The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-11-23

After months of turmoil and delay,
the Donovan case has at last been
decided.
The result cannot be construed in
any other way than as d substantial
victory for Captain Donovan. The long
array Of sensational charges filed by
Chief Pratt nave mostly fallen to the
ground, and after the winnowing pro-
cess but little remains to in any way
reject upon him. The most serious
one, that of divulging department Sc
crets, is simply ignored.
AS to the trediting of F. P. McDon-
aid with nine days pay when that
officer was under suspension, the con-
clusion Of the board is that this was
q, simple mistake, done without any
fraudulent intent. The conflict of evil
dence as to the Saltair episode is re-
ferred to, and the whole case is re-
viewed in an impartial manner.
"JSen altogether, the decision will
giA general satisfaction, because it
was known that at least two members
of the board held widely different
views, and the length of time that has
elapsed since the conclusion of the
trial, together with the fact that all
concur in this report. IS evidence that
those views were harmonized in this
decision, Which is therefore something
in the nature of a compromise.
Chief Pratt asked for the removal of
Captain Donovan from the department.
The board simply suspendS him until
the 18th of next month.
The Decision
The decision was formally transmit
ted to Mayor Baskin late yesterday af-
ternoon and is as follows:
To the Hon. Mayor of Salt Lake City,
Utah.
The board of police and fire COM
missiOners have examined into the
charges preferred by Arthur Pratt,
chiel of police, against Captain ]. j.
Don1tan of the police force of said city,
transmitted TO the board of police and
fire commissioners by his honor. the
mayor, upon the 9th day of September,
1895, and after hearing the testimony
of the witnesses and giving the &C
cused full and fair trial upon said
charges. we make the following find
ings of fact as shown by the evidence
upon the trial:
Findings of Fact.
Specification Eliminating the word
"corruptly' from the specification we
find the charges therein contained are
true.
Specification 2-We find that on or
about the Dist day of July, 1895, Cap
tain Donovan received of Arthur Pratt,
chief of police, leave of absence, stat
ing that he wished to visit Bingham.
Nercur, Tintic district and Provo, to
visit some of his friends; that he also
inte.Sded to go to Mount Pleasant, San
nf nh
sence, but did not inform the chief OF
the fact; that he obtained said leave
OF absence; did visit Mount Pleasant |
Sanpete county, without visiting any
of the other places, but there was evil |
dencs tending to show that he was |
calS0 home by message that his WIFE !
>Vas4,fck. The board is Of the opinion |
that he did conceal from the chief the |
fact that he was about to make visit |
TO Mount Pleasant, and also the purpose |
of said visit; the evidence further |
shows that one purpose Captain Don |
ovan had in view in visiting Mount |
Pleasant was to ascertain whether the |
charges against Ford contained in the |
letter referred to were true. He claims, |
however. that another purpose for |
making this visit was to ascertain !
whether his own picture was in GER
tain house in Mount Pleasant.
graphs.
Specification 3.-We find that on or
about the 1st day of August. 1895,
CAPTAIN Donovan, contrary to the
rules of the police department and
without the authority or permission of
the chief of said department or the
board of police and fire commissioners
took one of Z e regular policemen of
she departnenL. F. P. Mcdonald from
his duty as a policeman and sent him
TO Mount Pleasant for the purpose of
finding out. if possible. whether the
charges made against Ford in the let
ter referred to were true, with instruc-
tons to obtain any letters written by
any member of the department to the
Franyszen woman, if any there were:
to obtain also, if possible, the picture
of any police officer or officers that
might be found in her house. The
evidence further shows that said Nc
Donald did go to Mount Pleasant, and
under an assumed name tried to OBJ
tain from the FrandZen woman any
letters or photographs of any members
of the police force that she might have
had in her possession.
Mcdonald OF Duty.
Specification 1.-The evidence shows
that about Aug 6 the chief of police
INQUIRED Of Captain Donovan why Nc
Donald was not on duty. Captain
Donovan reported to the chief in an
swer to his question, that Mcdonald
was sick, but failed to state to the
chief that two days of the time thai
be mad been off duty he was absent
On t%e journey to Mount Pleasant
herp.bfore referred TO.
eN.fcatfou II aIls to the Ground,