The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-05-24

i tee by holding them up any longer as | all preparations to go ahead had been made He further said: Tt is too bad that the corporation counsel has been too busy to attend to the city's busi- ness and give an opinion in this mat ter"
 Alderman AIcGuinness said that it would be a foolish thing to adopt the report until the board knew whether it was acting legally or not. He then moved that the entire matter be refer red to the incoming board. and this motion was lost. The motion to grant the veterans the Whitney avenue site was then adopted.
 Alderman Bracken took the floor and complimented Chairman Logan in the highest terms for the most efficient manner in which he had conducted the affairs of the board during his term as president. He moved that vote of thanks be offered Chairman Logan and it was given unanimously, as was one for Clerk Moran.
 The following petition was read by Clerk Moran just before adjournment was taken, and on motion of Alderman NIcGuinness it was unanimously tabled indefinitely:
 To the Honorable Board of Aldermen of the City of New Haven:
 Gentlemen: The agitation in regard ito alleged irregularities in the conduct of the police department still continues. Two weeks ago the attention of your board was called to this matter by pes tition. This petition was tabled.
 The situation instead of getting bet ter is rapidly becoming acute, and it Iappears to be desirable to again call Iyour attention to the matter. Public confidence in the management Iof the police department is at low ebb.
 On last Saturday evening riot was lbarely averted on our public streets.
 A brutal assault has taken place.
 Pool rooms and policy shops are said Ito be doing excellent business and vice lgoes on unchecked.
 The right of free speech has been dis regarded, and public speakers peace lably presenting their views have been iarrested, convicted of some more or Hess imaginary crime, and sent to jail on lwhat appears to be trifiing legal tech- nicalities.
 Peaceable citizens have been forcibly Iexpelled from public courts without treason.
 Even conservative people are begin ming to talk, and law abiding citizens Ihave been heard to express open con- tempt for the present administration of justice.
 It is believed that the city of New Haven has as fine a body of police men as any city in the country. and it is believed that the present demoraliza- tion is due to the spasmodio infusion of
 zeal brought about by the recent agita- tion in regard to the management of the department. It is believed that this apparently nisdirected zeal is for the
 purpose of keeping off a proper investi- Igation; an investigation which can . hurt no one who is not negligent oi : Icorrup;.
 , Your petitioners are well aware ot Ithe limitations placed on your board lin the matter of investigations. It is understood, however, that the charter , does give a committee of your board the power to compel the attendance oi Witnesses, if 1t so desire, but this in an unimportant matter in the present case as it is understood that the witnesses are ready and willing to testify and only ask a hearing before an unpreju- diced committee. If your board will I furnish the committee and bring out the evidence there will be no difficulty ! in finding twenty citizens to lay the matter before the courts should such action be desirable
 In the opinion of your petitioners this matter of the alleged mismanage- ment of the police department should be probed to the bottom, and the blame placed where 1t belongs. The lpresent demoralization and spasmodic zeal can only lead to further trouble. If the mayor is sincere in his state ment that all charges against the po- lice department should be laid before him and the police commissioners, it is evidently his duty to demand that the city attorney and the clerk of the city court lay their charges before him or he should take proper steps to have them removed from office.
 That the mayor has not done this is a confession of weakness on his part land shows an inability to cope. with the tpresent situation. Your board might very reasonably be expected to call his honor's attention to this
 It is understood that your board goes out of office in a short time and some of your members have privately stated that there is no time for you to take proper action in matter of SC great importance as the one now under Consideration. If this is the case your petitioners respectfully request that : lyou take our former petition from the table and refer the whole matter to the Incoming board of aldermen.
 Respectfully submitted,
 Charles A. Rich,
 William Trueman.