Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-27
CAPT. ANGLE SUSPENDED
A Searching Investigation Into the Police De-
partment Of the City Is Surely
Coming, and That Speedily.
MAYOR R. NJ. TAYLOR SIGNED THE ORDER.
But 1t Was Only After the Board of Police Commissioners,
in Solid Phalanx Pressed the Executive Head
of the City Government to Act.

, was pressed against him. the Mayor yield
ed and cut things short by peremptorily
ordering Clerk Shinnenburger to write
the order for Captain Angles suspension.
He Immediately signed it and handed it
to Chief Howard.
The board cast the die and stood pat
on the fall. They won. but only after
the hottest meeting in their history. The
issue was plain. 1t had been prearrang-
ed the day before. And it was let loose
| on Mayor Taylor before he had chance
to catch his breath. He recoiled under
the first Shock but recovering himself:
he found that this situation confronted
him: The board had determined to make
him prefer charges against Captain An
gle himself officially, not upon the request
of the board to be Sc stated in the writ
ten order, but over his, the Mayors sig
nature in conformity with the express
terms of the city charter delegating such
authority to him.
Here are the commissioners who were
there: Messrs. Landerkin, Bosher, Man
ming, Mccarthy, Jacobs. and Welsh. They
were together a unit, and with Mr..
LaEderkin as the captain, that had been
determined upon at the conference of
Thursday, and with N1essrs. Bosher, Nc
Carthy, and Manning as sharpshooters,
the Mayor was forced to capitulate.
Mr.. LnnderIxin,s Statement.
Mr.. Landerkin opened fire with his state
ment, endorsed by the other commission
ers present to the effect that the board
deemed it the Mayors duty to take some
decided action to investigate the police
department. beginning with the Second
District, and naming Captain Angle in
express terms as the first man against
whom action should be begun. Mr. Ian
derllin stated that in view of the recent
conviction of the gamblers, and from
facts in possession of the board it was
imperative matter of public duty for
the Mayor to prefer the charges against
Captain Angle that would lead to his
examination before the board. He went
further to say that the entire police de-
partment should be investigated-cap-
tains, sergeants, and privates-and if the
evidence proved sufficient the guilty ones
should be discharged from the force. But
the advance attack was made upon Cap
tain Angle on the ground that he was in
charge of the Second District at the time
that the gambling was going on.
Mr.. Landerkin said that the conviction
in the court, constant rumor, printed re-
ports in the newspapers. and last, and
most important, information at the hands
of the board, demanded that the charges
be preferred against Captain Angle
The other commissioners concurred to
a man in what Mr.. Landerl1in said
1t became evident to the Mayor that
the board in solid phalanx was coming
for him. He was up against it from the
start
What 90 you want me to dog" said
His Honor.
Prefer charges against Captain Angle
in accordance with the provisions of the
city charter" said Mr.. Bosher.
Il haven't got any charges to make
against Captain Angle. I haven't got any
evidence to base any charges on" was
the retort that the Mayor was gruff when
he said it. Pm not going to make a
monkey Of myself
What are our courts of justice here
for?" warmly replied Mr.. Bosher. re-
ferring to the conviction of the gamblers
What do you draw your salary for?"
struck in Mr.. Mccarthy savagely, What
are you paid for? We are not paid to
do your duty
A Vo1Iey of Questions.
And then it got hot in Chief Howards
room. Each member Of the board came
to the front at this point The colloquy
grew fast and furious. Its up to you"
said Mr. Manning. Not a commissioner
dissented:
eff you want to prefer charges against
Captain Angle why don't you do it," said
the Mayor, but he was not so sharp as he
was at the beginning. He tucked his fin
ger down in his collar and let the per-
spratio get a channel. Not COM
missioner arose to take sides with him.
The Mayor was up against the hardest
proposition that had confronted him on
the board
There vas q Slicht lull in the storm,