The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-13
COMMISSIONERS ON THE RACK.
THE POLICE COMMISSION PUT
THROUGH A FEW PAGES.

on the Day of the City Election In
quired Into at LenEth-Chafrman
karow Was willing For the Re-
porters TO BE Present, But Alder
man Charlton Was Not.
Savannah's Lexow committee kept the
police commissioners on the rack last night
from O'Clock until nearly midnight. IN
like New York's celebrated investigating
committee, however, the hearings Of Sa-
vannah's investigating committee are
strictly private.
The public is not supposed to be inter-
ested in what goes on and is ex-
pected TO be satisfied with the
report which the committee will make to
council anywhere from three to six months
hence. The public, or a big majority Of
it, thinks otherwise, however and SYM
pathizes with the efforts to keep it post
ed as to what is being done
The commissioners are not responsible
for the secret Investigations. They are
willing that they should be held in pub
lie or that the representatives of the
press should be admitted, which is the
next thing to it. 1t is the investigating
committee which insists on secrecy. Chair
man Karow of the police commission
wrote Alderman Charlton, chairman Of
the investigating committee, yesterday,
stating that he was entirely willing that
the investigation of the police commission
should be public, If II suited the investi-
eating committee that it should be so.
Chairman Karow did not insist In his let
ter that the investigation should be held
in public, but merely stated mis- willing
ness.
Alderman Charlton, when seen by
a Morning News reporter, stat
ed that he was not favorable to a public
investigation. 1t is not customary that
the proceedings of any committee of coun-
Gil should be public. he said, and the in
vestigating committee is simply a COM
mittee of council, appointed with instruc-
tions to make certain investigations and
report back to the main body. Alderman
Charlton was asked to place the question
before his committee, but replied that he
did not see the necessity for doing so.
The proceedings of the police investiga-
ton were stenographically reported for
each side, Mr. e. l.. Patton. city steno-
grapher, taking the report for the com
nlittee, and MIR. G. NJ. Rushing for the
commission. IL was probably about the
toughest experience either of these gentle
men ever had in the way of stenographic
reporting. There was no evidence and no
testimony. 1t was simply general con-
Versation and discussion from beginning
TO end If the reports of the stenograph-
ers should not agree there need be no sur
prise.
The greater part of the time was taken
up in going through the books of the
commission, including the minutes, and
discussing the various features and items.
The expenditures of the department were
also discussed and the method of keeping
the accounts.
About the only matter of a sensational
character brought up was the action of
the commissioners on the day of the city
election In superseding the chief, practic-
ally taking command of the force and
making the assignments of the men TO
duty. The commissioners were asked TO
explain this unusual and somewhat re-
markable procedure on their part.
The insinuation that their action was
taken in a partisan spirit was warmly re-
PEELED by the commissioners who replied
that they had acted, as they believed, in
the interest of the whole city. The condi-
lions were unusual and IL was freely pre-
dicted that there would be trouble on cleo
ton day. They themselves feared trou-
bic. Feeling that the responsibility for
preserving the peace depended upon them
they exercised their authority TO the ut
most.
Chairman Karow stated that he spent
the entire night before the election with
the police, resting a portion of the night
at the barracks and riding the remainder
of the night with Lieut. Reilly and the
sergeants. Messrs. Vetsburg and Jack
son also stated that they spent practically
all of election day and the night before
with the force.
Some of the committee thought this was
an unnecessary display of vigilance on the
part of the commissioners and remarked
that II had not been found necessary in
the county election. Maj. Karow replied
that at the county election the entire
crowd was conferred at the court house
and the work of the police force could be
very easily supervised by the chef and
the other officers, while in the city cleo
ton there were twenty precincts to be
looked after and IL was impossible for
the chief TO supervise them all. The
question was asked II the commissioners
had not exceeded their authority in SUI
perseding the chief. They contented that
they had not.
The most interesting bit of discussion
was when one of the committee inquired
why 1t was that the commissioners had
assigned Citizens Club policemen to the
precincts, while nearly all the Liberal
Club men on the force were held in quar-
tiers and were not even allowed to go out
to vote until late in the afternoon. This
statement was promptly contradicted by
the commissioners. Chairman Karow
said that he did not know what were the
politics of the men on the force and con-
sequently the assignments to duty on
election day could not have been made
with this in view. He did not know
whether the majority of the men held in
quarters that day were Liberal Club men.
Messrs. Vetsburg and Jackson said the
same thing
A member Of the committee had list
of all the assignments TO duty on election
day. The commissioners wanted TO know
how he obtained II. but they did not find
out. This matter. it is understood. was
passed over for the present, TO be taken
10 at a future meeting.
one of the policemen, who was kept In
quarters on election day, Informed
Morning News reporter last night that of
the twenty men held in quarters on election
day, nineteen were 1rishmen and Libral
Club men. The twentieth man was a
countryman, and under the circumstances,
1t is natural to suppose that his being kept
was due to an oversight
ftt.I lief NJ the mon yhO were kent