Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-04-11
THE POLICE COMMISSIONERS.

THE POLICE COMMISSIONERS.
A special meeting of the Board OF
Police Commissioners was held 10 the
court room OF the station house last
night, 1t being the first meeting held by
the board for over two months, owing
to the absence from the city Of the
secretary, Mr.. Ashby Miller.
The meetii & was called to order by
Capt. Herbert Bryant, and there were
present Messrs Hill, Price and Miller.
After the reading of the minutes OF
the last meeting. two reports from
Chief Webster, dated February Is and
March Is respectively, were submitted.
In the Chiefs report OF February Is
was included the charges against OF.
ficers Lyles and Wilkinson for derelic.
lion OF duty and asssultiDg Lieutenant
Smith on Friday morning, February 10,
but he made no mention In either of his
reports concerning the suspension for
80 days of thes, officers by the Mayor.
Chief Webster also stated In his re-
port that Sergeant Smith, when he
was reduced to the ranks by the board,
had reported to him for duty, and, by
order Of the Mayor, was placed on duty
at the station house on February 2 to
take the place OF Officer Ferguson, who
he'd been called home by sickness
In his family. When Officer Ferguson
reported for duty on February 6 the
Mayor had detailed Officer Smith to
collect licenses, and that for pc
Rod of between two and three weeks
afterwavd the officer had not answered
roll call and was marked absent, but
later had been marked present by order
OF the Mayor. The reports also men,
toned several arrests which had been
made since the last meeting Of the
board.
Mr.. Miller said be did not think 1t
nece ssary for the Chief to make q re-
port of the arrests made, as these mat
ters did not come under the observa-
ton of the board.
Capt. Bryant sustained Mr.. Miller,
and stated that under the rules only
substantiated charges could be consid-
cred by the board.
4nC tnCu ItQuC6L6u i ElCO
to invite Chief Webster in.
The Chief, upon appearing before the
board, read an article from the Gazette
OF March 2S 10 which the Mayor was
quoted as being indignant at the fact
that Thomas O'Brien had been turn
ed over to negro policeman
from Washington without the prop
err requisiiion papers by those
in charge at the station house.
The Chief said his object 10 bringing
this matter before the board was due
to the fact that Washington newsps-
per had blamed him for the affair, and
he wished the Commissioners to inves-
tigate the charge. If he was guilty be
should be punished. but if found iDno-
cent he wished them to exonerate him.
Capt. Bryant said that 1t would be
better to submit request for an investi-
ton, together with the data concerning
the charge, at the next meeting OF the
| board.
The Chief said he would follow the
suggestion, and would also summon
several witnesses, as he thought, In
justice to himself and others, that the
charge should be thoroughly sifted.
The Chair then asked the Chief why
he had not embodi d in his report o.
March Is what action had been taken
by the Mayor in the cases of Officers
Lyles and Wilkinson charged with
dereliction of duty and assaulting Lieut..
Smith, as the board had not been Of
ficislly notified of any action having
been taken, but they had learned
through the newspapers that the Mayor
had suspended the men.
The Chief replied by saying that he
had inadvertently omitted the matter
from his March report, but would EN-.
brace it 10 the one for this month; be
was under the impression that the
Mayor would have reported his action
to the board.
Capt. Bryant asked the Chief if Of
ficer Smith had received his instruc-
tons through him when that officer
was detailed by the Mayor to collect IL
cepses.
The Chief replied that he had not,
and only knew Of the officer being as
signed to that duty by reading 1t In the
newspapers.
Capt. Bryant said that this clearly
demonstrated q disregard for discipline
aud constituted breach of the rules oil
the board. Council, when 1t governed
and made rules for the police force, had
given the Mayor the authority to detail
any member of the force to collect IL
censes, but under the rules adopted by
| the Commissioners the Instructions to
any member of the force should come
through the officers, and not be given
direct to the policeman by the Mayor;
that said policeman not reporting to
his superiors shows an utter disre-
gard for all discipline. Possibly the
Mayor, the chair added, had taken ad-
vantage OF the law which he had mem
toned, but any rule or law not prescrib-
ed by the board would not be recog-
nized by the Commissioners. He
thought that Officer Smith was guilty
of violating section so OF the rules, for
not receiving instructions through the
proper channel.
Capt Bryant then said that the Mayor
10 his published opinion 10 summing up
the cases of Officers Lyles and Wilkin.
son, had, among other things, said:
Indeed In my efforts to escape even
the semblsnce of partjality have / pos
sibly permitted faults to 60 uppunish-
ed. One instance of this can be found
in the case OF q policeman. an ener-
getic but impotent enemy OF this sd-
ministrstion. He forced himself into
the banquet room VI world renowned
order aud this during a centenn NAL
celebration which members from ell
parts Of the world attended. He was
drunk and so disorderly that special or
ders had to force him from the room.
This was an open secret, but no officer
entered complaint and the Mayor OF
this city in consoDance with his rule 10