The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-23

w ~ Va
listed, as shown by the testimony ad
duced, and invites attention to the
fact that the administration of the af
fairs of the police department under
Chief Jackson have been characteriz
ed by a degree of ignorance, indiffer
ence Of incapacity warranting its
censure.
GEORGE F. BENNIGHOFF,
"Chaidman.
&c. G. COTHRON,
"HENRY White.
Billings, Mont, Dec. 10, 1902"
Subdued murmur broke the silence
which followed the reading of the
report and a little quiet laughter was
to be distinguished in the hum OF
voices.
On motion the report was duly
adopted. m g
Alderman Hogue now moved that
the license Of Frank Savarsey be re.
voked and that he be refunded the pro-
rata balance of the unexpired portion
of the license. The motion was Sec
onded.
Doubt was expressed whether the
council had the power to revoke the
license without giving it's reasons
therefore, and the city attorney was
appealed to for advice. While he
was not prepared to say just then
what the powers of the council in the
premises We're, he called attention to
the ordinance prohibiting women
from being allowed in or to frequent
places where intoxicating liquors are
sold. AS it had been charged that
Savarsey had been guilty of repeated
ly violating the ordinance he could be
arrested and upon conviction the
council use hat as a basis for a revo-
cation. m0
The motion was withdrawn and Mr..
White moved that the chief of police
be instructed to arrest Savarsey.
This brought Mr.. Stoddard to his
feet with an amendment that the
word "chief" be stricken out, saying
he made his motion on the strength of
what had been reported by the COM
mission.
The amended motion was carried
and the police were supposed to be
Instructed to make the arrest.
The report of the commission hav-
ing been adopted, those conversant
with parliamentary rules awaited &C.
ton on the matter of the censure the
commission declared should be given
the chief, or department, it did not
appear exactly clear which was in
tended, but it was taken for grant
ed that special reference was had to
the chief. They were disappointed.
Not a word was said concerning the
matter and nobody was instructed to
make the censure.
stead and the enthusiasm with which
it was carried showed that the police
committee and the council were of the
opinion that they had done their full
duty and were anxious to get the mat
ter off their hands and go home.
Everybody was disappointed, but ap-
parently no n more so than the
chief of police. He came early so as
to be on hand and hear all that might
occur. His presence before and after
the secret session was accepted by
the visitors at the meeting as an invi-
tation to be investigated, in fact as a
challenge to the commission to prefer
its threatened charges, but it. was
ignored. Despite all that had been
said and done he was still chief, the
mayor retained hi sseat and the police |
magistrate, whom some of the COM
mlssioners had intimated would also
in for some of the broadsides to |
be fired, was doing business at the old
stand.
The manner in which the whole
thing terminated causes some people to
think that the police commission
gave an excellent exhibition of back
pedalling and that the performance
throughout did not begin to come up
TO the show advertised. At all events
1t is accepted on every side that
Mayor George is mayor in every sense
OF the word and not afraid to use the
power he has.
Would nan Gala - A |