The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1902-03-04
Refused To Put Motion To Elect a
New Night Policeman and a
Lively Time Ensues.
A NATTER OF PREROGATIVES
On Deeislon Of Attorney Snyder Council De
eides To Ignore Mayor Feehters Ap.
pointments and Try To Elect Alex.
Starrett. Who Had Been Fired
for Maltreating Prisoners.

~ refuse to put the motion, gentle
men!"
Such was the declaration of Mayor
Fechter during an exciting period at the
session of the city council Monday night.
And further:
Gentlemen, now leave the chair;
you may elect temporary chairman
and act upon the question as you see fit
and proper; you have it within your
power to do So" And Mayor fletcher
stepped down from the rostrum in the
city hall and took his seat among the
spectators. 1t was an exciting period
an echo of the Boyle-Grant marshalship
fight, or rather concerted move
ment against the prerogatives of the
mayor in so far as the appointment OF
night policeman is concerned. The
whole fight was precipitated by Council
man Moran, who queried City Attorney
Snyder as to who had the appointive
power of the policemen in this city.
Mr.. Moran asked the city attorney to
give an opinion on the question: care
the present night policemen, Mr.. Bland
and Mr.. Smull, legally empowered to
make an arrest. and is it necessary for
the council to confirm their appoint
ment before they can act legally in the
capacity of officers?"
The attorney said plainly that no one
but council ruled the city; that police
man not appointed by council had no
authority to act that said policemen's
acts would not be legal, and that the
mayor could not make such appoint
ment. In view of this Interpretation of
the law, part of the council decided to
take the matter in their own hands and
elect new night policeman in place of
Officers Bland and Smull. First, Mar
shall Grant was asked about the fitness of
the two officers He replied that so far
as honesty was concerned the reputa-
lions of both men were unquestioned,
but when it came to being good officers
neither one was suitable to fill the place.
This was all he said. Whereupon Coun-
Gilman Wyman said:
81 think it is better to have one good
man on at night than two bad ones, and
l therefore make the motion that Alex.
Starrett be appointed to the position of
night policeman.
81 second the notion said Council
man Ayres. quickly.
~ refuse to put the motion, gentle
men" declared the mayor.
For about Is minutes following the
action of the mayor in vacating his
chair there was an unusually exciting
scene. Councilman Reed made a speech
against Starrett's appointment, saying
that he (Starrett) had been fired four
times from the office for Maltrsating
prisoners and for other conduct unbecom-
ing an officer. Amid iarring, wrangling
and the cross-firing of words from all
sides Mr.. Reed made a motion to ad-
journ. The mayor entertained the mo-
ton but no one but Mr.. Reed voted for
it, others saying there was already a
motion before the house. Mr.. Reed
then left his seat amongst the august
body of city fathers and proceeded to
put on his hat and overcoat, prepara-
tory to leaving the hall. The mayor
was still in his seat at the desk after
putting the motion to adjourn when he
accused the city attorney lin retort for
some remark the attorney had made) of
giving different opinion on the very
same question once before. He then
left his chair and sat down on a bench
by the wall among the spectators.
No one had yet thought of temporarily
filling the mayors chair. An attempt
was made to bring up other matters, but
Councilman Wyman wanted the origi-
nal bone OF contention disposed of. The
mayor then remarked:
Gentlemen. you have the right to APP
point chairman pro tem.' Have the
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