Kansas City daily journal., 1897-02-09
LATEST TALK AS TO STEPHENS,
MOVE ON THE POLICE BOARD.
SCARRITT AND FRANK SEBREE.
THEY MAY BE THE NEW KANSAS
CITY POLICE COMMISSIONERS.
Scarritt Said to Have Already Accept
ell, While Sebree Is "Consider-
ing"-CoIOneI Gross Mention-
ed for chief to Succeed
Henry Julian.

A political rumor freely circulated yes
terday was that Police Commissioners F'yke
and Johnson and Chief of Police Julian
will all be disposed of by the Stephens ad-
ministration very shortly after the senate
committee makes its report. The rumor is
based on the assumption that the report
will give broad grounds for making clean
sweep in the city.
That Governor Stephens does not expect
to have the commissioners remain in office
is shown by the fact that he has offered a
position as commissioner to VIII Scarritt,
who has agreed to accept it when the
coast is clear The other position on the
board, it is understood, was offered to At
torney Wash Adams, but he promptly in
dicated that he did not care to accept it,
as the duties were not such as he cared to
assume. The position was then offered
Attorney r. L. Ball, but he also declined,
and as yet no one has been finally chosen
to work with Mr.. Scarritt, although Mr..
Frank Sebree can have the place if he will
accept, and he probably will.
These statements cannot be verified by
the admission of their genuineness from
any of the men concerned, but they are
current among the politicians next to the
men in authority, and are generally ned
tied as being correct. = number of lead
ing Democratic politicians seen yesterday
by reporter for the Journal said the re-
port was undoubtedly true. They expect
Mr.: Stephens to make a clean sweep in
police matters. They feel assured the sem
ate Will refuse to confirm MessrS. Fyke
and Johnson, and most of them credit the
report that Mr.. Fyke has sent a letter to
Governor Stephens asking that his name
be Withdrawn and has accompanied the
letter with, statement in which he re-
news his assertion that at all times he de-
sired the even enforcement of law and,
trusting his associates. was imposed upon.
Now his eyes are opened and he wants to
put his statement in the record and quit
the job.
There are many politicians and citizens
also who agree with the alleged utterances
OF MT; Fyke, that he has been sadly, duped
and the wool pulled over his eyes beauti-
fully. Such statement as he has made
or proposes to make, they claim, would put
him right before the senate, SO that body
could well agree to have his name with
drawn instead of having it voted down.
In connection with the rumor concerning
P. Gross, colonel of the Third regiment,
may be appointed to succeed Chief Julian
at the head of the police force. 1t is known
that Colonel Gross is an intimate friend of
Will Scarritt. and stands well with Gov
ernor Stephens, all of which lends color to
the report.
1t is suggested that inasmuch as Mr..
Julian has been appointed for an unexpired
term as chief it may be hard work TO re-
move him. in case he cares to hold on. 1t
will be remembered that it required all eX-
pedients known in political warfare to un-
seat Julian as chairman of the Brown fac
tion of the Democratic county central COM
mittee: Having had experience in hanging
on by his teeth, it might require the entire
Third regiment in install Colonel Gross as
chief after he was chosen. Others, however,
point out that nothing has been shown
against Julian and they insist that he will
be retained and given full chance to show
his fitness for the place.
In case Governor Stephens acts as il ap-
pears sure he will act it will pretty nearly
dispose of Marcy X. Brown as a factor in
jackson county politics.