The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-02-13
Respectable Citizens Are
DiScuSted With the Trio
Of Investigators.
Prominent Republicans Are Much
Amazed at the Stupidity of
the Committee.
DEPARTMENT USED AS A CLUB.
During the Administration Of Ex.Mayor Moies
There We're 81 Prisoners Released During
Period 9 IL Months,

Considerable indignation is felt through
out the city at the attempt made by the
Aldermanic Committee on Police to in
| timidate and bulldoze the Mayor of this
city. The Office is one of the highest in
the gift of the city, and the Mayor Is
placed there by majority of the citizens
OF this city. Any attempt by person or
persons to insult him Is a direct affront
to every citizen in the city. Several prom
inent men about the city, the majority Of
them Republicans, were interviewed by a
TRIBUNE reporter and the universal opin-
ion Is that the committee are actuated,
not by motives which would commend
themselves to the public, but on the con-
trary, by vindictiveness and spite.
Among those who were interviewed was
gentleman who is closely connected, Off
cialIy with city affairs, and he ridicules the
efforts of this committee, and said that, il
they continued in this line the Republican
party would receive it's death blow. 1t is
well known fact what the report of this
committee will be, and the public are pre-
pared to smile with piety upon the authors
of it. From the time that the commit
tee appointments were made it was sus-
pected that President Eastwood was as
sisted in the construction of the commit
Committee on Police was announced all
doubts of fair play and justice toward the
police department was dispelled, and the
citizens have been prepared for an out
break on the part of the Committee on
Police.
Chief Goldsmith 10 a Veteran.
The first thing that the committee found
| fault with was the number Of prisoners
released. They thought they saw in this
part of the Chiefs report chance to at
tack the Mayor. According to the report
of the Chief for the year 1897, there were
| SO persons released. The Chief was sum-
moned before them and questioned in re-
gard to it. Chief Goldsmith is an old SOL
dier who has faced the enemies guns with
unfaltering steps, and it would take more
fire than is contained In the combined
bodies of the committee on police to make
him quail. He met them as fearless man
should meet them; he told them that he,
as Chief of Police, released the greater
number, and gave them good reasons for
80 doing.
He told them that the most Of thofe re-
leased were non-residents, who had no
money, and il committed would be large
bill of expense to the city; he considered
that in doing this he was acting for the
best interest of the city. But this was not
Al oft
wanted to fasten the guilt upon the
Mayor. Sergeant Louks and most of the
patrolmen were summoned, and they were
quizzed to see If they could throw out a
crumb of comfort to the purifying COM
mittee. That the Committee on Police has
exceeded its authority in this matter, in
order to find something against the doctor,
there is no doubt. 1t will be interesting
to find out what the Grand Army veterans
think of the actions of three men, who
have never lifted their fingers in defence
Of the country, but who are trying to make
a shuttlecock out of Chief Goldsmith, an
| honest veteran, in order to hit the Mayor.
Ex-Mayor Moies' Administration.
The Committee on Police in their forth
| coming bowling report will lay great
stress upon the fact that there were
ninety-eight prisoners released last year,
| under Mayor Gottschalk's administration.
| In order to see IL the present administra-
| ton was too liberal it would be well to go
| back to the administration OF ex-Mayor
| Moies. Mayor Moies was inaugurated
March s, 1895, and served as Mayor Of
| the city and head of the police department
period OF about nine and one-half
| months; and during that time there were
ninety -onc prisoners released. The atten-
tion of the purifying committee Is called
| to this. During Mayor Gottschalks term
| of twelve months there were ninety-eight
prisoners released.
During ex- Mayor Moies' administration
of nine and one-hoT months there were
ninety-one prisoners released.
| II the same ratio was carried out for the
| two and one-half months OF the unserved
term of ex-Mayor Moies, the present
Mayors record would have been sur
passed. One thing more to remember,
gentlemen OF the self appointed purifying
committee, Mayor Moics was "Re-
publican"