The Minneapolis journal., 1902-08-02

city is without government for the protection
OF the lives or property Of Its citizens.
In this perplexing situation. and actuated
by the sole desire to do that which will best
promote the interests of our city as a whole.
feel that am Justified in taking this step.
Respectfully yours, Fred W.. sAmes.l
ss: Superintendent 4of Police.
Accepted this LIST day Of August, 1902.
a3s.ss = ID, Fred NJ. Powers,
s.., yls.- Acting Mayor.
Fitchette's Resignation Accepted.
After Acting Mayor Powers had handed
Captain John Fitchette a brief note of
immediate dismissal from the police
force. the latter persuaded the executive
pro tenn that such action would be both
unbecoming and undignifed tor the high
| station which Mr.. Powers now occupies.
| 1t was not the proper thing to do, Captain
Fltchette explained, because, anticipating
| some such move, he had taken the pre-
caution to tender his resignation to May
or Ames at West Baden Wednesday even.
ing: Owing to the captains limited stay
| In the Indiana town. he had no time In
| which to write out a formal resignation.
| The understanding had been that immedi-
ately on his return to the city, the cap
tain would send his resignation, which
Mayor Ames agreed to promptly accept
With this understanding of the situa-
tion, Mr.. Powers readily agreed to with
draw the discharge paper, and allow Cap
tain 'Fitchette to resign instead. =,
Captain Fitchette's resignation read
thus: s>,
Hon. Fred Powers, Acting Mayor of the
City Of Minneapolis-Dear Sir: Several days
| ago rendered my resignation to Mayor A. A.
Anes, mayor Of the city Of Minneapolis. at
West Baden. am now legally advised that
Mayor Ames has authority to accept my
resignation from the police forces OF this city.
I therefore offer you my resignation, to take
effect this date. Yours very truly,
John A. Fitchette.
A Surprise to Getchel.
| Captain Henry Getchel Of the fifth pre-
cinct station, who was appointed actlng
chief by Mr.. Powers, explained that he
elevated until Alderman Powers teie-
phoned him early in the afternon and
asked him to come down town. He ad-
mitted that he would be guided largely in
the discharge of his duties by Alderman
Powers wishes, SO long as he is acting
be no knocking" while he was, at the
head of the department, and he promised
to do his best to bring the department up
to high state Of efficiency. =,
Lieutenant Plumner,"' he said, will
take charge Of the fifth precinct: Cap
tain Hill will go to the North Side sta
tion as directed by my predecessor. We
will attend to. Captain Cofhn's case az
soon as we can reach It.
' The acting mayor received a telegram
. from Mayor Anes last evening, requesting
the former to detail Captain Charles T.
Hill to the vacancy created by the en-
} forced resignation of Chief Ames. The
message came too late, for no vacancy
existed at that time. 1t would have made
little difference, for Alderman Powers
personal antagonism to Captain Hill
would have prevented him from carrying
= out the wishes of the mayor de factt
Q in that regard.
AS Alderman D. P. Jones, president o
the city council, is expected home b!
= Aug. 7, the acting mayor will probabl.
8 make no radical changes in the depart
q ment. Aldernan Jones' return, 1t il
!. rumored, will mean the political decapi
tation Of both Captain c. R. Hill an
Mayors Secretary T. R. Brown.
: Acting Chief Of Police Getchel ha
d been a member Of the force since 1885
when he was appointed to the mounte
squad. In June, 1889, he was made
d footran. He again joined the mounte
It squad as ranking sergeant in 1890, and l.
|, 1897 was made lieutenant of the sam
n squad Jan. /, 1900, he was mad
p captain, in which capacity he remained u
8 to his appointment as acting chief yester
/. day.