Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-06-27

icsl showers this eve ing or tongnI
'SS Thursday; not 50 warm; brisk sout4-
's.o.terly winds and sqas'ls.
Police COMMissIoNERs.-Tne Police
C'r,m,ssioners' meeting last night re-
.NpIaI in the cleo ion of Thomas Fl.
T,'vsrs rs policeman after several bal
ia,s had Leeu taken, the vote being
re-, ~ for Travers and two for VIM. Da.
- Commis sioner Lindsey aud the
M,vor voting for Davis, and Commits
sio1ers Price, Bryant and Miller for
T,svers The candidates for the posi-
zion were James W. Grifiu, w. M. An
" ' Wm. Allen. Geo. w. Brown, Jas.
n,Toey, Wm. S Dsvi Richard
F's,cber, Richard Gilroy, F. NJ. Gar
vay L4ionzo Jett, w. II. Mayhugh,
LAIN H. Mullings. Thos. Fl. Trsvers,
Nan. H. McKenney aud John Craven.
Daring the progress Of the ballotiug
Mp.srs. Griffin, Craven, Garvey, Allen
and Brown received votts.
commissioner Price said be had not
noticed Caief Webster's reference to
Sergeant Smith at the last meeting,
and he thought the Commissioners
should take action.
The Mayor called attention to the
rule which requires the chief or lieu
tenant to report all cases of misconduct
promptly to the Mayor.
Commissioner Price said there was q
rnle requiring the chief to report to the
Commissioners on or before the 10Th OF
every month.
The Mayor showed a distinction be.
tween the two rules quoted, one posi-
lively requiring report to be made to
the Mayor and the other only justified
the chief in reporting ali suostantisted
charges to the Commissioners; that lie
10 say, if a charge before the Mayor is
subIsntisted the chief Is required to
report the fact to the Commissioners at
their next meeting, so ss to have q
record on the case always in their pos
session, and while he, tbs Mayor, was
lett in ignorance of a rumored charge
against one of the policemen, none OF
his subordinates had the right to fatty
violate a rule which was as plain as
day.
TIE Commonwealth Attorney sent
q communication to the Commissioners
in which he quoted a Gazette local con-
corning J. L. Beckham, jr. He also
mentioned the fact that police officers
were State officers and hat 1t was their
sworn and imperative duty to arrest
fug tives from justice, and that their
IA lure to do 30 would be malfeasance,
e., and that newspaper news of court
proceedings was sufficient information
for them to act Cd.
The Mayor fully agreed with the un.
disputed and often times established
fact, that policemen are State officers
and that they should arrest all fugitives
from Justice, but as policemen
were not mind readers, he thought
some official Information, certainly
by subordinate court official, should
be given to the recognized head ofthis
city as to the fact of man being q
fugitive from justice, and II that
information had been sent to the
Mayor he would have had the man ar
rested; not only that, but the Mayor
had sent word to the Commemorative
Attorney challenging him to make the
request. The Mayor quoted the ind ct
ed man as saying that he was 10 Alex
audria by consent of the official hold
Ing the capias and mentioned o witness
who had heard the statement.
Commissioner Price could not credit
the statement of the party quoted, as
the City Sergeant had told him that he
would have arrested him If he hao
known be was in the city.
The Mayor continued his recital irom
the outside of Jail enjoyment OF Malaci
Ballard down to the mysterious esca ne
of "Lord" Baltimore. The last nance
dignitary having been committed by
the Mayor for a State offense is out Of
Jail and no information has yet Deer
gwen to the Mayors office. On the COD
trary, after the report of the escape was
all over the city the reporter OF q news
paper who visited the Jail was told that
the imam was still in prison and bao
not escaped" This was published, ano
as the man had really escaped news
paper information In this case was
hardly q safe guide for police officers
Malachi Ballard indicted and 10 prison
was seen on the streets of the city
night after night and at last when ht
was arrested for disordeIly conduct II
was discovered that this indicted horse
thief was 80 trustworthy as to be In
vested with thu freedom OF the city
Therefore, without official information
is given the Mayors office. 1t will o'
difficult to distinguish between gen
uine case of escape and a graciously
granted leave OF absence. 10 suppor
Of this the Mayor mentioned state
ment that was made by a reputable
citizen soon after Beckhsm's indictmen
last summer which statement was Ina
he, the citizen, had informed cour
deputy that il he wanted Beckham NJ
was on the corner few steps from MIN
and the deputy said be did not hav'
the capais; it was locked up.