The times., 1901-06-21
NEWS FROM ALEXANDRIA
The Legal Tangle Between City
Officials Settled.

Judge NicoI Holds the Local Police
men TO Be State Officials and Rem
ders TwofoId Decision Mayor
Simpson Sustained in One Case.
ALEXANDRIA, June 20.-The legal
tangle existing between Mayor George /.
Simpson and the Board of Police Commits
sioners, which has been in progress ever
since the organization of that board, has
at last been settled, much to the gratifi-
cation of all concerned, by a decision this
morning from Judge Charles L. Nicol, of
the Circuit Court. The decision rendered
today was in the temporary injunction
proceedings in the case of the mayor vs..
the commissioners, which was instituted
by Mayor Simpson to restrain the Board
of Police Commissioners from enforcing
section 50 and 80 of the rules governing the
police force. Rule So requires bi-mOnth-
ly change in the squads known as sta
tion keepers, doing duty at the station
house. Judge Nicol declares this rule TO
be constitutional, and the injunction re-
straining its operation is dissolved. Rule
50, which compels the mayor TO deliver ali
orders to members of the police force
through the chief or other officer acting
in his stead. is declared null and void, and
the injunction against its operation is per-
petuated.
This gives one of the decisions for the
commissioners and one for the mayor.
The men now doing duty at the station
house will be changed twice month, CIV
ing all the policemen an opportunity of
doing station house duty 1t is expected
that this will go into effect about July L
Hereafter the mayor will not have to give
his orders 10 the chief, but will give them
to the policemen personally. This rule, of
course, will go into effect at once. Mayor
Simpson viii not carry the controversy
any further, but viii abide by Judge
Nicors decision The judge decrees that
the complainants and defendants shall
each pay their own costs and expenses in
the case.
Perhaps this case has attracted more
widespread attention than any other case
in the State of Virginia for several years
past, and the decision was received with
interest by almost everyone The report,
which is very voluminous one. came
from Manassas, where Judge Nicol heard
the case in vacation. and was received in
the Office of the clerk of the Cooperation
Court this morning.
After reciting the history and progress
of the injunction proceedings, together
with the issues involved, Judge Nicol ce-
cides that rule So, giving the commission
ers power to make bi-monthly changes in
the squads at the station house, as
amended by the Board of Police Commis-
sioners of the city of Alexandria for the
regulation of the police force of that city,
is not in conflict with the constitution or
laws Of this State, and that it is not un-
reasonable, and therefore null and void.
and that the injunction heretofore award
ed restraining and enjoining its enforce
ment be and the same is hereby dissolved.
That rule 80 prescribed by said hoard is
not justified by law, and that said board
had no authority to establish it, and that
it is an unreasonable rule and regulation,
and it is hereby decreed to be null and
void and that the injunction heretofore
awarded restraining and enjoining its en-
forcement be and the same is hereby per-
petuated."
Among other things mentioned in the
report Judge Nicol says: The manifest
purpose of the Legislature in creating the
Board of Police Commissioners of Alex
andria was to provide and establish a
governmental agency for the more eff
cient administration of law in this city
The members of the Board of Police Com
missioners and the policemen appointed
by it are not municipal, but State Off
GERS The said board is given the absolute
ard unrestrained power to select the pc
licemen for Alexandria. This necessarily
involves the right and power to pass on
the qualifications and fitness of those