The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-17
BURGLAR|ES STILL GO ON.
WHILE CHIEF AND COUNCIL DE-
BATE AS TO TIE BLAME.
Mayor Fawcett Backs Up HIS Ap-
p0intee. and Endorses the En-
cheney OF the Police, While the
Records show 81 RObbcries.

Special Dispatch 70 The Post-InselIigencsr.
TACOMA. Dec Is.-Uniess all signs fail.
the first move of the health and police COM
mittee OF the council toward q bssternene
of the police service has resulted n y
breach tha. viii lead 10 a battle 10 M
isa. On the one side is the majority OF the
council and on the other the chief u police
and the mayor. The outspoken defiance or
Chief Romeo Ecge at the meeting held
yesterday. and his belief in the efficiency
OF his force makes plain that he will con-
slider no concessions. While on the other
hand (. is equally apparent that the hea-n
and police committee. or at least It's ma
teritv Will leave nothing undone 10 bring
about better service in the department IN
SO far as they are able. even though X IS
necessary to go 70 extremes. While Hoge
IS an appointee OF Mayor Fawcett. and al
though the mayor has heretofore stood oy
the chief il was not known 10 4 certainty
until today what attitude the chief eXecu-
tive would assume IN this particular mat
ter. The mayors views are best explained
by his remark 10 a Poss-Inteiligencer re-
porter to the effect that when he had
learned from the Post-Intelligencer tne
stand taken by Hoge before the committee
he at once called the chief by telephone ana
congratulated him for having the stamina
TO let the counciinien know ne would not
be imposed upon.
The mayor seems as firmly convinced as
his appointee in question that the Depart
uent is an efficient one. and. TO use MS
words, ''is run more honestly than any
police force Tacoma has ever had. he
echoes Hoge in declaring the councll ;
move TO be one for political purposes. and
declares that he will indorsa the chief right
down the line IN protecting his rights.
The staunch declaration OF the chief be
fore the committee. that the police records
Rr he
meut. led reporter 10 make inquiry at
headquarters concerning recent burgiarleS
and robberies. Thus far during December
there have been thirty-two cases reported
TO the police. twenty-nine of which are en-
tered on the book kept for this purpose.
but there is not one Of these entries which
shows that any OF the stolen property mas
been recovered. However. men are at
work ON them. and In all probability some
of the stolen articles may be found.
Last nights list of robberiess as reported
at headquarters shows that four people
suffered from burglary. Three OF these are
students in the Puget Sound university.
who awoke 10 find their overcoats missing
The fourth ia an industrious one-armed la
borer named Mann. While away from his
home last evening the house was entered
and s14 in cash. together with his pest
clothes, carried away. 1t is now fuily
month since this class of outrages became
epidemic here, and despite NUMEROUS al .
rests and excellent work on the part or
those of the department capable OF doing
good work, there seems no decrease in their
number.
What the health and police committee
now intends doing. has not been made pub
lie. but from conversations with Its mem
bers IT is quite certain that the CHIEFS IN
dependent attitude will not stop them from
continuing their work. How they wiz
tackle the vexatious question. or what
method they will pursue will likely NOT be
divulged but they are just as determined
10 do their best to increase the efficiency
OF the department as Chief Hoge is to pre-
vent them interfering with him properly
owners are watching the matter with no
ordinary interest. and are not backward IN
declaring they must have adequate ponce
protection. regardless OF what may nave
been the cause for the inefficiency OF the
department in the past few months =,
Opinion Is divided as to what the coonch
should do. The supporters Of the admins
tration In some instances insist thar the
council Is to blame in not furnishing Hoge
with enough men, others declare ]. wnoily
a lack of ability on the part or the chiei
and his force. All agree. however tna'
something should at once be done to better
protect the city from depredauons, ana
thus the matter stands.