The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-08-30
CHIEF OF POLICE
FIRED AGAIN
ANOTHER CHAPTER WRITTEN BY
BISMARCK'S OFFICIALS.
Mayor Register and a Majority of the
Council, Led by Former Mayor Pat
terson, in a Fierce Passage at Arms
- Civic Strife Which Is Expected to
Reach the Courts.
Special to The Journal.

Bismarck N D., Aug. 30.-It Is loft
agin' on agin' - with city employees, no
tably police officers, in Bismarck. The
police force Of Bismarck is not extensive,
but what little there is of it has created
endless bad feeling between Mayor Reg
lister and the majority of the counclmen,
headed by former Mayor E. G. Patter-
son. Chief of Police Rltchey has been
removed three times by the former
mayor, in the absence of Mayor Register,
and as many times reinstated by Mayor
Register on his return.
A day or so ago Mayor Register left on
a trip to San Francisco and no sooner
was the train out of the city limits than
Patterson, who is president Of the cour-
Gil and acting mayor in the absence of
the mayor, served Ritchey with notice
of his removal and appointed Alex Nc
Donald in his stead A special meeting
of the council was held to confirm Nc
Donald's appointment and Bismarck will
have a new police chief during the alb
sence of the mayor at least. .
The council is badly divided. There are
the rights" who consist of Mayor Reg
lister and Alderman Smyth on the one
side, and the 'lefts," consisting Of seven
aldermen. on the other. The seven alder
men, being more than two-thirdS Of the
council, regularly pass whatever in their
Judgment may seem good to them, and
Mayor Register as regularly vetoes what
of their actions do not seom good to him,
and the seven as regularly pass the We
toed measures over the objection Of the
mayor. Thus the council presents some
new phase of disagreement at every meet
ing and there is wonder as to where it
will all lead
Trouble Began Early.
The trouble began at the first meeting
Of the new council last spring when the
majority of the council took matters into
hot oil thoj,
committees, directed the discharge of
City Attorney Allen, who Is persona non
grata. abolished the office of street COM
missioner, which was side issue the
chief of police, and directed the discharge
of the day force of police The mayor
refused to discharge the officers named.
Thereupon in the absence Of the mayor
from the city, Acting Mayor Patterson
served notice Of removal on the chief and
the latter took off his star until the re-
turn Of the mayor, when Ritchey was re-
instated and his successor discharged.
Then the seven aldermen passed an or
dinance, after refusing to confirm Ritch-
eys reappointment, making it an offense
for any appointee of the mayor to assume
office without the confirmation of his ap-
pointment, in effect to prevent a recess
appointment. This ordinance the mayor
vetoed and the council passed 1t over
his veto. .....
Then, in a second absence Of the mayor,
Acting Mayor = Patterson fired the chief
again, and after one days relief from
duty, he was retnstated the return Of
the mayor. In the meantime, charges
were filed by the seven aldermen, who re-
quested the removal of the chief on the
ground Of unfitness for office. The charges
alleged various offenses and We're sup
ported with affidavits- The mayor has
ignored the charges. and has told the
members Of the council, In effect, that he
took no stock in them.
. The Courts the Next Step.
Now, when the mayor is to be absent
two or three weeks, the chief has been
fired again and new man appointed, who
will serve at least until the return of
visions Of the new ordinance will probably
be invoked to prevent Ritchey's acting,
in the event that Mayor Register rein
states him, which seems likely. Then the
matter will be in the courts for determi-
nation, and there is a possibility of get
ting q permanent chief Of police.
No salaries have been drawn for the
chief and the city attorney since April
The claims committee will not approve
their bills. City Attorney Allen has been
again removed by the acting mayor. In
addition to this. notice has been ordered
served on various places where it Is said
liquid refreshment has been dispensed, ir
violation of law, that they must shut uI
under the new regime. Acting Mayor Pat
terson says he will have a clean towr
during the time Mayor Register is al
San Francisco
4, H. Prospects for Irrigation.
Irrigation work is being pushed In the
western part of the state. State Irriga
ton Engineer Chandler is expected to re-
turn this week from a preliminary re
connaisance of the western part Of thu
state, and it Is reported he has found
many possible irrigation sites.
Messrs. Churchill and Storrs Of the gov
eminent reclamation service are makins
a trip down the Missouri river from VIII
liston. to determine the possibility Of irr
eating bench lands by pumping waite
from the Missouri. Guy e. Mitchell
secretary of the national irrigation asso
citation, is busy accommodating, and Civ
ing this part Of the state much publicit,
as a result. Out of it all the state irri
cation association hopes soon to see tn
expenditure in the state of some of TIN
millions North Dakota has contributed t.
the irrigation fund
EVANSVILLE, WIs.-Two men were fatal
injured one badly hurt and eighteen cars pile
up In shapeless mass as the result Of