Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1896-03-12
A CARD FROM THE MAYOR
Editor of the Argus.

OIbankS for your kind courtesy
in extending to me the columns
of your paper to state facts, a.
they occurred in "a strange pro-
ceeding."
As the Mayor of the city. I an
responsible to the community fol
my official acts and they have &
right to know why I did moi
agree with the action of the Po-
lice Committee, in suspending
policeman Speight.
I have not one word to say
against any member Of that Com
mittee. and I heartily concur in
your estimation of them. Yet,
men will differ and see things in
different lights-this seems to be
my great crime.
I was invited by Mr.. O'Berry,
of the Committee, in a casual
way, to attend this meeting, and
in this way, heard the testimony
in the case. The charges against
policeman Speight were made
by q. S.. Commissioner Hugh
Humphrey, who, I learn, came
before the Committee and asked
to withdraw them. but was not
allowed to do SO. The testimony
of several witnesses was taken
pro and con, and the strong inn
preston made on my mind was,
| that much ado was made about
nothing. The evidence was con-
ficting.
Mr.. Editor, you say Mayor
Hill Immediately and hastily
summoned the Board to meet in
special session." 1 did not. The
Committee communicated their
verdict to Mr.. Freeman, Chief
Of Police and also to policeman
Speight on Thursday night. Mr..
Speight came to me and asked if
he could not appeal to the Board.
[ told him he had that right, but
If l were in his place l would
consider the matter well before
doing so. I did not advise it. On
Friday morning about ten o'clock
[ think, Aldermen Hilker aud
Dock Smith asked me to call a
meeting of the Board to give
policeman Speight a hear
ing. I did not suggest this
meeting I issued the call, as
requested for 5 o'clock %. M,
just as [ had a great many pre-
vious special meetings. At that
hour, [ called the meeting to or
der and stated that it had been
called by ''sone of the Alder
men, Stating who) Aldermen
Hilker and Smith, for the pur-
pose of giving policeman Spelght
a hearing, as he had appealed
from the verdict Of the Police
Committee. The chairman of
the committee stated their &C
ton, saying the principal charge
against him, was the remarks he
had made to Mr.. Sutton, and
stated that they we're proven by
reliable witnesses. MI. W. G.
Munroe was present as counsel
for policeman Speight, and dif~
fered with the committee as to
the charges aid evidence. There
was some discussion on both
sides, and the chairman of the
committee called upon me, for
my understanding of the matter.
as [ had heard the evidence, [
then, (befora any motion had
been made) stated that I differed
with the committee as to the evil
dence, which was conflicting.
Alderman Hilker then made the
motion, that the action of the
committee be set aside and pc
liceman Speight be restored to
duty. Alderman Nash asked
that a full hearing of the evi-
dence before the whole Board,
be had in order that he might
vote intelligently. This should
have been agreed to, it was the
wise course to pursue, and [
think ought to have been insisted
upon by the committee, especial
ly since there was a difference
of opinion as to the evidence,
But objection was made ard es~
pecially so by the members OF
The Police Committee, who stated
that they had already spent two
and a half hours or more hear
ing the evidence, and that it was
not necessary to hear it again.
Alderman Rilker asked that
the City Attorney be sent
for, this, too, was object
ed to as unnecessary. The
question was then called for
and vote taken, which resulted in
a tie. The disagreeable duty Of
casting the deciding vote, was
thus forced upon me. My earn
est conviction was (after hearing
the evidence before the commits
tee) that the charges were frivo.
lous and not sustained by the ev-
idence, the remark that Speight
had made, was not proven to my
mind, to have been made to Sut
ton, a remark that was most
natural 10 have been made by any
citizen. I felt and believed that
an injustice had been done to a
faithful policeman. acting under