The Washington times., 1901-09-19
NEWS FROM ALEXANDRIA.
A Tiff Between Police COmmis.
siOners and the Mayor.
MIR. Simpson Harshly Criticized by
Members of the BOard-One of the
Most Exciting Sessions Held for
Some Time-Other Notes of Interest

some I1me-Other Notes of interest
ALEXANDRIA, Sept 1s.-The meeting
Of the board of police commissioners to-
| night developed into an arraignment of
Mayor Simpson for his conduct toward
| the commissioners i'll not notifying them
when he suspended policemen for various
! offences. Commissioner Bryant criticised
the mayor very harshly for his action in
| this matter. He told the mayor that he
| had insulted the commissioners by not
notifying them of his action in this mat
| ter and had frequently acted in dis
| courteous manner toithe members of the
| board.
| The mayor smilingiy remarked that the
board mad on numerous occasions treated
him in a discourteous manner, but that
| he had considered IT of so little impor-
| tance that he had taken no cogni=ance OF
! 1t. The meeting was continuous wran-
! gle from start to finish, in which many
! personalities were inaulged in. The meet
] ing was one of then fiery held for
J some time. The business transacted was
| of little Importance All the members
participated in the wrangle, but the prin-
| cipals were Captain Bryant and Mayor
Simpson.
The meeting was called to order shortly
| siding. The secretary stated that he had
left his minute book at home, and the
reading of the minutes of the last meeting
were dispensed with. A report of Chief
] Webster, of August Is, was read. The re-
port referred to the case of Policeman
Arthur Davis, who was brought before
the mayor on the charge of having told
saloonkeeper named Emmert, who con-
| ducts a saloon on North Fayette Street
what policeman would be on En-
merits beat on certain Sunday. The
charge was, it was stated. heard by May
| or Simpson, and dismissed. The mayor
| referred to the case as being "a comedy
| OF errors. He stated that after in
vesf1Ration. at which Commissioner Law
| Ter was present. he found that the charges
amounted to nil, and he dismissed the
case.
Commissioner Bryant stated that the
board had not received any notice from
The mayor of the suspension of Polieema n
Roberts. Policeman Roberts was some
time ago suspended for period of fifteen
| days by Mayor Simpson for being found
asleep while he was supposed TO be on
| duty. He was found in a hallway OF a
house on North Henry Street by Lieuten-
ant Smith. Commissioner Bryant said that
! it was the policy of Mayor Simpson to
| ignore the board on such matters. and
| that the board did not think it right in
him not notifying them when he suspend
| reason the board had on several occasions
set the verdict of the mayor aside in such
! cases.
Mayor Simpson stated that he has spoke
| to Commissioner Lawler on the matter.
and that he would be glad to give the
members of the board any information
| they desired on the subject. Relations,
| he said, has always been of a most pleas
ant nature with the board. and it was
| not his intention to act in 0iscourteous
manner. to them. He stated that when
| he tried case he tried it as mayor Of
| the city. and not police commissioner.
| Here the mayor cited that there was no
law which required the mayor to report
such matters of this sort to the commits
| sioners. but that there was a law in ex-
! istence which required the chief Of police
| to report the mayors action to the COM
missioners. Old decisions of Judge
Keith, in the controversy between the
commissioners and ex-Mayor Thompson,
were cited as precedents in the case.
Mayor Simpson stated that he took pleas
ure in answering questions put to him by
| any member of the board, ,'ut he. of
course. answered them as a matter of
courtesy only-not that the law required
him to do so. The mayor after some argu-
| ment pulled from his coat pocket a copy
of Judge Keith's decision In similar
| ease. The gist of the decision seemed
| to be that there-was mo- law requiring the
mayor to report such matters to the COM
1 missioners. but it was within the scope of
his official duty to do So
Commissioner Bryant was of the opin-
ion that the charge against Policeman
Roberts was a very grave one, and he
thought the penalty a very light one for
such an offence. Mayor Simpson cited
| that in Washington policemen who had
been brought UP on similar charges were
fined the sum of SO. Mayor Simpson
| stated that this was the highest penalty
] that he had ever imposed on policeman
/ for a similar offence.
Mayor Simpson stated that he proposed
/ to make no statement TO the commission
ers If they demanded one Commission
er Bryant was of the opinion that the
mayor never acted within the scope of
the law. Mayor Simpson here stated that
he would act in accordance with the law
! Commissioner Bryant cited that suspen-
sions made by him. the mayor. only held
good until the commissioners met. Com
| missioner Bryant said that II was the in
tention of the mayor to make unqualified
suspensions. Mayor Simpson stated That
the board, otherwise the board would
| not be convened.
few minutes later, after a long colo
guy between the mayor and Mr.. Bry-
ant, the later arose, and in excited
manner stated that the mayor had lost
no opportunity to insult the board, and
has acted in discourteous manner.
| Mayor Simpson replied that the board had
| treated him in a similar manner. Com
/ missioner Bryant here stated that the
| case of Policeman Roberts had grown
| cold and he would let it drop
| Commissioner Miller was of the opin-
| ion that II the mayors action in such
matters were brought to the board by
the mayor, the mayors decisions would
be upheld. He thought that the mayor
had gone out of latitude to insult them.
| The mayor. he stated, had not been pres
| ent at a meeting for two years. Mayor
! Simpson resented being criticised, and
stated that he did not propose to stand
| it. Here Commissioner Bryant stated
| that he would on every occasion set the
| verdict of the mayor aside. and if the
case was of sufficient importance have
ha off brought dismissed from
! the service.
At this point of the proceedings the
| mayor stated that Commissioner Law
Ter was young member of the board
| and asked him what was his opinion on
| such a matter. Commissioner Lawler
| stated that the board had been notified
! of the suspension of Policeman Roberts
at their first meeting in July. and 1t was
| his opinion that the board could not make
the mayor notify them in such cases.
Again Commissioner Bryant stated that
| as long as Mayor Simpson fails to notify
the board he would vote against the may
! ors decisions.
Commissioner Miller hoped that his talk
had not offended Mayor Simpson, as he
did not intend anything of a personal ma
| ture Mayor Simpson said that he un-
derstood that thoroughly, as their rela-
tions had always been of a most pleasant
nature Previously TO this Commissioner
I.awler had made the statement that the
meeting looked like a TRADE against the
mayor Commissioner Bryant stated that
the mayor, he was of opinion, had
made the statement that he (the mayor)
would never have policeman brought
before the commissioners. The mayor
stated that his recollection had indeed
served him very poorly.
Commissioner Lawler offered resolu-
ton prohibiting officers and policemen
from smoking while on duty. In accord
ance with the usual custom, action was
deferred until the next meeting.
Commissioner Bryant stated that the
remarks that he had previously made
were OF an official nature. and there was
nothing personal intended.
Commissioner Lawler stated that he un-
lDrc thaf within the thirty. Il 20