Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-09-27
,5rIlr COMMISSIONERS.

1tI \
r., lang deferred meeting of the
-. !.J Police Commits ,ioners was
3 99 5T.., ruht in the Mayors office.
s5'o , ma had been called at the 10
JIG -l ot officer Knight who denied
' .l.,t-ra was any basis for an item in
. .' Gle lew weeks ago stating
' s. he hal preferred charges OF dere-
4 t !l'. ia,y against Chief Webster.
i ,'-,j men understood that the exam
!, -.' o.. the case would be conducted
.- ."',c'v M the Police Court room, and
Z t- ',r,a number of people had appeared
80 rarpose of witnessing the pro
...i.oc. About dark, however, one Ct
Is. e5mm.ssioners protested against
-. doors rs being against the custom
,9a board. and the parties &c the
" va we're informed thst the investiga
~. .' would be conducted privately.
..,~ however. of the more curious
- The market court aud ascend
.5lo the -ned in the area where they
S,st,ns ,is.ened To and witnessed the
...,D--l.pes. They were finally dis
:,rsr-d and driven from their perch
5r the police. The witnesses were
b.orr1. into the room separately and
dismissed after testifying, and newspa-
a.- men having been excluded every
i.,9g d. lar as possible was hermetical-
Coan-el had been employed by both
,,,,rs Col. F. l. Smith was on hand
i.,Fs interests of the defendant, Chief
Vr1--et aud Mr. f. f Anderson was
=, represent officer knight and the
r.,.-ru-i9n. The services, however,
5tn.ro. -Arse gentlemen We're declined
l,rhs board, who preferred to con
joc. the investigation without counsel.
The board having been called TO or
34r aud the object of the meeting
lated Commissioner Price, OF the Sec
and ward, took the floor and made q
.cs,bin. criticism of the case from be
p,puIr. DO end. iu the course OF which
aea.,grd tnat the Mayor himself fail
eilo show proper respect for the Chief
and lieutenant OF the force and it was
m. MA ia! under the circumstances
br lae priy6tes of the force to ignore
them. Hr claimed that orders to the
men .hou.d be transmitted through the
csisf or lieutenant. Mr.. Price continu-
10y ensured Officer. knight for his
couiuc. toward the chief, and went
ia.o aa extended review OF the work
ios- OF Inc police force az it appeared
to him
Me,-rs Bryant and Lindsey said or
ders 80 the men should be transmitted
through The officers OF the force.
Nsv)r simpson denied that be man
i,a eG any disrespect for the chief Or
slowed or counteuenced such conduct
10 those under him.
Mr.. Price then called attention to an
incident which occurred several weeks
ago One of the officers had arrested q
negro for stealing. and the plumber had
been found in the house OF negro
woman. Sergeant Smith N the
meantime had associated himself in the
case, and when the chief suggested that
me woman should be arrested and her
house searched for other stolen goods,
the sergeant had told the chief that the
officers who had charge OF the case AID
not want to be interfered with, and
.hat others muat keep out. The woman
was arrested later and considerable
stolen goods found, which had shown
the wisdom of the chiefs suggestion.
This. the speaker maintained was gross
isrespect. Mr.. Price subsequently re-
Ierred to the action OF Stalionkeeper
in allowing Il prisoner to
walk out of the station house and then
the chief with liberating him.
He contended that the force should, IN
q measure, be worked according to mill
tary rules, and until proper Difference
was shown to the officers it would be
.0etlycrual in its purposes, He charged
that Officer Knight was endeavorlng to
run the police force, that he was now
trying to bring charges against the
Chief.
Commissioners Bryant and Lindsey
said il appeared to them also that such
Was Mr. Knights intention.
Mr. Price said he had an impression
that should he bring charges against 9
policeman the board would not entertain
them Messrs. Lindsey and Bryant,
however, assured MIR. Price that his
impression was erroneous; that they
would vie with him in Furnishing such
offenders.
Mayor Simpson contenGed that the
police force worked with better salts
faction now than ever before in lis his
tory
After some further conversational de-
bate the examination of witnesses be
gan, which continued for nearly two
hours. Chief Webster brought evil
deuce to show that he had the best
reasons for understanding that Officer
halgnt had leported him to the Mayor
ioT dereliction ofduty, and was respon-
soe .Jr the item which had appeared
In the Gazette.
MIR. Augustus Dean, owner OF the
co" which had produced the embrogllo,
appeared and stated that he had nc
complaint to urge against the ch!el;
mat he had regarded the latter's ad
wee as 10 how to recover the lost ami
ma. as sensible, and had acted on it.
officer Knight stated that Mr.. Dean
nad told MIN he would go to the Mayor
aoa make complaint of the chiefs ac-
uon concerning the lost COW, which
assertion Mr.. Dean denied in toto.
number of other witnesses
were examined, but nothing o
interest or Importance was ad
Nlee1 from them, aud Mayor Simp
,oa stated that no formal charge had
been made agsinst the chief, and The
' adopting similar view, the whole
mate. wss dismissed
alluded TO alleged disrespect or contemp-
r ~, Inc chief, Mr. Bryant said BIO would
~ .1a'.E vote to expel any man from the force
-y was guilty OF such an offense. Further