The times., 1898-01-04
NEWS FROM ALEXANDRIA
Decision Of Mayor Simpson Con-
cerning Police Powers.
Death of DIR. Tuition Mason-Frsi-
ternal Mystic Circle In.
stalls Officers.

] aud powers of Lieut.. Smith and Sergt
Smith, of the police force. The rules
! formulated by the police board provid
that ''au officer must consider hinsel
! as always on duty" and is lia.le to bt
called on at any time, even during the
eight hours when he is off active duty
From the formation of the police board
Officers have. at different times, teen
called upon at their residences TO per
form police duty, and the exercise of this
custom some days ago brought on the ISSUE
between the sergeant and the lieutenant
Several nights ago, while the lieutenant
was on his way TO the police station, he
having To relieve the sergeant, he was ap
! preached 10y a stranger, who asserted that
! he had been Robbed in a house on North
Lee street.
Lieut. Smith accompanied the stranger
10 police headquarters, and reported the
matter to Chief Webster. The latter tii.
rected him TO take an officer. W ho was OH
duty at the station, and endeavor To re-
cover the mars property. Sergt. Smith,
who had entered the station house in the
meantime, was asked by the lieutenant TO
accompany MIN, which The latter did. The
occurrence was regarded as a trivial mat
ter, until the sergeant on the follow ing
norHing appealed TO the ma yor 10 define
The powers and duties of the sergeant, he
urging that cases similar To the one re-
ferrea TO should he tarnad over TO him dur
ing the tiHaelie was on active duty.
The lieutenant however, VINO was pres
ent when the appeal To the mayor was
made, insisted that the sergeant was
not a chartered officer and was sergeant
merely by virtue of appointment, and that
from his understa nding neither through
courtesy or duty should he, the lieutenant.
be required to report business coming
under his observation TO the sergeant, un-
less he deemed it expedient.
The mayor took the request OF the
sergeant into considera ton and today
! rendered the following opinion:
Lieut.. smith and Sergt. Smith are
alternately III charge OF our police force
both officers being directly responsible
to Chief Webster When the lieutenant is
on active duty the sergeant rs not AMI
can in no wise direct the men without
the voluntary request of the lieutenant
and the same immunity from interference
rs possessed 10y the sergeant W hen he in
tuTn takes charge. II is both necessary
that all directions to the men should go
through him, emergency alone justifying
depa rture from this rule. Our rules and
regulations for the government of the p1-
lice force say that officers are always ON
duty. No one, however is likely to con-
cede for moment that this duty is
synonym OF the active duty TO which OF
ncers are subject; as, for example, a we'll
luembered rule preScribes severe pun
iShulent for sleeping W hile ON duty, and
IL an officer is always on duty, logically
he never sleeps. conclude, therefore,
that one duty is simply the Tia hility to
be called upon at any moment, and the
other an active service through stated
number of hours. Now when the lieuten-
ant takes contfol of ,the men, it is for
specific duty to be performed in a
specified time, and as long as that service
remains unfinished his control is to be
uninterrupted, and the sergea mt in his
turn possesses the same indisputa bic righ
If. however, some extraordinary &C
asion should bring into active service both
officers at the same time, tie rank super
iority viii b, recognized. The laws creating
the police force fail to mention the
duties of officers, and by Implication, at
least, leave the question TO executive dis
cTetion, and ! am sure than an impartial
exercise OF this discretion will neither
disturb harmony nor destroy discipline, and
1 can So feIy assure you that this thought
accompanies my decision today.
GEO. L. SIMPSON, Mayor
There was another issue in police circles
today, wiien Policeman Atkinson reported
TO Mayor Simpson that Officer Knight
had Threatened him with bodily harm
should he, Atkinson, come on his beat
and make an arrest.
DIR. Tufton Mason. OF Washington died
al tine home OF his brother, Mr.. ] p. a.
Mason, in lower Fairfax county, wEe.e
he was on a visit. He was thirty-three
years of age aud was well known dentist.
The hook and ladder truck, which broke
down last night while responding to an
alarm OF fire, is out OF service, and the
department will be compelled 10 work
without ladders in the event of fire
pending the repairs.
Allan Garla nd who was charged with
the larceny of S12. 30 from James n.
Langford, was dismissed by Mayor Sinii,-
son to-day for want OF evidence. John
Bales, who was cha rged with obtaining
goods under false preteDses, had bis case
continued. James Quail, for assaulting
Fred Watkins, was fined $3.50.
Charles Atweil, who has been wanted by
the police for aSsaulting James Clark with
a hatchet, was arrested this evening by
Policemen Beach and Atkinson.
The order of the Fraternal Mystic Circle
met at 0cd Fellows Hall tonight and
installed Officers
The next meeting of the Christian En-
deavor Union of Virginia will be held in
this city on September 25 next.
The public schools resumed stuGies to-
day, after the holidays
The United States court, Judge r. ".
Hughes, met in this city today, but adj
iourned without transacting any business.
A special session of the circuit court
will be held in this city tomorrow.
A charter has been granted by Judge
Nicol to the Antioquia Mining Comapny the
object of which is to buy and sell lands
and to mine and quarry. The capital
stock is TO be $160,0Oo. and Mr.. John
s. Beach is agent in this city. Mr.. Z,
of Washington, is president.
The body of Miss Hannah O'Connor was
brought here from Washington today and
inferred i'm st. Mary's Cemetery. The
funeral services were held in ST. Mary's
Church.
Special services were conducted in the
railroad reading rooms tonight, by Mr..
Henry Sanford.
Persons who are troubled with indigestion |
will be interestedin in the experience of Wm |
Il. Penn, chief clerk in the railway mail |
.e-vice at Des Moines, Iowa, who writes 1T |