Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-11-03
A CRISIS REACHED
In The Affairs Of the Board Of
Police Commissioners.
WARM WORDS ON A MOTION
Mr., nlacKay Had the Pres Excluded,
Whereupon Mr.. Stuart Told Him
what HIS Thought of Hin,
Charges Against Chief,

1t was an interesting mceting-that
held by the Board Of Police Commas
,ioncrs last Notwithstanding for the
hoard and for several other people.
The proceedings We're the result Of an
executive session, no newspaper man
being admitted.
This executive session was not dec.d-
ed upon without incident. On the con-
trarv. there was considerable excite
ment.
rhe motion to exclude the reporters
was made by THE newly appointed
member, Rev. Il. j. Mackay, who pos
sIhlv had reasons of his own, though
what they were is not exactly clear.
We held u copy of the Daily Press i'll
his HANDS. This was the copy which
contained a report OF the Cratlorn
trial-a report that was absolutely cor
reef in all Of it's details. There was
something about this report, however,
that did not please the new meln3ef.
Tbere was, Mr.. Maekay Thought, an
intlmaltion that he was the mayor S
fool. in the mayors fight against the
chief of police. 1t Will be renlsmos,Ga
that the mayor stated emphat!cailS
tEat he would appoint no man to ;he
nositlon of police commissioner, who
dtd not pledge himself to work for the
removal OF the chief Shortly after
this utterance, Rev. Mr.. Mackay was
ar.nointed. The mayor never withilew
his statement.
In the executive session held aft"r
the Crafford trial. the question or ny
ing the chief of police was brought. up
and urged by Rev. MI Mackay ms
difference was that he was carrying cut
the request of the mayor. but TINS ME-
Msckay empllhtically denied, ana re-
sented the inpuuution that such WAS
The case. a.
Last night, in making his motion TO
exclude the press, Mr.. Mackay took
occasion to state THAT any man WAC
said that he was the tool OF the mayor
! told a falsehoOd or words to that "ftec';
IMr. w. G.. Stuart warmly antaSotia"a
the move to hold q star-chalnDef SEES
sion, taking the ground that he mas a.
ways consistently taken that We
newspapers had Il right TO be =rei, W.:
serted at the meeting OF the pollcs
commissioners, who were public sci
w nj. selected to transact public bust
ness. He plainly told Mr.. Mackay ;ha1
|
was not the mayors tool. the mayor
had publicly said that he was gong &c
lappoInt a man who would do mis- hla-
ding. and had appointed MI. Mackay
Therefore. Mr. Mackay was certainly
Iin the position, so far as appearances
were concerned, whatever might D:
| the facts in the case.
| AS the discussion grew warmer MI
Stuart finally told Mr.. Mackay lhat ne
was the most ignorant man ne iiito
ever met, and some other Information
ITO that effect, all of which was brought
on by the fact that Mr.. Mackay dc
not want Mr.. Stuart's vote on th'
i proposition ITO exclude the press ne
. corded. Mr.. Stuart insisted on lVin'
his vote recorded. and So it was, en-.
ltJhatically against tine motion u OK.
clude the press. Mr.. Alackay Oh
|course, voted for the motion, ana so
also, did MIR. Wilson. though that gen
Itleman stated that personally. he nae
no objection to having the press EnF
Resented at the meetings Of the Do'lru.
THE charges, so much talked Oh
AGAINST the chief of police. were 2ici
by the nl1ay or, but they were not II
proper shape and will be sent back Il
him with q request that he schedul'
them in the required form
u These charges We're not made public
'lbut they embrace it is understood
! nothing more than the items already
referred ITO in the Daily Press. fh'
principal being neglect Of duty, fallur'
to enforce proper discipline, ana
number Of other minor charges:
The chief is ready and anxious tt
meet and answer them. He has becl
assured of a fair, square de;l. by tE'
NIL oh, ,,ril
}Gome back to the board at its mex
citing ard then be served formally
upon the chief. who will. of course, re
quire time in which to summon mis- owl
witnesses and those Of the city.
One Of the most significant feature:
o. THE meeting was the receipt or {
very brief petition from a number .
officers asking the permission Of M
board to appear before it at4the he:
meeting. The petition did not state th
reason for the request 1t was sisnet
by Officers C. H. Crafford, 3. j. O'HarA
c. j. Padgett. J..W. Wood, j. w. Shor
ter, H. II. Messick, Charles bunker, )
w. Glddings and "A. II. Nellincs.
The board took no notice of the pc
tltion whatever, other than 10 tell M
chief to tear it up or threw 1t into the
waste basket, as the board did not allt
"oulu HWt recognize an! SUCH pctiti'i
coming from the members of the Fore
which did not come through the pro,e
channels-'that is to say, the chief.
This is we'll understood to be a Roi'
against the chief and the purposes liz
}plans OF these officers will develop !ale.
Gharges were also filed against ON
Ger S. wv. Giddfngs by Frank COM y
a colored man, who, in an alidlvit
talleges that on October Suh the plil1@I
arrested him and in bringing him Il
the stationhouse beat him cruelty IN:
SO injured one eye that he totally Us
the sight of it. Notice will be SciVe
upon Officer Ciddings today AN n
beard will meet next Thursday nigh
to try his case.
| Charges were preferred by sarsean
|Reynolds against House Sergeant II
w. Booker for violation Of section ~
Iof the regulations. INSTRUMENTATION.
4 AnumIber of applications for positions
on THE force We're received and tl2i
and former officer w. II. Webb WAS Sc
lected to fill the vacancy caused by lh'
resignation Of Officer Watkins.