The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-02
KEYS TURNED OVER
Mayor Ross Takes Charge
of the Police.
SPENCER MAKES A PRAYER
City Marshall Jones Presented
With a Badge.

Yesterday morning the men whom Nav,
or Ross had appointed policemen ON the
previous evening kept fling into the Cit,
building and up the stairs 20 City CLERK
Kramer's office where they were sworn
Afterwards they went down to the police
headquarters. At noon Commissioner:
Jocelyn. Spencer and Toler turned over
all the keys and effects and made a state.
ment to Mayor Ross.
The following proceedings are taken
from the book of record, the last record
it is to be hoped. that will ever be kept
IN this city by any metropolitan board
OF p2lice commissioners.
The board Of police commissioners met
In special session for the purpose of turn
ing over to the mayor and city council
of Wichita, the best police force ever had.
The meeting was called to order by S. E.
Jocelyn. president of the board. The SER
vices were opened by the following prayer
by Secretary Spencer:
''Oh Lord, we thank Thee that the hour
Of our deliverance has come.
I'VE thank Thee that Thou in Thy in
1inate mercy and goodness, have placed
upon this earth one who has the power
and will to relieve Your commissioners
from the odium and stencil attached to
$ Office.
we thank Thee. that Thou, through
Thy servant. J. w. Leedy, have seen fit
to remove the commissioners from the
paths of ward healers, and successful poll
ticians, who have made the lives of Your
commissioners miserable through their
unsuccessful attempts to control their
board.
1--WE pray Thee, Oh Lord, to lend g. help
ing hand to our mayor, who is about to
undertake the arduous duty of trying to
please God and the people. And who
while young, will grow gray with his
many troubles, and when the gray hairs
of sorrow appear upon his brow, comfort
him
''Oh Lord, we beseech Thee, to LEND to
him a helping hand, when called upon by
five hundred applicants for twenty posi-
lions. And when in his hour of distress
his enemies cry, thief the politicians
cry, 'chump'. and his best friends forsake
him, be kind unto him, for Oh. Lord, they
know not what they do.
and when he has been retired to pri-
vate life by the politicians who he failed
to appoint, be ever with him, and comfort
him, and finally when he has finished
this life. take him to Your home on high,
for, Oh Lord, You in Your great wisdom
know what troubles and trials he has
suffered on this earth, and You in Your
great mercy viii give him a seat on the
right hand, and say, well done My good
and faithful servant Amen"
Just before giving the prayer, Secre-
tary Spencer compelled each one present
TO take off their hats.
The record then continues with the fol-
lowing: The commissioners then turned
over to the mayor and city council of
Wichita the full control of all policemen
and all the property belonging to the
department (given in detaiD, purchased by
the commissioners and the good will of
everyone concerned. There being no fur
Their business the board adjourned TO meet
judgment Day, if not otherwise engaged.
C. X. SPENCER, Secretary.
The commissioners then gave out the
following statement to the public;
TO THE PUBLIC.
1--WE desire to call the attention Of the
public 10 the following statement Of facts.
That we have paid all expenses of the po-
lice department of the city of Wichita
for the last seventeen months without
calling upon the city or any taxpayer
for single dollar. That we have turned
into Finley Ross when treasurer 500 for
which we hold his receipt. We have also
turned into Mr. Herman. city treasurer,
81 $50, for which we hold his receipt. We
have also turned over to the mayor and
the city of Wichita the following property
which was bought and paid for by this
commission: One black mare, one buck
wagon. one single harness, one halter, one
whip, one lap robe one double harness
for patrol wagon, twenty-eight police
Gibbs, twenty-three whistles, two pairs Of
handouts awnings for Office windows,
mattresses for jail, mating for foor~pf
Office and court room, eight locks for cells
fifteen rock hammers. one sledge hammer,
one ak, five shovels, two saws, one rake, !
three mops new, four brooms new, !
telephone attachment; amounting in all
to s232 Il, for which we hold the mayors /
receipt. making in all $S,5S2.47 turned into !
the city above all expenses in past seven /
teen months. We kindly call the attention |
of the public TO these facts and would |
ask that they compare our seventeen |
months with the same number of any /
previous board, or with the city admin /
istration before police boards were estab- !
lished. We, the undersigned board. de- 4
sire TO say that this board was and is /
strictly partisan; that we took particular /
pains TO purchase what was necessary for /
running this department from Democrats /
and Populists; that with the exception OF /
Jane Cairns and for a while Harry SUIT
ton, we employed no Republicans on the /
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