The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-07-22
CHIEF AND POLICEMAN FIGHT.

Z
| track laying after dark.
CHIEF AND POLICEMAN FIGHT
| CHIEF OF Police Walter c, Jones and
Policeman James b. Doltn had a fight in
the office OF the chief tonight. Detectives
and policemen seized Dolan and he was
| locked UP. Later he was released Major
Frank NJ. Spencer becoming his bondsman.
/ This alteration is but an outcropping in
the bitter struggle which has been waged
in the police department since the election.
I There was strong opposition 10 Chief Jones
and his confirmation by the city council
simply Intensified the bitterness. The first
police slate on detectives and patrolmen
was broken and then it Was agreed 10 put
the civil service system into effect. The list
prepared under this examination was sub
mitted TO the city council Monday night
| The candidates Tor positions were voted on
| seriatlm. Thirteen OF the men on the list
were rejected, among the number being
! Day Police Clerk George McCracken ana
I Detectives Waters and Murphy. These three
men were particularly desirable TO the
chief and their rejection looked upon
as triumph for .he opposition Among the
| patrolmen accepted WAS Dolan. He had
! passed the civil service examination and
Wac put on the slate principally through
! The influence of Mayor Fly. Chief Of Police
Jones. at the time Of polans eNamlnl tion,
declared that Dolan was objectionable 10
| him. but Mayor Fly said he had promised
| to vote for Dolan and would accept the re-
| sponsibility for his selection. The mayor
prevailed in the commission and later in
| the vote IN the city council Dolan was
chosen by II vote OF Z 10 ..
When Doian asked for his commission
he was told the chief wanted 10 see him
He went TO the office OF the chief A little
| later there was a row and the Two men
were seen to be iightlng, The police station
was crowded at the time. the night squad
bcing about to go on duty a rush was
made to separate the combatants and they
were gotten apart before much damage had
been done. Dolan's uniform was onsider-
ably torn In the scufle. He was put IN tho
coop for Il short time, a charge OF curslng
and abusing being made against him. The
men about the city hail are reticent about
the row
Do!an gives this account OF the fracas;
II went with my bond to tho station" said
he. ''and was told the chief had instruct d
that WAS not 90 get commission, but
was to so TO his Office and see him. went
to his onlcc and after greeting him pleas
antly told him what the clerk had told me.
He said | had been correctly informed He
told me he had searched the records OF the
custom house. whore had hsen employed,
and rad discovered was SO years old He
told me that II | tried 20 get my commits
sion rs a policeman he would take my case
before he grand jury. The clvil service
limit OF age for policeman Is 90 years
! was leaving the office and said s0methlns
about him being on top now. but that my
time would come. whAn he said What's
that? Are you cursing meT and caught me
by tho throat Then | punched him. l was
Ispi y.H hts th..s MT
some policemen. Tho chief ran back In h =
office and got his gun. My gun was taker
from me | was put in the coop END
charge Of cursing and abusing made agans
me-
Dolan's was not the only case that causet
, excitament dt headquarters today Police
man r. p. Duffy. who formerly acted a
detective and who was defeated for reap
pointment, was called upon 10 give up M
. shield He refused to give It up without !
writtn order from Chief Jones.
Policeman Moore was also ordered 4
give up his shield
The happenings OF today have revived ai
the bitterness OF feeling ana there is iikei,
to be considerable stir in the department
NEAT LAW POINT JtNvoLvEp.
The suit Of DR.. w. i. Ducie VS., thu
County OF Galveston Is on trial In thu
district court before Judge Stewart and |
jury The case is one OF unusual interes
land reyives the story Of the Hanscom
Lockhart aght over the county ludgeship
Or. Ducic. in his complaint, sets forth tina
he was engaged on december ~. 1850 =
county physician BY this county Judge an,
commissioners court, sitting a. court
!, that the engagement was Tor fEo ysas,
land that he was e receive - per NUM-
Z n ~ e1IIl1cls SIZ ||lI