The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-06-18

1t has been taken for granted that TIRE
appointment OF . police saatron came
within the power OF the mayor. bat an
investigation OF me matter completely
ursets this theor-. and II is probable that
anfef OF Police Reed will make the APP
pointmen.
Taking this solution Of the case to be
assured, there II little doubt that the
present incumbent. Mrs Emma Taylor,
VIII continue in the service Of the police
department She was appointed matron
several years ago when the police COM
missioners were in existence and has been
IN continuous service since. She has be
come well acquainted with the duties >af
Ger ONCE and police matters in general.
80 that she IN well qualified to fill the po-
siion, which Is many times tar from
pleasant
police matrun never knows when she
Is going TO have full nights rest In
this particular her life is like that OF a
PHYSICIAN Things may run along smooth
~. and then again they may NOT. In the
latter case the police matron is called out
OF bed and has to SO 10 the police station
and take care Of woman prisoner. The
chances are that she will have q most I'M
pleasant job. because az a rule the women
who are arrested By the police late at
night are either intoxicated or in q mood
"ASu dds%NliNSS are not spared.
Mrs. Taylors term of ONCE expired June
last, but as no appointment OF sue
cessor has been made she naturally holds
over 1t - hard to explain how the I'm
preston became general that the mayor
was the proper person to make the sap-
pointuent- That such was the case how
ever. is made evident by the fact that
those who desired the position made
known their desires to the mayor either
Personally or by petition.
Mayor Wood commenced TO look up the
status OF the case and the more he looked
the more he commenced TO doubt the ex-
istence OF any law giving him the power
10 appoint police matron. He met Chief
of Police Reed and spoke 10 him about
the matter. remarking that he was In
ciined to think the power of appointing
was vested in the chief of police.
Chief Reed was very polite ard replied
calamity that he did not desire TO take
any appointments away from the chief
they parted the matter stood In
such way that there wac no
chance OF disc greement. and it
simply remained to decide positively who
Was the proper person to make the APP.
pointment.
Chief Reed is out of the city on a short
vacation. but IL II fails to his lot to rstne
Inc matron IL VIII PROBABLY be decided in
quick order. As to the mayor. when he
was seen by a Post-InteIiigencer report
er, he said that 1t was true that he in
clined to the belief that the chief was
the proper person to appoint but that he
was waiting for an opinion from the cor
poration counsel.
Corporation Counsel Brown did not un-
derstand that an opinion had been re-
quasted of him. but he said he believed
the police matron should be appointed In
the same way that any policeman is APP
pointed. The police matron. according TO
his view. Is a member of the police force,
and the power Of appointment of men,
bers OF the force falls to the chief The
mayor appoints the chief 1t Is true. but
not the subordinates of the department
The law under which the police matron
was appointed was passed by tho state
legislature and not by the city council.
1t says that there shall be a matron APP
pointed. but does not say who shall make
the appointment