office of
/ chief Of police of the city of Seattle: aud
WHEREAS, Doubt has been expressed
/ by certain parties as TO whether said re-
4 movai ga. legal; now therefore. be IL
| Resolved, That said Bolton Rogers be
now and IS hereby removed from the Office
OF chief Of police"
| Cheasty moved the adoption and was
| opposed by Relic. who said he was salts
| fed that Rogers was removed at the last
meeting
The motion did not receive q second and
| Chsasty said he simply wanted TO get the
matter before the board as he was under
| the impression that there was no chief of
| police.
The mayor remarked that he thought
| the city had a very active and efficient
| chief.
Cheasty wanted to know If Rogers was
acting by authority aud the mayor replied
| that he vas acting by law. Cneasty
| deubted Rogers authority, and Assistant
| Corporation Counsel Steele was asked for
an opinion. He SAID that at any time cir
| cumstances required IL the police force
| was IN the hands Of the mayor and under
the charter Rogers was certainly chief de
| facto and his bondsmen were liable for his
| actions.
Cheasty said he did not know that the
| mayor had appointed Rogers acting chief
| and appealed TO the mayor for informa-
| ton. The mayor replied that Rogers had
been instructed verbally TO hold his posi-
| ton until the trouble WAS settled.
Mr.. Cheassv then played his trump card
| in the shape of the following resolution,
| which had a nice pink cover:
"wHERrss, On September 5. 1894. George
| w. Hogls vas elected so the office of chief
J of police Of tho city OF Seattle by the board
| of police commissioners: and
''WHrRKss The said George w. Hoge
has neglected and refused 10 qualify for
| said Office; nov therefore be IL
'Resoirca. That Henry q. Thornton be
now and he is hereby elected as chief of
| police Of the eaty of Seattle"
Cheasty moved the adoption and ReIfe
| gave the second. Before the motion vas
| put there Was general discussion about
| what happened 81 the last meeting, and
| Suspended Commissioner Niggle arose to
! tell what he knew about IT,
The mayor turned TO NigEls and said:
"Yon are not in this meeting. and I
dent want any more interference from
| you."
| Nirgle said he did not want TO cause a
/ row and sat down. When Cheastv's re.o-
luton was voted on Cheasty and Relfe
| we're for 10 and the mayor and WAllin gford
against. Niggle insisted oa being recorded
/ as voting with The Democrats Tor Thorn
i ton.
The motion is lost, I" said the mavor.
Nixxls aud Cheasty were bound 20 have
/ the minutes show that Niggle Vas pre.en.
ant demanded 10 vote for Thornton.
/ Finally wallin gtord got tired Of the talk
/ ing about shat Siggle wanted the min
| utas 10 show and moved to adjourn. The
| Democrats did not hear him, but kept on
| taking. AZ last the mayor told Nirgls 20
argue ais case IN court 'I'n acting ua-
4 der advice nos. " said Siggls.
/ liz locked as II the row would be kept M
1 al night. bat when Chessty moved that
( the minutes show how NIggie wanted TO
/ vete the mayer decided il proper coming
/ from enc in the meeting, and pat the mo-
tlon, which passed. The mayor then az
I rounced that he wAs simply trying to pre-
vent the removal OF an Efficient oflcer.
/ The II ach argued point having been set
ted. Commissioners Chs&Sty and Reife
/ r,layea hide and seek with one another On
q motion nnta IL resolved Itself iato the
/ following:
THAT the clerk be instructed 10 notify
/ II q Thornton that = resolution artsstnt-
/ leg him chief % police IS adopted sw ths
/ foIsossnx vote Ayes-Chsasty ReEfe ana
| Nisg.e Nsys-W alliugfora ana ne MAYOR.
I the mayer refusing q recognize Nlggls's
voss CO the gro2na 81 ais saspsRslonh
/ TAe vote wxs tls - Esaal. and N!xxls