The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-04-04
THE POLICE MIDDLE.

THE POLICE MIDDLE.
The resolution of the city council ig-
noring George A. Sheets as chief and
ordering Captain John Burbidge to as
sumo charge of the department has
been ignored by the police as supr ame-
~ as the council has ignored Chief
Sheets The latter is still running the
department. and says he proposes TO
continue to do so. The only hitch is the
tie-up of the salaries of the officers,
and the department will attempt to
break this without much delay.
Mandamus proceedings will be COM
menced against City Auditor Reiser to
compel him to pay the salaries of the
men for the past month. This, it is be-
lieved, will settle the matter so far as
the officers are concerned. Chief Sheets
proposes to take his case into the courts
for settlement if Auditor Reiser insists
on Withholding his salary. Just when
the mandamus proceedings will be
commenced the officers have not de
cided, but it will probably be within
the next two or three days.
Policemen Ignore Council Resolution.
Notwithstanding the resolution of the
council the desk of chief of police was
held down as usual yesterday by Chief
Sheets. He issued orders and they were
carried ou- Captain Burbidge made no
effort to follow the instructions of the
council and assume charge. He went
right along in his accustomed position
as usual. as the second in authority.
The policemen from the first sergeant
down SAID:
so far as I am concerned George
Sheets is chief, and i am here to do as
he orders. He is chief of police and we
shall recognize him as SUCH
Captain Burbidge, when asked what
he proposes to do in regard to the or
ders of the council, replied:
This is not my fight. Things are go
ing along all right as they are, and L
suppose they will continue to do so. L
have nothing more to say about the
matter"
Captain Burbidge would not say that
he would not assume charge as ordered
by the council, but the fact remains
that he did not even attempt to take
charge; and if the old saying that 'ac-
lions speak louder than words" is true,
he declines to follow the Instructions
Of the council.
Will Mandamus Auditor Reiser.
The only thing that is troubling the
is the refusal of the city
auditor to pay the monthly salaries.
The payrolls that were returned to |
the department with instructions that
they should be approved by Captain !
before they would be paid !
are still at the police department. And |
they still bear the name of Chief Sheets
as approver of the lists. Captain Bur |
oidge hasn't signed his name, and the |
are that he does not pro- |
pose to. 1t is not believed to be neces-
;ary, as it is considered that mandamus /
will serve the same pur-
POSE -
Chief Sheets, when asked if they !
would commence mandamus proceed
ngs to get the officers pay, said:
Wen do that. We propose to get
he boys their money, and we Will"
He stated further that some of the
,fficers would probably take action, as
hey could do it under the circum-
tanceSs When told that Auditor Rel
er was contemplating mandamusing
Captain Burbidge to force him to sign
he payrolls, the chief said:
II don't think he can. 1t isn't his
tick if the department is willing to go
N without pay. It is for US to man
kmus him to get our wages. l don't
are about him holding up my wages
Or time. but if he continues to do it
will take my case into court to settle
t. / think one mandamus will suffice
o settle the matter so far as the other
Ulcers are concerned"
Mayor Criticises the Auditor.
Mayor Thompson, in expressing him
elf about the matter, said:
Il think it is a shame that the wages
f all the boys should be held up be-
ause of this fight. 1t wouldn't matter
o much if they only held up Sheets
ay, but it isn't fair to the other boys
D hold out theirs. l believe, however,
hat the matter can be settled without
egal proceedings. At any rate, the
oys will get their pay"
Auditor Reiser evidently did not want
, force the issue any further yester-
ay. for he asked an opinion of City
ttorney Nye If it would be lawful for
i'm to audit the payrolls without a
ertiicate as to their correctness from
he head of the department When in
ormed that he could not do it, the
uditor sent the payrolls back to the
olice station, with the request that
aptain Burbidge certify to them.
If City Attorney Nye bad ruled that
was not necessary for certificate,
uditor Reiser would have audited all {
he salaries excepting that of Chief
heets. He would have ignored the /
tiers claim. because he does not rec
ynize the action of the council in
letting him.
Auditor Reiser gave the implication
asterday that if Captain Burbidge did
ot certify the payrolls within rea-
ma bic length of time that perhaps
andsmus proceedings might be
Fought to compel him to act in the