The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-11-22
MAN SELECTED BY THE POLICE
COMMISSIONERS TO BE CHIEF
OF THE DEPARTMENT.

lieve that Captain Whitman has seen service
for number of years in discharge of police
duties and has always shown a high capacity
in that direction.
When 1 pause to think of the administration
Of the Police Department under Chief Crowley
we know and know that the. administration
body and when any important piece of work
was TO be done in the department Chief Crow
ley would always select Captain Whitman to
go TO the front, even taking him from his
district where his services were needed and L
believe that Captain Whitman was always sue
cessful in the discharge of his duties.
have doubt. and even am so informed
that il Chief Crowley here to-day
he would vote for this man Our late lament
ed Chief of Police Sullivan, whenever he was
absent on account of sickness or otherwise al
ways nominated Captain Whitman to be act
ing Chief He has repeatedly done this and
at the last moment, when the late Chief died.
Captain Whitman was selected to represent
him. All these facts bring to my mind the
fact that we are making no mistake in our
selection and that we not getting a new nor
an untried man. but that we getting a man
who has received the approval and approba-
tion of all the Chiefs of Police under whom he
has served.
I am sure the late Chief was highly appre-
ciated by all in this city and county as an
honorable. conscientious and. good man Ac-
cording to my best judgment and to all the
ideas have been able to reach, and considering
all the information that have been able to
get, and as L firmly believe, I think that in
Captain Whitman We Will find a man who will
perform those high duties in honorable and
efficient manner. He is doubt man of
great capacity, and has been tried and has
not been found wanting. l have not been able
to find any one to come up to CAPTAIN witt
man in these qualifications, hence 1 vote for
him.
Mahoney Attacks Nominee.
Commissioner Mahoney, who voted
against Whitman, then rose and said:
l agree with Judge Wallace that a man So
lected for this office should be possessed of
many qualities, a man of unquestioned honesty
and unquestioned integrity. a man of clear
and Ond 3f1de~
situated that he would not engender discord or
discussion among the people. believe that
and I cannot conscientiously vote for him
think the Judge is mistaken when he says that
Captain Whitman was always selected in the
late Chiefs absence to act in his place. 1t is
my recollection that it his custom to Sc
lect Captain Seymour. On the occasion of his
last illness Captain Seymour was not selected
because he out OF the city at the time /
believe that the time has now come when the
methods at present in use in the Police De-
partment have passed.
do not believe that under ordinary circum-
stances, when there is dissension among the
people. 1t is necessary to use force or
even harsh language. I believe that the citi-
zens of San Francisco are the most orderly in
and the easiest handled, and 1 do not believe
that people should be handled in a brusque and
methods have passed. From my observations
/ DO not believe that the candidate named is
possessed Of the advanced class and ideas of
what Chief Of Police should be possessed Of
Consequently I find it incumbent upon me ia
decline to vote for Captain Whitman and will
rot suggest any other name, as do not desire
to place anybody in the position of being in
personal antagonism to the Chief who will be
elected.
When President Newhall announced the
result of the election, he requested Ser
geant Gleason to call Captain Whitman
into the board room.
Captain Whitman. the new Chief, en-
tered the room and after saluting stood
at attention in front of the Commission
ers' table.
President Newhall. addressing the new
Chief. said: Il wish to say to you that
the Board of Police Commissioners has
elected you Chief of Police of the city of
San Francisco"