Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-05-01
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
Sensation Created by an Order Of the
Mayor
VICTORY FOR THE CITY EXECUTIVE
Charges ofUnfairness Made Against
Democratic Committee.
GENERAL AND PERSONAL
GENERAL AND PERSONAL
Evening Star Bureau.
No. 7O1 King street.
Bell Telephone No. JOG,
ALEXANDRIA, Va, May I, 1901.

No 701 King street
Bell Telephone No 1ob,
ALEXANDRIA Va, May I, 1901.
A sensation was crested at the police sta
ton this morning when Mayor Simpson
ordered Chief Webster to replace on duty
at the station house the men who were
removed from that post to do patrol duty
this morning according to a rule recently
adopted by the board of police commission
| ers. The occasion marked signal VIC
tory for the mayor over the COMMISSION
ers. The order which he gave Chief Web
ster was based on a legal document which
was received here this morning. 1t was
notice from Judge Charles E. Nicol of
the circuit court granting temporary in
junction restraining the board of police
commissioners from carrying the order
above noted into effect
| The spring session of the circuit court has
been held and the next term will take
| place in the fab, during which time the
orders of the mayor in regard to the sta
| ton house detail will, of course, be car
ried into effect The mayor is confident of
winning out when the case comes up for
| a hearing.
| The occurrence this morning marked
very decided phase in the long contest be
| tween Mayor Simpson and the police COM
missioners Recently the commissioners
| have adopted several rules touching the
mayors management of the police force.
! The latter in several instances has retail
lated by utterly ignoring the commission
| erS. He has not for several months at
| tended any of their meetings.
When the commissioners adopted the rul-
! ing for a bi-monthly change about of the
| entire police force Mayor Simpson stated
in the press that he would not regard the
| provision affecting the detail at the sta
ton house. Thereupon the commissioners
met again and decided to employ counsel
to enforce the ruling in the courts
| For years past the mayors of this city
have had the privilege of naming the men
to do service at the station house, and
! their right in this matter has never been
questioned until recently. Upon reaching
the station house at 0 o'clock this morning
Mayor Simpson found that the change had
been made. Officer Arlington on duty
| in the place Of Officer Sherwood. The other
| policemen who alternated at the station
house are Officers Atkinson and Ferguson
| The old regime went into effect as soon as
the mayors order given.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Contest.
The action of the city democratic COM
mittee last evening in deciding to hold a
primary Monday, May 6, for the election
of delegates to the Norfolk state conven-
! ton for the nomination of governor has
| been bitterly denounced this morning by
| the friends of Attorney General Andrew T.
| Montague 1t Is declared to be an attempt
to secure the city delegation by force for
Representative Claude NJ. Swanson.
The announcement of the rly date fixed
came as great surprise to the public gen
orally. Scarcely any citizen, it appears,
| outside of the managers of the Swanson
| faction had expected that the local contest
would be pulled off within two weeks
Many were in favor of postponing the pri-
| mary until after the municipal election,
| May %. The record of last nights meeting
shows hot contest between the Montague
| minority and the Swanson men. The latter
SO outnumbered the former however. that
! the final outcome was scarcely in doubt.
! Mr.. Gardner l.. Boothe led the fight in the
| interest of the attorney general. He de-
| clared the selection of the proposed date
would be entirely unfair to his candidate.
| On recorded vote of five out of the seven
members present the committee took the
action as above stated.
! The meeting was held at the law office of
| Mr.. Gardner l.. Boothe secretary of the
committee, on South Fairfax street. There
were present hessrs. Oscar F. Garter,
| chairman; Gardner L. Boothe. c. J. w.
Summers. William Dobie. J. NJ. HILL acting
as proxy for James Wilkins, and Henry
Strauss. as proxy for George F. Price and
William Desmond. Mr. Dobe offered a
resolution that the primary be held Mon
. pm. and closed at 1880. Mr.. Boothe took
the floor and $50 that the date would
| conflict with the date of the general cleo
! ton. He charged that lie Swanson mem
| bers of the committee advocate the early
| date in order to prevent the Montague men
| from canvassing the city. He could see no
other reason Tor the proposed date, and
| characterized the movement in favor Of 1t
| in very plain terms as being altogether I'M
| fair and high-handed. He pointed out the
| fact that the candidates had not been con-
| suited and were in ignorance as to the pro
! posed action. He also stated that 1t had
| been the custom to hoII such primaries
after the general election. Mr. Boobies
! effort was forcefu and direct but it seemed
| impossible to sway the Swanson supporters
| from their purpose. Mr.. c. j. w. Summers
| also made a speech in which he supported
the contention of Mr.. Boothe.
Resolution offered,
Mr.. Boothe offered a resolution that
Tuesday, June L. be set the date Of the
| primary, that the polls be open from sum-
| rise to sunset, and that the candidate re-
| ceiving a majority of votes be permitted
| to name the entire city delegation. This
| motion was defeated and more discussion
ensUed. Mr.. w. B. Smoot, who was pres
| ent by courtesy in the interest of Swanson.
! and Mr.. Boothe then went into an ante
| room and held a private consultation with
a view of reaching a compromise The at
| tempt failed. however, and the committee
| then took the final vote. According to the
provisions of the resolution the candidate
receiving the largest number of votes will
! have the authority of naming the city dele
cation. The city will have twenty dele
| gates, which will be apportioned as fol-
| lows: First ward, 4; second ward. 8; third
| ward, 8, and fourth ward, 5. While recoe-
nizing the severe handicap imposed by the