The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-02-06


will find it in your power to accord the
same to me.
Oi course, however, If you and tho
gentlemen composing tho board do not
desire any Interview, (Which scarcely
apprehend will be the case under the
| circumstancesl we shall submit to
that decision. although | should much
regret it..
Awaiting u prompt reply, | remain
with very great respect your obcdicnt
servant, j ADGER SMY'rH.
COLUMBIA, January 81. 1896.
Hon. j. Adger Smyth, Mayor,
Charleston, S. C.-Sir: Your comuun-
ication addressed to me-, "a chairman
Of the State board Of police commits
sioners, has had my attention ] hcg
leave to state that the State board has
had no meeting to consider this uucs-
tiOn mentioned by you, and SO far us
insisting upon any action on your part
as Mayor Of Charleston, | feel that !
can assure you that the board would
not be 80 presumptuOus, whatever
might be its feelings or desires.
We have nothing whatever to do
with the Mayors appointments, and If
the board sees fit in it's wisdom to
place into operation the metropolitan
duty as contemplated by tho statute,
and not to protect the official head of
any Individual.
| certainly, as an individual, have
no objection to a conference with you,
citier ~ an individual or official, to
freely discuss the pubic w"'f"rc, hut
you must pardon me for refusing to
Call tho board togcthor to- hear you
upon, as you state, a threatening con
dition OF affairs, ovoc which the board
has no jurisdiction.
shall be glad to confer with you as
an individual, and | fcol suro the
other gentlemen composing the board
would likewise be.
With great respect, am truly yours,
JOHN GARY EVANS.
In connection with this corrcspon-
dcncc tho Mayor said tlat council and
tho community wore aware OF his con
tinued sickness, and that yesterday
was the first time for ne arly two weeks
that he had been able to leave his
homo or attend to any business.
1t had boon his purpose, as indicated
in his letter to Governor Evans, to
have gone to Columbia as ooon as pos
sible and conferred with the Governor
and the State board OF police commits
sioners in reference to this mat
ter and the enforcement Of tho laws,
and he had felt confident that tho
board would tako no action at least
until they had accorded him an opDor-
tunity OF appearing before them. In
this he had been disappointed, al there
had been no communication from the
board to him whatsoever.
Governor Evans in his letter practi-
cally states that no such action would
be caused by the faliutc to nominate
Capt. J. Elmoro Marin. On the other
hand, 1t could not hayo been caused by
any failure on tho part Of the present
administration to carry out the law, as
Capt. j. Gilmore Martin had been in
charge of the police department ever
since the election. Besdes this, as
soon as he assumed control, the Mayor
had given instructions to Capt. Martin
that all the laws should DO enforced
without fear or favor, and it was his
purpose to execute in:partially this
and all other laws upon the statute
books. He had cxpG ctcd that his ad-
ministration would be tested before it
was condemned, and that Judgment
would not have boen passed. Hpon it
and this community unhcard.
lie placed the papers now before
council and asked what disposition
they desired to make OF thcm.
Upon motion OF Alderman GadSdon
tho entire matter was referred to the
Mayor, with tho understanding that
council should bo cal cd together when
he should dosire TO bring the matter
again before it..