The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-11-21
STAHL OUT AND IN
City Council Refuses to Confirm
Him as Police Chief.
Mayor Drew Immediately Be
appoints Mr.. Stahl.
FIND SOME ONE ELSE.
He Asks the Council to Agree
Upon Chief.
FIND SOME ONE ELSE.
Mr.. sWendsOn Says Liquor Is
Back of Opposition.

r
Although the council refused to con-
firm the appointment of Chief Of Police
Stahl by a vote Of to S, last night. Mr..
Stahl will still be retained in that posi-
ton by Mayor Drew. The mayor notlh-
ed Chief Stahl Immediately after the
council meeting that he would be con-
tinued in office by consecutive monthly
appointments Upon the heels OF cOun-
ciis refusal to confirm Chief Stahl, how
ever. it passed the new city ordinance to
suppress liquor selling
After every councilman had voted, ac-
companying his action with a speech of
explanation, and the vote was announc-
ed, Mayor Drew raped the table with
self
Before Mr.. Stahl was selected ten
der3d the office to several persons in this
city who refused it. I couldn't find any
capable man to select" said he. Then
I appointed Mr.. Stahl. Everybody was
pleased at first He has been in Office
for two months now, and has proven an
honest and capable official The city
has had robbers operating in that time,
but they are all over the country too.
Look at the papers and see for your
selves. Under previous administrations
we have had robberies and crimes and
we will always have them.
You object to him because ] did not
confer with members Of council about
his appointment. Tt would have taken
six years to get a chief of police salts
factory to myself and all the council
men, as your action here tonight has
proven. If you had taken it up at the
first meeting it would have been over
and settled long ago. Instead of that
you put it off. Now I will say this: Mr..
Stahl is a good officer. I have appoint
ed him chief of police and until you
find a suitable man and bring him in T
Will keep him there
Mayor Drew cited law and precedent
for carrying out his determination,
drawing several instances from the his
frz~ E1EF a@aI-C
so have plenty of precedent; and an
other point, I'll never appoint a man to
the office who has not some property. 1t
remains for you to find a man with all
the qualifications of q good officer and a
man Of standing in the community.
When you do that and bring him here,
III be very glad to appoint him.
Mayor DreW's determined statement
elected applause from the spectators in
the lobby. All the different elements
that have been Interested in the fight
over Chief Stahl were represented Ev-
cry seat in the rear of the council
chamber was taken and there were 20
women In the audience. There were
present members of the Won1en's Chris
tan temperance union, Young Peoples
t5ood Citizenship federation, State Tenn
perRnce union and the Committee of
Two Hundred Several clergymen were
there, the attorney for the jointist and
call the audience punctuated the sp- ech-
IS by councilInen with applause in ex-
preston Of their approval
When Mayor Drew asked that the ap-
pointment of F. M Stahl as chief of po-
lice be confirmed, Councilman Belts of
the First ward was the first one called
to vote. In explaining his vote Mr.
Betts give as his reasons incompetency
of the appointee, his failure to vote the
entire county Republican ticket, not be-
ing bOnahde resident of the CITY and
the failure of the mayor to confer with
council before making the appointment
a her. off
vote this way" he said. II am in favor
Of the enforcement of the law. Person
ally I have nothing against Mr.. StahI.
but there are men in the CITY inst az
competent to be chief of police. I have
a petition here signed by over 400 per
sons in the First ward asking that I
vote in favor of the confirmation, but it
appears that the names have all been
signed by one person.
Mr.. Belts handed the city clerk a
copy of the State Journal containing in
tervieWs with councilmen on the subject
OF confirming Chief Stahl. The city
clerk proceeded to read the article when
Mr.. Miller interrupted. IT object to a.
further reading of a matter that has
been already published and that we
know all about anyway he said.
Mr.. Belts defended his purpose in hav-
ing it read by the clerk
Mr. Afiller's point is well taken"
ruled Mayor Drew.
Continuing Mr.. Belts said: 'sSome of
the most prominent robberies that have
taken place since Chief Stahl has been
appointed are as follows:
The Mills Dry Goods Co., store 50. 600
Keith & Hazen, store. 600
DR.. J. C. McCHntock, RESIDENCE. 900
Metzler residence ........,. 500
T. P. Culleys residence. ... 500
Total Observation-Disclosures. .....S "a, 500
Chief Stahl has been unable to APP
pTehend any of the persons who perpe-
trated any Of the foregoing burglaries.
He has never had any experience in po-
lice work, and has not the first quaIiff-
cation for a police officer, much less to
be at the head of the police department
Of city of $4,000 population.
Chief StahI is not a bona fide resi-
dent of the city of Topeka He simply
moved into the city for the purpose Of
being appoin ted as chief of police. If
his confirmation is refused he will re-
turn to his home at Auburn, and reside
on his homestead, which has been his
home and residence for over twenty
years last past.
There are a number of competent and
experienced police officers of the city
OF Topeka who are entitled to this APP
polntment rather than Mr.. StahI, and |
any one of whom would be able to fill
the position with credit to himself and |
to the best interests of the city of To-
peka-
when the mayor first intfmated that
he would likely appoint Mr.. Stahl as
chief OF police, the public press inter |
viewed the various councilmen, ma
jority Of whom expressed their opinion |
that he should not be appointed on ac-
count of his not being q. resident of the |
city of Topeka; notwithstanding this, |
the mayor in utter disregard of the |
wishes and opinions of the members of |
the council, forced the apDeintuent /
upon them, which was a gross breach |
OF courtesy, if not a direct insult TO a |
majority of the council. It remains to /
be seen whether the mayor will be able |
80 force these men te confirm such ap- |
Dointment in direct opposition to their |
expressed opinion as heretofore stated. /
are entitled to as much credit for their |
opinion in this matter as the mayor. |
and if this appointment is forced upon /
the council, they become tools, merely,
of the mayor, and publicly declare their /
own weakness.