The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-04
ON THE THIRD FLOOR
The Police Committee Meets in an
Obscure Room on the Quiet.
AND SETTLES HOOPER'S CASE
BY Vote of q to IL IL Decided to
Recommend His Permanent
Suspension-Applic
for the Position.

held a meeting last evening. The meet
ing was called for the purpose of Sc
lecting three new officers and arriving
at final' decision In Officer John
Hooper's case, and the greatest secrecy
was manifested in regard to it. In
stead of meeting in the city clerks Of
flee or the majors Office or the chiefs
office. where committee meetings are
invariably held, the members of the
committee quietly went up onto the
third floor Of the city hall and con-
vened in one of the little ante rooms
on from the council chamber, where
they imagined they would be free from
the communicating gaze of the vulgar
newspaper men. There seemed to be a
general fear that the public would
learn some Of the details of the pro-
ceedings, and in order to make assur-
ance doubly sure every member of the
committee was sworn to the most pro-
found secrecy and Chief Tebo was sta
toned at the door with a baseball bat
to keep out reporters.
There was a full meeting of the COM
mittee with the exception of Harring-
ton. those present being the mayor
Aldermen Pascoe, Carder. Cannon
Gamblers, Vivion, Rowe and Knowlton
and the chief. The first matter taken
up was the case of Officer Hooper. The
circumstances surrounding Hoopers
trouble with John McCloskey are still
fresh In the public mind by reason of
his recent trial in the district court.
AT the time of the trouble Chief Tebo
suspended Hooper and the police COM
mittee decided to take no further ac-
ton in the matter until the case was
decided by the courts. The question
that came up last evening was as to
whether Hooper should be reinstated
or his suspension be made permanent.
Chief Tebo stood up manifully for
Hooper, because he thought he was
right. He said that McCloskey was an
all-round crook and a dangerous man
and that he had threatened Just be-
fore Hooper had the trouble with him
to kill the next policeman who at
tempted to arrest him. He always
went armed and the police were in
structed to take no chances with him.
The chief told a great many things
about McCloskey that he was not al
lowed to testify to at Hooper's trial
and gave him a very tough character.
me only thing that he blamed Hooper
Tor was for having become intimate
with a woman who was playing fast
and loose with both McCloskey and the
police. He said that Hooper had prov
ed himself first-class officer with this
he was reinstated he would give no
further cause for complaint The
chiefs argument and eloquence, how |
ever, were alike unavailing and IL was |
decided by vote of 6 to l to recon- |
mend that Hooper's suspension be |
made permanent. If this recommended
ton is adopted 1t was decided to pre-
sent the name of Frank Hadley for
in Hooper's place.
The aDpOintmanf Of addftiooaI ,oltz.
men was then taken up. The mayor
II the last meeting of the council rec
,mmended the appointment of two adj
iitional officers. This recommendation
vas referred to the judiciary commit
zee, which amended it by recommend
ng that three new men be appointed
Ind that one Of them be placed in
'harge OF the stockade. 1t was accord
ngly decided to recommend three new
men Tor confirmation instead of two.
Applications were received from John
'teinborn, j. r. Without and Charles
who have been working as
pedals. and from George Wheeler. i.
:. Oliver. AL Marshman, C. L. Finch,
William Phillips and ]. H. Mcpherson.
me merits and dement's of the candi-
lates were being actively discussed
When Chief Tebo reminded the alder
men that any city officer, whether cleo
I've or appointive, must have been a
esident Of the city and a voter for
wo years preceding his appointment.
his was news to most of the members
4 the committee. and the chief sub
nitted a copy OF the new codes. which
his statement This
hanged the aspect of things, and after
ONE further discussion the committee
roceeded to vote. Steinborn, oliver.
Vilhoit and Wheeler were the only
mes voted on and the first three Sc
ured the plums. The vote stood: OIL
er, s; Steinborn, 6; Without, s.; Wheel
+, 4. The mayor was instructed to
resent the names of Oliver. Steinborn
nd Without at to-night's meeting of
he council.
With renewed pledges of secrecy, the
Meeting then adjourned and the alder
nen filed down stairs with a stony
tare on their faces and an unap-
roachable look in their eyes.