The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-06-20
Probable Action Of Police Board
FOrecasted in Statements of Mr..
Hawes and the Governor.
CONFERENCE ON THE SITUATION
Chiefs Campbell and Desmond and
the Various Captains Were
Present-Militia Will Not
BE Called Out.

| Governor Stephens said last night that he
thought che Shcrif's posse would not be
| necessary much longer President Hawes
| OF the Police Board declared at the same
| time that in hts opinion the posse probably
| would he mustered out next Saturday
| These statements were made after a con-
| ference at the Planters Hotel. in which the
| Governor. Mr.. Hawes, Chiefs Campbell and
| Desmond and the various police Captains
1 participated.
| The Governor arrived in the city shortly
| after o'clock and went Immediately to the
! hotel. The Captains and their Chiefs con-
| sregated about $50 MIR. Bawes appeared
| shortly afterwards and went directly TO the
Governors room. Later the Captains Joined
them. The conference lasted until IL
O'clock
When it had adjourned. the Governor said:
'',The object Of the conference was that L
might hear personally what the police Cap
tains thought about the situation: and to
find out whether in their opinion the posse
is Necessary. Each OF them said that the
backbone of the strike, so far as riotous
demonstration is concerned, is broken. From
their testimony it was shown clearly that
at no time was there necessity for militia,
and there is now no thought of calling out
State troops. AS 10 the general situation,
think ii very much improved.
I'm the matter OF the posse comtatus and
its continuance. the Captains differed some
what. Personally, / think it will not be
necessary much longer. However. l will
meet the Police Board as a body this MORN
ing. and will again talk over the situation
and hear what is the individual opinion Of
the members. / will remain in the city un-
til tomorrow night. and by that time WIFI
have made up my mind fully on the mat
ter
Mr.. Halves was seen after the conference
and asked about the situation. As TO what
happened in the conference he said practi
cally what Governor Stephens had said. In
regard to the posse his opinion was that 1t
was not necessary.
The police Captains In the various dis
tricts,' said he: naturally differ somewhat
in their reports about the prevalence of
disturbance, but that is accounted for by
the different character of their districts. 1t
seems 10 me. however. that the work that
remains to be done in bringing peace to the
city is chiefly of a. detective nature Who
are perpetrating the numerous explosions
cannot be determined by an armed body of
men, but only by men who are used To
ferreting out crime There Is talk Of mus
tering our the posse. and IL may so Satur-
day
GOVERNORS STATEMENT.
Before leaving jefferson City Governor
Stephens issued statement TO show that
he was justified i'm not calling out the mill
tia TO assist in preserving peace and pro-
tecting property in ST: Louis during the
street railway strike. He states that he has
always believed the military force should
never be used except when the civil au-
thorities have wholly failed to protect prop
erty and preserve the peace. and on this
principle he was acted. he says. In the 81:
Louis strike. He declares that a street
railway employees strike II different from
any other strike, in the difficulties TO be
met with In preventing disturbances. The
lswfess element, he says, Is inclined to take
advantage of an alleged sympathy with the
strikers TO give vent to its vicious DISPOSE
tion, and he points out how easy II Is in
a street railway strike to damage property
without any danger Of detection.
He believes that the ma jority of the strik-
ers have conducted themselves in a peace
effort to incite riot. 1t is true. he says.
there have been sporadic outbreaks in diff
ferent parts of the city. and in individual
instances citizens have been interfered
with, but these things only called for
stringent enforcement of local police regu-
lations. Such enforcement of the police |
power, he declares. was extended.
He declares that the Police Board should |
know the situation thoroughly, and points |
notification from the authorities that the |
police and Sheriffs posse could not control |
the situation. He admits that Sheriff Pohi- |
man asked him to call out the militia last
" eek. but calls attention TO the fact that |
the Sheriff. only few days ago. caused |
a letter to be published In which ne argued |
for the dismissal of the posse connitatus |
because he thought there was no further |
need of the body to protect property and |
I eadng the Sheriff's letter and a statement |
OF Attorney Ford Smith he is conv.,ced |
there was never any necessity for calling
cut the militia.