The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-11-24

rules heretofore mentioned and re-
ferred to herein. ARTHUR PRATT,
Chief of the police force and depart
ment of Salt Lake city.
September Z. 1895.
The Finding.
Specification THE gist of this
specification is that Captain Donovan
was detailed to visit Saltair and in
vestigate as to the truth of the re-
port that said Policeman Mcdonald
had been at Saltair lake resort bois-
ferrous, intoxicated and guilty of using
vulgar and indecent language in the
presence of women and children, and
that after going to Saltair and making
such investigation he reported to the
members Of the board of police and
fire commissioners and the chief Of
the police department that he could
find no person or persons who would
said Mcdonald; whereas it was
charged that the said Donovan did
inquire of Deputy Marshal ]. c. Davis
and other persons present at Saltair
and was informed by such persons
that the conduct of said Mcdonald
was as stated. The testimony on this
point is very conflicting; the testimo-
ny of Greenewald and Clayton was
to the effect that they stated to Cap
tain Donovan that they saw nothing
wrong in McDonalds conduct on this
occasion. On the contrary, Deputy
Marshal Davis, who arrested Nc
Donald, testified that he reported to
Donovan the conduct of Mcdonald
was scandalous in the extreme and
that he was willing to testify in regard
to the same; also that Conductor
Wheeler stated to Donovan in his Oa-
visO presence that he was unwilling to
testify, but if called upon, would
testify that Mcdonald was intoxicated
on the occasion referred to.
The testimony of Captain Donovan
on this point was to the effect that he
could find no one except Davis who was
willing to testify against Mcdonald.
The board is of the opinion that there
was a disposition on the part of Cap
tain Donovan to withhold from the
commission and from the chief Nc
Donald's actual condition after his visit
to Mount Pleasant.
Conclusions and Judgment.
If Captain Donovan regarded the let
ter referring to Sergeant Ford of suffi-
cient Importance to require an investi-
cation, it is very much to be regretted
that he did not hand the same to the
chief and let the latter direct the in
vestigation, if one was to be had. This
long and expensive trial and the con-
would have been avoided had the letter
been consigned to the waste basket or
handed to the chief; and all of the
charges except those contained in the
specifications and 6 grew out of this
mistake on the part of Captain Dono-
van.
Removal Not Required.
The board are of the opinion, how
ever, that the dereliction of duty on the
part of Captain Donovan is not suffi-
cient to require his removal. Such ac-
ton on the part of an officer, however,
even if entered into in the beginning
with the best of motives, is not unlike
ly. as in this case, to result disastrous
ly and should not be lightly passed |
over; and the judgment of the board is
that Captain Donovan be reprimanded |
by the board and be suspended from ,,
the time of his suspension by the |
mayor until December Is, without pay
during such suspension.
All OF which is respectfully submit
ted. FRANK JENNINGS,
n. A. ENIPEY.
w. P. NOBLE,
FRANK B. STEPHENS |
Members of the Board Of Police and |
Fire Commission.