Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-03-26
PROBABLY WILL NOT ABOLISH THE
FORT SCOTT POLICE BOARD.
A COMPROMISE AGREED UPON.
SCHEME Is TO REORGANIZE THE
PRESENT POLICE BOARD.
Ball to BE Removed and IA Boyle-Dil-
Iard-Shepherd Man Substituted
How Fort Scott First Ac-
quired metropolitan
Police. go.

| Topeka, KaS., March 25.-(Special) To,
night Governor Leedy shows signs of weak,
| eninG on his proposition to abolish the Fort
| Scott police board, and it is believed tina,
| he will rescind his order promulgated from
Port Arthur. The Galloway Williams dele
gation has been pouring hot shot into him
| all day. They openly charged him with at.
| tempting to violate fair and square agree
ment entered into with them, and served
notice on him that if he did SO, they would
STOW him no quarter in Bourbon county,
The Boyle-Shepherd-D billiard crowd insisted
on the governor sticking to his original pro-
gramme. The fight has been so one-sided.
however. that Leedy is really afraid to
| abolish the board, and tonight an effort
was started to get the various factions to
agree on Il new board.
conference was held at the National
hotel, and an agreement was reached which
is said to be satisfactory to all. In sub
stance, it is that the governor shall not
abolish the board, but shall remove Ball,
one of the present members, and put on a
Boyie-Shepherd man in his place. The
other two members of the commission, who
belong to the Galloway-Wiliams faction,
are to be recommissioned. Another con-
ference is to be held in the morning with
the governor. Galloway feels elated to-
night over his victory. He says that he
has won out, and that the order of the
governor to abolish the board will certain
ly be rescinded tomorrow or Saturday.
The governor refused to discuss the ques-
ton tonight. Asked il he would change
his mind, he said: Il really don't KNOW"
do you often change your mind, gov
ernor?"
We'll, sometimes; but not always"
"Will you in this instapce?"
Il can't tell until we get through with
the conferences and the Fort Scott people
complete their case before me-
DO you expect to abolish the police COM
missioners in other cities at the expiration
of their terms in April?"
well, that is another question:"
Railroad Commissioner billiard claims
that Fort Scott has never had enough pop
ulation to make it first class city, and
that when it was, proclaimed one by Gov
ernor Humphrey the governors action was
based upon false affidavit as to the popu-
lation of that place. 1--WE became first
class city in rather peculiar way" said
billiard to-day. Several years ago, while
city of the second class, We determined
to have separate schools for whites and
blacks. The state supreme court in
Twenty-sixth Kansas, Justice Brewer
dissenting, had decided that second class
cities could not maintain separate schools.
But we went ahead anyhow and built a
colored school and the board of education
ordered the colored pupils to go to the new
building provided for them. Judge West
filed mandamus proceedings in the district
court of Bourbon county to compel the ad-
mission of colored pupil to the central
building.
This was filed to test the matter again.
Judge French reversed the decision of the
supreme court by denying the writ He
said he would bank more on Justice Brew
ers opinion than on the other, two supreme
Judges Judge West took an appeal to the
supreme court and while the case was
pending there q newspaper man, r. w.
George, was detailed to take census of
the town. He counted, recounted and
counted again and finally found that Fort
Scott had population of 1900. He made
affidavit to the council to this and the gov
,ernor was notified that Fort Scott wanted
to become a first class city and had over
l5,oOo population. The governor issued a
proclamation declaring it to be first class
city. This gave us separate schools, but
saddle1 the Metropolitan police force upon
US. We jumped from the frying pan into
the fire. The fact is, Fort Scott neverr had
a sufficient number of inhabitants to enti-
tie 1t to become city of the first class
The law requires a population of 10, co., We
now have about 1900, the most we ever
had. An effort was made some time ago
to place the town back in the list of sec
ond class cities, but Judge West. who was
on the bench, rendered an opinion that
once a first class city always a first class
city, and the case was never appealed to
the supreme court"