The herald., 1897-10-20
Police Commission Stops
the Wheel of Fortune
AN ATTEMPTED EXPLANATION
DONNELL WAS ALWAYS WILL
ING TO ISSUE A COMPLAINT
Fire Chief Moore Protests Against Un-
just Criticism of His Depart
ynent--City Hall Notes

Undoubtedly tile most important he p
pening in the city hall yesterday was
the decision Of the board Of police COM
missior,ers against the running of tnf
wheel games ia, the city, and the in
structions given to Chief Of Police Glas:
to close down the same.
Harry Siegel, the halter, was before
the board with kick against the de-
cision Of the supply committee III adopt
ing the French make of police helmet
Routine business was short ar d disposed
of quickly in order that the board Nigh!
be present at the regular monthly irl-
spection of the police department ot
North Broadway.
ADIOS TO THE WHEEL
Commissioner Gibbon broke the ice or
the subject of the wheel Of fortune
which he said was running openly arc
In the face of public opinion ON the
strength of District Attorney Dormeli
view of the matter, wherein he claims
that the wheel cannot legally be closed
under the state law Deputy Dlstrlc'
Attorney Jos Chambers was present as
a representative from the district at
torney's office to explain to the boaro
the precise situation of affairs
Mr.. Dor,nell wishes me to state" saio
Mr.. Chamb bers, that he has been mis-
represented in this matter by both the
r,eWspapers and the statements attrip-
uted to him by various persons not II
a proper position 10 krow anything
about it. What Mr.. Donnell did say
was that unless sufficient proof was pre-
serted, and the case well backed by the
authorities, it is not a foregone conclu-
sion that a coC.viction vii, follow. Mr.
Donnel further wishes me to say tha
he is, and at all times has been wiling
to issue a warrant for the arrest OF the
offenders when sufficient cause has been
SHOWN therefor
Commissioner Gibbon here moved
that the chief of police be instructed tc
obtain the necessary warrar.s for the
arrests, and proceed to take immediate
action in the matter. The motion was
unanimously carried.
Chief Glass then explained III vincica-
ton of his own actiogs, that he haT not
moved before iii the matter in view OF
the decided statements of District At
torney Dorneil, whereby he might be
placeis in an exceedingly awkward posi-
ton should he issue the necessary In
struc.lons to his men to make the CHS
pute0 arrests The board were unaCi-
nous in their opinon that the chiefs
actions were above reproach.
Mr.. McLair, however, was III favo. OF
going slow in the matter. having in view
a Ike occasion in another city whereby
he was one of three police commission
ers who had to ''pungie up $4,000 dam
ages for taking stringent measures ir
a parallel case. The ctef stated tnat
he would act irnme ediately toward abol-
ishing tie nuisance.
RECKLESS BICYCLISTS
The following letter was received and
read:
ITO the Hon. Board of Police Commits
sioners-Gentlemen Permit me TO call
your attention to gross violation of
the ordinance prohibiting fast riding by
cyclists on the streets and the utter in
difference of the policemen to the fact,
even when serious injuries are inflicted
September 22d, as l was crossing
Broadway at Sixth street 1 was struck
with such tremendous force by swift
riding cyclist that not only was my hat
knocked one way and my veil another
but the pins fastening it were shaker
loose so that my hair fell down over
my face. The injury to my right wrist
was so severe that the doctor thought
at first that it might be fractured, and
the left knee was SO badly confused il
remained very black for several days
The tremendous force Of the collision
was expended on the left side of the
chest producing traumatic pleurisy
which caused intense suffering and KEEP
me in twelve days. l lost six pounds ir
weight.
"A small proportion Of the weight o.
the blow, had It struck a few inche:
lower and to the right, would instantly
have killed me. Mr.. Williams the po.
liceman who came, inquired with a:
much interest as wooden man Nigh
feel, Was he riding fast?' and seemed
wholly Indifferent as to the extent o,
my injury.
'It is as cruel as it is shameless fol
the police to persistently shut their eye:
to the. con stant violation by so many
wheelmen Of an ordinance the observ.
ance of which is SO important to tbs
we'll being both of life and limb.
"Why wait until the blood of some
cruelty mangled corpse cries for ven
geance?
HELEN WILLARD MERRITT
"s40 South Hill street.
"October -. 1897"
The letter was referred TO the. chic
of police to instruct officers to inforc,
the ordinance.
MINOR MATTERS
A letter from Mrs NJ. C. Holmes pres
ident of the Keyes memorial of the w
c. II IT,, thanking the board for its act
ion in not granting the petition for a sa
loon license on Main street near Wash
ington, was read ad. ordered filed.
TIE petition for saloon license. b,
III. w. German, at Eighth and Sprinl
streets in the new armory building, wa
deferred for one week, with a recon-
merdation to see if the armory board o
the First brigade, N. G. c.. which is pro
testing against the granting of the pc
tition. could not come to some under
standing with the owner Of. the building
in regard to the same. Mr.. Gibbol
made a short speech in which he pointe,
out the evil effects that such a salooi
might have when so near a building
where over three hundred young mel
would be constantly in and around. ant
although he did not claim to be an au
thority In such matters he did not thinl
that another such state Of affairs woult