Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-02-20
COMPLAINTS AGAINST POLICE.

The finance committee also reported
favorably the bill of Manuel Valdes for
$l.4S.
COMPLAINTS AGAINST POLICE.
The committee on police reported a
long communication from Lieut.. I. w.
Littell, CT the 10th infantry, relative to
the proceedings of a board of officers
convened at Fort Marcy for the purpose
of investigating the conduct of Police
Officer Frank Romero toward three SOL
diers belonging to the garrison. The
communication was accom- panied by
strong afidavits of both the officer of the
day and the men who were molested.
The affidavits state that as the soldiers
were walking down San Francisco street,
in perfectly sober condition, they we're
stopped and grossly insulted by Romero
without cause unless it was that the police
man desired to provoke quarrel in
order to have cause to arrest the men.
If the statement of the men in regard to
the language used by the officer be true,
then he is totally unfit to occupy place
on the police force. The language said
to have been used by the officer is entire
ly too indecent for publication. The Off
Ger is also alleged to have drawn his re-
volver and it is the belief of the soldiers
that he was drunk. Councilman Bartlett
moved that copy of the charges be pre-.
sented to the accused policeman, and that
be be cited to appear before the board
next Monday night to answer the same.
The mayor asked consent to have the
city attorney draw contract with the A.
7. & s. F. people for the placing of two
arc lights at the Santa Fe depot. The
request was granted. The mayor made 6
short speech against the present charges
of the electric light company, saying they
we're exorbitant and that Santa Fe was
now paying 20 per cent moro for lights
than any other city between Kansas City
and Los Angeles.
Councilman Palen moved that the city
attorney be ordered to prepare proper
formula for advertising for proposals.
for repairing the sewers. The motion
carried.
LIVELY TILT.
Councilman Antonio Ortiz Salazal
presented a resolution ordering warrant
drawn in favor of j. V. Conway in thu
sum of $3.50 for feeding prisoners in the
city jail for the month of January anc
also one for SO for payment of rent o.
the marshal's Office. Councilman Victory
caused Councilman Conway to become 8
little nervous by his severe announcement
of the bill. Councilman Victory said he
thought it entirely improper for coun
Gilman to have bill of his own present
ed to the council with instructions te
draw upon particular fund for its pay
ment. Councilman Palen tried to pour
oil on the waters by saying that the bill was
not one of the councilman's but was from
his son. Councilman Conway disproved
this, however, by admitting that he was
in partnership with his son. The bill
passed, despite the earnest efforts of Mr.
Victory to defeat it. Councilman Del.
gado voted no with Councilman Victory
who said that before the meeting was
looking to more economical admins.
tration of the city prison.
Councilman Palen introduced resolu.
tion quit-claiming to the reservoir com.
pany 268 acres of land along their ditch
provided work was commenced in si1
months and finished in year. The reso.
luton carried. Councilman Bartlett asked
to be excused from voting as he was q
member of the company seeking the
grant, and his vote might affect the
validity of the title. He was excused.
Councilman Palen introduced an or
dinance prohibiting the riding or rolling
of bicycles on sidewalks and making the
penalty from 81 to $40. The ordinance
carried.
THE POLICE MIDDLE.
Councilman Victory at this juncture
made good his promise to introduce 9
resolution looking to economy in city
prison affairs. His resolution authorized
the discharge of the marshal and the
transferring of all city prisoners to the
sheriff who agrees to take care of all
prisoners for so cents day each. Mr.
Victory showed by statements in his pos
session that the expenditure of money
for the maintenance of the city Jail was
a useless one. 1t now costs $62 for run
ming the Jail exclusive of the salaries OF
officials. Under the system proposed by
Mr.. Victory the cost could be reduced
over one.half. The councilman explained
that he did not offer the resolution to
make political capital, but simply in the
interest of economy. He offered it in
good faith and hoped that it would carry.
Councilman Conway, of course, had an
objection. He wanted it referred to the
police committee where it would, in all
probability, never again see the light of
day. Mr.. Victory said he hoped it would
not be referred to the committee as it
was matter that touched the pockets OF
the tax payers and should be Immediately
acted upon. Councilman Palen saw the
justice of Councilman Victory's remarks
and supported him. Despite the protests
of the Democratic members of the coun-
Gil the resolution was referred to the
police committee. Councilman Palen
voted no with Councllmen Victory and