The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-01-12
THOMPSON MAY
MAKE CHARGES
-&
But Hilton Says He Will be Able
to Meet Them.
-&-
PRATT STOCK IS GOING UP
FRANK L. HINES ANOTHER CAM
DIDATE IN THE FIELD.
PRATT STOCK is GOING UP

An important development yesterday
G.; the contention between the mayor
and the city council over the removal
Of Chief Of Police Hilton WAS the decia-
ration by one who is in close touch
with the situation that if the chiefs
friends in the council do not soon yield
the executive will have charges made
against the CHIEF. whose official head
he desires Topped off into the basket.
While it is admitted that the law as it
now is does not require the head of the
police department to be proven guilty
Of charges before his dismissal is war
Tanted the plan is to resort to the old
method OF procedure as a last resort
II the committee on police does not rec
Ommend to the council within a week
concurrence IN the mayors message Of
removal Of the chief
One of the mayors principal advisers
IS authority for the statement that, if
needs be, the charges which may be
Eqde against Chief Hilton will be
'Ounded on the allegations that ne has
oeen and l. incapable of administering
he affairs of the police department in
way that assures harmony and eff
dciCnt service; that he is guilty of in
GubOrdination u the city's executive in
refusing to confer with him, and is will
fully disObeying his orders in carry
ing out matters Of general policy per-
tanning to the conduct of police affairs.
Several specifications of dates, names
and Incidents viii, it is asserted, be set
forth IN the charges, if it becomes nee
essary to file them, in order to con-
vince some Of the obstinate members Of
the council that Mr.. Hilton ought to be
removed for the good of the service.
Chief Hilton Prepared.
Chief Hilton has already heard of the
probability of having to meet charges
filed against him at the instance Of
Mayor Thompson and his advisers. The
chief declined to talk of the matter yes
terday for public9 ton. but it is known
by his intimate friends in and out of
the council that he has been preparing
a defense ever since the mayor re-
quested his resignation early in Deem
Der.
If the occasion arises. Chief Hilton
will not only enter a vigorous denial Of
the charges of INSTRUMENTATION and in
capacity, but will undertake to show
that every act Of the police department
IT, permitting saloons to remain open
or n ordering. them closed on Sundays,
in closing some of the gambling houses
and citing others run unmOlested and
generally in regulating the social and
other evils coming within p~'ice super
vision was by and with the Gdvice and
consent of Mayor Thompson.
u was pointed out yesterday that all
Of Mayor ThOmpsOn's orders of diTec-
ton TO Chief Hilton have been orally
transmitted and that in the absence Of
written communications the chiefs
word will be against the executives,
except in a few instances whel Elm De-
tective Sheets and possibly John c.
IL I = -
may be able to recall some matters in
which the chief was directed to do GER
tain things on the lines indicated, but
which he neglected to execute.
Both Sides Confident.
one Of the CHIEFS advisers remarked
yesterday that II ton is really anxious
to have the controversy go so far as
to make it expedient f0l the mayor to
prefer charges against him. Chief Hill
ton is certain that he can place the eX-
ecutive in a very embarrassing posi-
ton, but on the other hand Mayor
Thompson is confident that all of the
embarrassment will b on Hilton's side
Of the house.
one Of the admitted reasons why the
mayor refuses 20 indicate who will be
his appOintee for the police chieftaincy
before the vacancy is created is stated
10 be that the intention is to increase
the salary of the office before a new
name is sent in. This the mayor de-
sires to have done so that he may Sc
cure the SerI ices of a suitable man who
viii rot serve for the present salary of
$l25 monthly.
1t is authori,atively stated that COUn-
cilmen COttell. Eardley. Hewlett
Spence. Robinson and Sharp are agree
able 20 this proposition and that they
Will fOrSake Chief Hilton provided the
mayor will indicate that he viii appoint
Arthur Pratt, former chief, at the in
creased salary.
Mayor Prefers Sheets.
1t is known that the mayor prefers to
appoint Detective Sheets to succeed
Chief Hilton, but it is freely predicteu
that the council would refuse to con-
firm him. Next to Sheets, it is gener-
ally believed That Mr.. Pratt STANDS the
best chance Of receiving the appoint
ment That he would be confirmed
without serious opposition is not doubt
ed by those who are in touch with the
municipal administration.
Probably the only objection that
would be urged against Mr.. Pratt is
THAI he is not so much in harmony
with the Republican machine as is
,''I' tNr puL MANY belltNe lLldL llAiS OD-
lection could De smoothed down salts
tagtorily, although one of the known
purposes Of the mayor in wanting 10
raorg3nize the police department is to
make it. serviCeable TO the machine in
controlling the city, which dominates
the county and the state. politically.
A new candidate for the head o. the
police department has appeared in the
Ierson of Frank L. Hines, superintend-
ent of WaterwOTkS. Next to Detective
Sheets he is more acceptable TO the ma
chine politicians than Pratt, yet it is
believed that there would be difficulty