New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-19
ALL QUIET IN ST. LOUIS.
| sHERIFF's PROPOSITION TO D1sBAND POSSE
NOT ACCEDED TO

St Louis. June 1s-To-day by far the most
uneventful in the history Of the street railway
strike. This owing to the dtscontinuance Of all
negotiations tending toward q settlement OF the
controversy and TO the utter absence of trouble
along the numerous routes OF the Transit COM
pany. The strike has now passed into the second
stage Of its history. and the general boycott nsti
tuted by the American Federation Of Labor must
tell the story
A slight stir was caused in course Of the day by
Sheriff PohImann, who proposed that the posse
comitatus, comprising twenty-five hundred citizen
soldiers. be discharged. conference OF police and
posse officials threw wet blanket the Sheriff's
proposition by emphaticaIly declaring that the
time not yet ripe for dispensing the body The
Coroner's inquest to-day brought out nothing Of
Importance, and it was adjourned until tomorrow.
There being no immediate prospect of an honora-
he settlement of the street railway strike the
situation has become more strained than ever. The
Transit officials say that, so far as they
cerned, the strike is over while the men, backed
by the Federation OF Labor declare they will fight
TO the bitter end.
Despite the large number OF attempts made yes
terday 10 blow up streetcars, shertn PohImann is
Of the opinion that the force Of special deputies
no longer needed and that the police are SUFFICIENT
for protection purposes He sent the following
communication TO President Haines of the Police
Board on the subject:
All reports made to me by members OF the posse
confirm my own impression that a radical change
has taken place in the condition Of city. The
a
apart ever, and the general public seems deter
mined to give expression TO its sympathy in the
conflict but IL cannot be said that violence on a
large scale Is now reSOrted The offences re-
ported are not the result of concerted action. but
are Of character TO call for the usual police con-
troll l venture TO suggest therefore that, in view
or this changed situation, the retirement Of the
posse ought to he considerable not the discharge
at least the withdra wal
While It is true that the use of power is some
times necessary II is equally that the
sary display Of power IS not best calculated 70
maintain that peace. I suggest that II would be
well to test the question whether this com
munity is ready exercise its usual self-Cou-
troll and in all respects to express and to assert its
position within the recognized limits Of the law
Of the land JOHN II. POHLMANN. Sheriff.
Chief OF Police Campbell had this 70 say in re-
gard to the Sheriff's letter:
t IS folly at the present time to talk Of with
drawing the posse. Sundays acts show conClUsvely
that the deputies are needed as much If not
more than any time since the strike began
Even IN the daytime have not sufficient force
to prevent all acts Of Iawlessness. At night the
situation is always worse.
A conference was held late this afternoon to dis
the advisability OF dispensing with the posse
President Halves Of the Board OF Police Commits
sioners, Sheriff PohImann, Chief Of Police Campbell
and Colonel Lavender. chief Of the posse were
present. At 5 o'clock this evening il was an
nounced that the posse would continue duty
until further orders.
Dynamite was more freely used Yesterday than
on any day since the strike was begun. In
addition to the wrecking OF the the Page
ave division, four other cars wrecked last
night in various parts Of the city, but one was
its trucks shattered and the floor ripped up and
torn out.