Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-04-25
oFFICER sPINKs REMOVED

fear SDiDks'5 case. all Tue memperS
we're present. and Mayor Simpson pre-
sided.
The communication from the Board
of Police Commissioners to Officer
Snioks was read; also Officer Spiuks's
reply
reply was highly impertinent and
moved that it be not received.
Commissioner Price second d the
moIiop, which was carried, Commits
soner lindsey and the Mayor voting
AGAINST it and Commissioners Price.
BRYANT and Miller for it.
Can. Bryant took the position that
the policeman had no right to be car
didate for office, and that 10 becoming
candidate he forfeited his right TO the
office OF policeman, ard that Officer
Spinks fatty aud impudently refused to
ob-y the order of The Police Commits
sioners, and that, 10 itself, was gross
misconduct.
The Mayor said however humble Mr..
Soinks's position was, as q citizen he
was Just rs good as any member Of the
board, and that il the board proposed
TO make rules and regulations take the
Mace OF the State constitution it was
Undertaking that which the State legis.
lsture dared not do itself, as was evil
denced recently by the Court of Appeals
declaring unconstitutional the act of
the legislature 10 passing the commits.
sioner of valuation law. He said, fur
Their, the commissioners could prevent
police officer from being a csudidote
it could, by simple rules, deny him the
right to vote.
Mr.. Miller said Officer Spinks had a.
tempted to throw odium on the board
by intimstiDg that complaint was only
made after a third candidate 10 the field
had Withdrawn.
The Mayor said he did not under
and it that way. Mr.. Spieks, as he
understood it, simply meant that the
parties desiring his defeat had not
made complaint to the commissioners
until alter the third man had retired.
Continuing, the Mayor said if "there
was auy odium it was cast by the board
10 attempting to fasten an inferiority
upon free white citizen of our town,
in saying that be should not have the
same rights as other citizens"
Mr, Bendheim, who represer ted o.
fcer Spinks, made a strong argument,
10 which he pointed out the incongrui-
t4s of the rules and regulations, and
followed this with tae statement that
rules and regulations justified pun
ishment it was only cruelty and prsju-
dice that would call for dismissal
from the force for this one offense, II 1t
was an offeuse, of a prominent, excel
lept and efficient officer.
Captain Bryant asked Officer Spinks
several questions, and he stated that
citizen had informed him that Mr..
Spnks was in saloon during the re-
cent canvass.
Mr. Spiuks asked the name of his
author, but the commissioner refused
to give il.
1t YVES Fought out during MI. Spinks's
examination that he had positively re-
fused to receive pay to which he wa
legally entitled on account OF sickness,
aud the Mayor alluded to his action as
an evidence of magnanimity.
Captain Bryant thought it mistake
to call it msgnsnimity, as there might
have been some object in view.
Mr.. SpDks said he was just as much
gentleman as Captain Bryant, and he
WAS animated just as much by motives
Of honor as was Captain Bryant.
Mr.. Lindsey said he thought that the
ambition OF all men should be encour-
aged, and it was strange to him that an
attempt was being made to punish g
citizen of this community simply be-
cause that citizen had tried to better
bis condition, and he did not think for
a moment that the people OF his city
would endorse any effort to deprive
man of his citizens rights.
Captain Bryant asked the Mayor If
he would take directions from the
Commissioners and suspend Officer
Spinks.
The Mayor said emphstically he
would do nothing of the kind.
Commissioner Bryant then said Vi
fcer Spinks should be dismissed by the
Commissioners.
While Commissioner Bryant was
writing the resolutions to that effect
the Mayor vacated the chair and Com
missioner Price was called to preside.
Commissioner Lindsey and the Mayor
then started to leave, stating as they
did so that they looked upon the con-
temDlated action of majority OF the
board as one in which they did not
propose to be parties.
Commissioner Bryant thought it
strange that the gentlemen who took
part 10 the proceedings now refused to
continue and now wanted to cause
trouble by retiring.
The Mayor said he was ex-otficio
president of the board and he was con-
stitutionally Mayor, and as Mayor be
might be called upon to act as Mayor
upon this action Of the Commissioner
which was unlawful as he viewed 1t.
Commissioner Lindsey and the Mayor
then bade president pro TEN. Price and
Commissioners Bryant and Miller good
night and left.
After the Mayor and Commissioner
Lindsey LETT, the room was cleared,
Messrs, Spinks and Bendheim beiog
also requested to retire, and ne com
misSiODers went into a sec let discussion
OF tle case. Ga motion, a resolution
was adopted by Commissioners Price,
Bryant and Miller declaring Policeman
Spinks's place on the force vacant from
April "a, and declaring him guilty Of
violation of sections !, 6, and AZ OF the
regulations.
Policeman Spinks stated after the de
cision was announced that he proposed
to "reorgsuizs the force" and WIFI
several friends left the headquarters.
Several applications for the position
made vacant were received and placed