Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-06-11
MAYOR is CHIEF OF POLICE
Chief Brownell Suspended, Pend
ing an Investigation.
Charges Not Made Public but Said TO
De of n political character, ut
Leust in Part-Mayor Interprcts
Police Rules.

OF Burlington, having suspended chief
l.. +. Browncll pending an Investigation
of charges. and the entire force OF the
city is now under the personal direction
pf the mayor Early Saturday morning
Chief Browncll received a communication
from Mayor Burke stating chat charges
had been brought against him and giving
him an opportunity to resign The com
munication was as follows:
Burlington, June >, 1903.
Mr.. T.. T. Browncll, chief of Police
Dear Sir:-Charges having been preferred
against you of violation of the police
rules / deem it my duty to notify you
of the same before presenting them to
give you an opportunity to send me your
resignation if you SO desire.
An immediate reply will be expected
from you.
Respectfully yours,
JAMES T.. BURKE Mayor.
Chief Brownell did not desire to re-
sign and sent the following communica-
ton to the mayor:
Police Headquarters,
T.. +. Browncll, Chief.
Dear Sr:-T have the honor to acinowl-
edge the receipt of your official communi-
cation of June >, in which you state
that charges have been preferred against
me for violation of police rules and that
you give me an opportunity to send YOU
my resignation If | so desire. | do not
so desire and state that l am ready to
meet any charges that may be made as
TO my official conduct
Very respectfully yours
+. T.. BROWNELL.
To the Hon. James l.. Burke. Mayor:
AS soon as Mayor burke received the
communication from Chief Browncll he
verbally suspended him Chief Brownell
had secured ex-Mayor Robert Roberts as
counsel and refused to vacate the Office.
r a hat II II n
suspend him pending an Investigation of
charges. The mayor. however, assumed
control of the force, although Chief
Brownell remained in the office during
the day. AT $50 in the evening the pa
trolmen were called together by the
mayor in the city court room and were
instructed in regard to their duties.
In the evening Mayor Burke followed
his verbal suspension OF Chief Browncll
with written document, which was as
follows:
burlington, Vt. June G, 1908
Mr.. F. r. Brownel, chief of police.
Dear Sir:-Charges against YOU of mis-
conduct and inetiiciencY in the discharge
of your official duties having been made
to me by responsible persons and such
charges appearing to me to be well
grounded you are hereby from this date
suspended from duty as chief Of police Of
the city of Burlington. pending inveSti-
cation of said charges. You arc notified
to Immediately vacate the police oIiic @
and not to in any manner exercise the
duties of police cffcer Of said city
pending such investigation.
Respectfully yours.
JAMES Z. BURKE, Mayor
When Chief Brownel received the writ
ten suspension IRON the mayor ne ue-
iieo the rl6ht OF mat olncer - suspend
MN put accep'eu MS authorlty ana Nd-
caled inc oHlce
Inc mayor was asked SUNDAY Whlt
the ehaiees against thlel bro"EeH were
but 1e21ed 'hat AT the present stage "
the game tney could not be maze pun
nc 1t is understood' however mat excess
siVe partlsanshlp Is one OF tn" charges
ana that similar charge Is MAD" against
Cfilcer BfotherS, VINO was suspended Fiji
oey
Al e'"o O'CLOCK saturday evening about
- regular ana Specl"l poilc'tA'h gathered
IN the CITY court room IN response To- a
call from Mayor hurke In openint IN"
mayor sa1u mat ne had neeni'd II ms
dulE 10 can the oHlccrS OF TN" city to-
gethcr to instruct them in their dunes
nut hclore golnG any 1urther sHd mat
the tenure OF once OF each man depended
wholly upon the faithful ilsrharBe of
DUTY Inc mayor then produced a copy
or the ponce rules ana said that
ne was one OF the sponsors Tor
them but that they had mover been
ilVed up 10 and We're practically "A
dead letter. Inc mayor took M each
rule separately and commented as he read
them. In several instances he spoke
strongly or the violations IN the past and
remarked that such violations must cease
at once. lefore beginning to read the
rules Mayor Burke said that about l.
minutes before he met the officers he had
received a complaint against an officer
ana that the charges were such as to be