The herald., 1897-05-04
'FORMAN'S
REMOVAL
Cause Of the Generals
Undoing
THE PUSH GOT IN I1s WORK
POLICE PULL TOO MUCH Ton THE
COMMISSION
THE PUSH GOT IN ITs WORK
Insisted on Obedience to the Rules
and Lost His oficial Head in
Consequence


Consequence
Gen. Charles Forman was yesterday
summarily removed as a member of the
police commission by the city council,
for the ostensible reason that the duties
OF director or owner of a street rail-
way line were incompatible with those
Of member Of that body. The action Of
the council was in the nature of q COM
piete surprise, for while It has been
known for several weeks that General
Forman's course AZ member Of the po-
lice commission was not satisfactory to
O majority Of the councilmen, 1t was not
believed that the extreme action Of re-
moval would be resorted to. Indeed, it
Is generally believed that the vote nec-
essary was not secured until the noon
recess Of the council. when Councilman
Blanchard Of the Ninth ward agreed to
vote with the Democrats, on the i'm
piled understanding that he was to be
allowed to name General Forman's sue
cessor.
As is generally known, General For
man was not the choice Of the Democrat
ic minority for the position of police
commissioner, nor was Mr.. Preuss,
Messrs, Fisher and Dromgold having
been named by the caucus for these posi-
tions. But the Republicans, having a
working majority, turned down the
Democratic nominees and elected not
only the Republican members. Messrs.
McLain and Wiman. but the Democrats
as well, on the distinct understanding
or pledge that Chief Glass should not be
interfered with, as has been the case
ever since that official went into Office
| Under these circumstances it is only
natural that the Democratic wing of the
council has not been satisfied with their
representatives on the police board, and
they have only been waiting for an op-
portunity to make change. General
Forman is rigid disciplinarian, and no
sooner had he taken his seat than he
began to straighten out matters all along
the line. The form Of application for
places on the force was changed, all the
qualifications raised. Not only this, but
! applications for saloon licenses were
also changed and more stringent reg
ulations demanded. Absolute obedience
Twas demanded. ftdstheY rules were ex-
pected to be lived up to to the letter.
Not only this, but all numbered stars
were called In except those issued to
regular members of the force and let
tered stars given in their places. This
move caused a roar all along the line,
for various city officers, among them the
park superintendent, park employees.
market masters, police surgeon and IL
cense collectors and inspectors had long
been carrying regular police stars. which
carried with them free transportation
or the street railroads and admission to
the theaters and circuses. This move
raised more disturbance than anything
else, for while the lettered star carried
all the necessary authority to make ar
rests, the perquisites were Topped OF,
and strong pressure was brought to
bear to have the rule revoked. The
commission. under the leadership of Cen
eral Forman. stood Arm. and when the
park commissioner applied to the coun-
Gil for his star he was not only refused,
but was reprimanded by the commission
for insubordination.
The furry caused by this departure
had almost entirely subsided. when an
other move was inaugurated that spread
CONSERVATION among the members Of the
force, and was the direct cause Of Cen
eral Forman's undoing. 1t has long
been common gossip that there were
men on the force who could not write a
report that could be deciphered by any
one but the writer, and not even by him
after 1t got cold, and to test the matter
and to get line on the average intelli-
gence of the policemen, at the instance
of General Forma'n an order was issued
that every member OF the force should
copy the application blank. and to be
certain that each man did his own writ
ing it was ordered that this be done In
partment. The Herald published this
| fact on Sunday morning and told about
the commotion that It created. But the
push had already got to work. The
story was spread that the order was CIV
en- for the purpose OF getting grounds for
a number Of removals, at least twenty ip
number. among them being two of the
eergeants. and every policeman on the
force went to work. The councilmen
were called upon at their houses and all
OF the policemen and their friends began
to pun the wires. It was stated on Sat-
urday that . movement was on foot for
| the removal Of Gen. Forman, butit was
not until yesterday morning that Council
man Blanchard fell into line, presuma-
bly, because, In the first instance, some OF
the Boyle Heights lambs had been mark
ed for the slaughter, and In the second
place to strengthen his own position and
that Of his push" The rest was easy
The four Democrats and Mr.. Blanchard
"fired" General Forman, and the Ninth
ward councilman will name his success
sor
It was a political play throughout in
which the Democrats got the worst Of H.
as they did In both the board Of health
and boiler inspectorphip fights, furnish
Ing the paw for the Republican monkey
to set his chestnuts out of the fire.
JOHN BAN0s' BICxCLERs
An Entertainment to Be Given for the