The herald., 1898-12-14
WANTS TO KNOW WHY
WYMAN CRITICISES INACTION
OF THE POLICE
ARRESTS WERE NOT MADE
Saloons Open in Violation of Law and
Nothing Done-Appointments Of
City Officials and Deputies

the board of police commissioners was held
yesterday morning with three members
present. Commissioners Wyman and Preuss
We're on hand at the regular time, but the
others came not BY telephoning it was as
certained that both the mayor and Mr.. Glib
bon were out OF town, but Commissioner
McLain was finally rounded up and business
was taken up with Mr.. Preuss in the chair.
A verbal report was made by Chief Glass,
who stated that he had, as ordered, investi-
gated the charge made at the previous meet
ing by Commissioner Wyman that saloon
on Second street between Los Angeles and
San Pedro had been kept open on election
day. He had however, been unable to Sc
cure evidence that the law had been vioat-
ed, and there the matter was allowed to
drop. the commissioners acquiescing silently
to his remarks.
But, just before adjournment Commits
sioner Wyman rose to the occasion and said
few things which must have made the
chiefs ears burn. 81 wish to say" said he
"that | think it due to myself and the com
mission to make something Of an explana
ton as to why | reported the saloon and
as to what | think of the action taken on
my report. On election day my attention
was called to the fact of the saloons being
open and left my office to investigate.
81 found continuous stream of men en-
tering the place by rear door and police
man standing on the sidewalk near by max
ing no effort to stop the apparent violation
oil the law. | stepped up to the officer, called
his attention to the men going in and com
ing out, and asked him why he did nothing
to prevent it. He replied that he had no
positive knowledge that the law was being
violated and that as the saloon men had
posted sentries to give warning of the ap-
proach of any officer, he could do nothing
'''ro this | replied asking him why he did
not get some one to go in, purchase a drink
and then make the arrest. He thought he
might work it in this manner and a couple
OF hours later came to my office with two
men, one of whom wore deputy sheriff's
star Both had been in the saloon and one
OF them had taken drink, the other cigar.
Having this evidence of violation of the law
i reported the matter to the commission and
certainly expected more to come of it than
has developed. The report OF the chief is
an easy way for the officer and himself to
shirk rcsponsibiity--it too easy a way of
doing business
To all of which neither the chief nor the
the matter ended.
a similar report was made by Chief Glass
in regard to the saloon in basement at the
corner of Main aud Requena streets, which
had been complained of as having been kept
open on election day. He had investigated
hut found no foundation for the report 9th
er than that the place had been opened up
about o'clock in the afternoon for the pur-
,l., IL loI IL
TO find that any liquors had been sold during
the day.
On recommendation of the chief. Isaac
Wilson was made special policeman with
out pay from the city. Wilson is employed
as private watchman on the place of
Mrs. O. w. Childs on South Main street.
The applications of f. p. Jope and Daniel
Nj. Long. who want to be special officers
were filed. Commissioner Wyman called
up the name of G. L. Berg, whom he had
two weeks ago recommended for service as
a special police officer, and by unanimous
vote Berg was put on the extra list.
The application of Walter Granio for
transfer of the saloon license at sol South
Olive street from Paul Roques, jr., to him
self, was referred to the chief for report.
A complaint was entered by G. NJ Ben
nett who objected to shooting range west
of Westlake park and between First and
Sixth streets. He said that his cattle, which
Craze in that vicinity, were in danger of be-
ing shot, and that even human lives were
endangered. The chief was instructed to
investigate and suppress any discharging of
firearms in that vicinity, it being the opn-
ion of the commission that no permit for
shooting range had ever been granted for
that locality.
On the recommendation of Chief Glass,
the board approved newly patented dark
lantern invented by Ross Phillips of the
local force.
w. +. Schroeder the license for whose
saloon was revoked several weeks ago be-
cause of the fact that knockout drops" had
been administered to a man named Straw
bridge, who was then robbed of $305, applied
for rebate of $50 which he had paid into
the city treasury for license for December.
Although Schroeder's license expired with
the last day of November, he applied and
secured receipt for December through the
fact that the city clerk by mistake issued
the license to the tax and license collector.
At the last meeting of the commission
Schroeder was granted new license for his
saloon, which cost him an additional $50.
He now seeks to recover the money paid
for the first receipt. After some discussion
the commission decided to recommend to
the council that the rebate be allowed.
After adjournment an executive session
was held in the mayors private office at
which Electrician Francis and Agent Coffee
OF the Gamewell Fire Alarm Telegraph sys-
tenn were present. The subject of the pro-
posed police signal system was gone into
and Mr.. Coffee explained what his company
proposes to bid upon. The matter of tele-
phones in the signal boxes was Thoroughly
discussed, with the result that it is certain
that the commission will not consider the
putting in of system which does not in
clude apparatus to enable patrolman to
communicate direct with the central office
The assertion of Chief Glass that San
Francisco had secured a forty-box system
at proportonately lower rate than the
city was being asked for the proposed plant
was combated by Agent Coffee, who
showed that the San Francisco outfit did
not include many things comprised in the
eystem to be put in by this city. At II
o'clock, without having reached any definite
agreement, the commission adjourned.
STREET ACCEPTANCE
Opponents of the New Departure Will