Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1901-07-05
CAPT. WATERS DISMISSED.


Capt. J. n. Waters has been dismiss
ed from the position he has 30 long ana
ably held as chief of police of this city.
The causes which led up to this action
on the part of the city council Will
never be fully explained, If any real
causes existed. The action of our city
council sometimes puts us In mind OF
a Justice of the peace who was on one
occasion seen kicking a predatory sow,
just, as he said, to let it know there
was an officer around. Whenever times
grow dull with the city council, they
take occasion to let somebody know
there is city council around. This
seems to be one of the occasions.
Seeing that this faithful and tried
officer had been subjected to the gull
lotine we began TO enquire as to the
why's and wherefores, and several
causes were assigned. The first was
that he was 70 years of age. So it was
be old, old story, of the old horse be-
ing sent to the bone yard. Most peo-
ple were inclined to doubt the age
theory, or they say our vigilanr coun-
Gil would have begun on the Captain
several years ago, when he was at the
a &c of three score years and ten. The
30 cond story we heard was that the
Captain habits were 30 regular that
his subordinates knew just when be
was coming round, and of course when
he got there they were doing their
whole duty, no ma tier how little of 1t
they might have been doing just before.
This was a serious fault and ought we
admit to lose him his official head. No
man In Staunton can have regular
habits and enjoy respect, and chief
Of police who cannot watch his subor-
dinates as well as all the other people
in Staunton who need watching is not
At for the place. AS strange as it may
seem the fact that Capt. Waters did
not watch his subordinates sufficiently
close, was assigned as serious charge
against him and helped to displace
him, if reports be true. No
complaint, 80 far as we have
b card, has been laid against those
su bordinates who, We must infer from
this, needed watching. Of the two
we are certain which most people
would have first discharged, If the allie
cation be true.
Again We were told that Capt. Wa
tiers is too frail to grapple with thief.
When, pray, did that duty fall on our
policemen, or if it be part of their
duty, when was it performed Have
any thieves been grappled with here
of late by our stalwart policemen
Who grappled with the thief who
smashed ID. L. Switzer's plate glass
window and raked out diamonds till
he got tired? Who grappled with the
safe blowers who shook the town with
dynamite when they robbed the Staun-
ton Milling Company some years ago?
Graphing with thieves is by no means
the duty of a policeman, SO that charge
ought to have no weight. Of course
the work Of looking up dogs for taxa
ton, listening for leaks in water
pipes and walking about in private
houses for that purpose, attending the
theater, the circus, watching game
of pool or billiards, warming by the
bar room stove in winter, must be
carefully performed, and bowling tc
the council, pulling this or that politi
cal string, are things which Capt
Waters may not have performed to the
entire satisfaction of the city council,
hence his decapitation.
Capt. Waters has lost his youth, he
has more probably lost his political
influence, he has in all probability not
bowed low enough when some council.
man passed by, he is not in the click
or the ring, he was in somebody's way
and he had to get out or be kicked
out. He did not get out so he was
kicked out.
He has the good fortune, however
of possessing the respect of a large
number of people in the city of Staun
ton, he has the heritage of good
name-which is better than great
riches, but most of those on whose
friendship be could rely, who were bis
companions in times which tried men 4
souls, have been laid to rest, a new sci
has the reins and some of them care nc
more for faithful services, or devotion
to duty, than they care for the worm
beneath their feet. Capt. Waters may
sola &c bis remaining years with the
consciousness that be has faithfully
performed his official duties so much
80 that his fellow citizens are saying
well done thou good and faithful
servant" 1t will be lucky for some Of
those who dug his official grave if the
same can ever be said of them.