Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-08-09
CHIEF DoLAN RESIGNS.
House Sergeant Eugene Massey Appointed
to Succeed Him.

At a special meeting OF the poaru VI
Police Commissioners. last night week,
Chief OF Police John f. Dolan rendered
his resignation, to take effect imme,
diatcly. The resignation was aueeFted
and House Sergeant Eugene Massey
was appointed chief. He will probably
assume his duties today. Chief Dolan
took the step after the board had de-
cided to suspend him for 30 days, with
out pay for being absent without leave.
The chief was suspended two weeks
ago on rumors, but as Commissioner
| Hart was out of tile city, no mention |
| was made of the matter at the regular
meetings last week and this week. Mr..
| Hart arrived home yesterday, hence the
special meeting last night.
| The chief had been notified that q
meeting was to be held and was re.
auesred to attend The sole business
| was to consider the matter involving
| him, and after the meeting had been
called to order President Pyle preferred
a charge Of being absent without leave.
The chief admitted that he was out OF
the city without having obtained FER
mission, Tut said he was away on police
and private business aud did not know
it would be necessary for him tc get
permission when going away for only a
day or so, as he had done many time
before. He explained that during his
absence be was working on the u. u
o. train wrecking case. COMMISSIONS
Hart was favorable to his Interpretation
of his privileges as head of the Police
Department, hut the other commission
ers thought that the chief had violated
the rules and motion made by Mr.
Clarkson to sustain the charge was
carried, Mr.. Pyle voting with him in
the affirmative. Mr.. Hart did not vote.
Mr.. Clarkson followed this by another
motion to suspend the chief for 30 days,
without pay IIe and Mr.. Pyle voted
, fol it and Mr.. Hart did not vote. The
chief took exceptions to being sus-
pended on rumor and again suspended
/ for 20 days on a technical violation
OF the rules, and sat down and
! wrote out his resignation at once. Its
acceptance and the election of Sergeant
Massey followed. The resignation OF
!; Chief Dolan and elevation Of Sergeant
Massey will create a vacancy. A patrol
, man will probably be promoted to the
!; position OF house sergeant and new
/ man appointed to ill the vacancy in
/; the ranks. Who will be selected for the
I positions is not known. President Pyle
said this morning that in all proba'
J. | D1llIY uUlllluH WIFI pb Guub uubil Vic
regular meeting of the board next Tues
day evening. It's said there is proba,
bility of Patrolman England, who was
formerly house sergeant, being replaced
l. IN that position, although nothing
definite is known about the matter.
Il Chief Of Police Dolan held the otfic,
: longer than any other man since Will
IL mington became city. He was Sc
"a lected in Arril, 1893. His selection wa
"a unsolicited by him and he was chosel
ii unanimously by the commission which
/. was created in that year, composed o
n John w Lawson, Patrick Monaghan
" and William NJ. Pyle, who is at presen
d president of the beard. NH
a. The act creating the commission wa
10 passed and approved April 10th, 1888
r. Two days afterward the commissioner
If selected MIR. Dolan as their choice 70
a the hsad Of the department. il thre
il of the commissioners went to his plac
AZ of business aud told him of rhei
n. action. He was much surprised, as h
az was not an applicant for the position
tie He had some hope of being appointe
ne United States marshal and when tn
commissioners told him what they ha
They insisted, saying they had gor
over the ground carefully and after col
i sulting the list of applicants oonsidere
<. him the one best fitted to be ut tt
~ head of tho Police Department of Wi
~ mington, He wanted thrse days
~ which to consider the matter, but Il
'io commissioners informed him that the
were compelled to appoint force
M the first Of May and had not much tin
~, to lose. He was granted one day al
y" again answered in the negative, sayir
that he felt as il he could net be Il
kind of chief he would like to
-. while working under commission. I
r. r. was assured, however, that he wou
i ISIS be given all Of the covers q chi
10, should possess, and with that unde
10, .s standing accepted the appointment al
y, assisted the board in selecting t
,ss other members of the force.
~ g. He held the office for seven years al
IL three months and brought the force
IN to degiee of efficiency never befe
law known in this city. His administi
NV ton was creditable to himself and
teo the city and he had the confidence a
W. W. good will of the public.
sn 9 The work was q great strain on h
, ', and on April It'll. 1897, he rendered
''oi resignation, but at the request of
large number of influential citizel
probably 200, reconsldered his actic
.,r the board having RECONSTRUCTED
=. action in accepting the resignation.
~ has been contemplating resigning
epu the past six months, however, but '
,eas prevailed upon to remain in Office.
lng Many changes have been made at
- az suggestion since he became chief. I
''e, present system of police reporting,
~. Guiding a new reporting machine, '
liz adopted at his request. He also chanl
Lass the method of the going out and conn
Us 10 of the officers SO as to have men
~ o the street at all times and get
'D'' greatest good out of the force that ,
possible. At his suggestion the Leg
lature, in 1897, passed the pawncro
DO, act, which has proved of great ben
.1es to the department in running dc
.ne thieves. The Bertillion System
VII. uas identifying criminals has been put
lp ero effect and found to be of great value
o ,u The retiring chief has become
SOU prominent member of the Natio
~ H. Bureau of Identification, which is c
NC sidered great honor, and paper
w" the post and pillory, which was reat
the convention In Chattanooga, Ter
May 18th, 1899, has become fame
nal, having found its way to police dep
vlor. merits in all parts Of the country.
r. a In speaking Thursday Of his
,dist resignation ne saio' Ieei tnat
at not treateu riSht auu was not ooh
ners- TO remain at tue heau OF tne oep
ment, feeling as dia that | would
: be in harmony with the maiorit
the board. l thought undor such
ook, ditions my usefulness would be
w Of much handicapped and the service
sd of ngired Hence nv action, | VT