The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1904-05-05
Robert NicoI Will Accept the Office Of
Police Commissioner as Named
by Mayor German
CURTIS WILL NOT RECOGNIZE HIM
Chairman of the Board States That he Must
Regard Mr.. Nicol as Democrat-Ap-
pointment is Impossible.

Robt. Nico1, the appointee of Mayor
German, as a member of the Police
and Fire Commission, filed his oath of
office on last Saturday evening and is
now ready to accept the duties of his
Office. In other words the fight is on,
as A. E. Buckmaster, who was named
by Mayor Pfennig just before the
latter went out of office, announces
that he has no intention Of giving way
to Mr.. Nico1, and that he is ready to
contest with the new appointee in the
courts for the position.
It is positively stated that the Com
mission will pay no attention to the
appointment made by Mayor German
and Mr.. Nico1 will be wholly
ignored by the commission in
everything that is done while the
appointee of Mayor Pfennig will con-
tinue to act as secretary of the COM
mission. In order to force the matter
into the courts, Mr.. Nico1 will be
forced to get out an injunction to
force the commission to recognize
him.
Mr.. Nico1 was seen this morning
and he is taking a common sense view
of the matter. He said: Rs'At the
urgent request of many of my best
friends, have filed my oath of office,
but | would not spend thirty-fve cents
to secure the right to, perform it's
duties. AS to my being a Democrat,
that is an error. have not voted the
Democratic ticket for twelve years,
and the only time that I was nomi-
nee on the Democratic ticket was one
time when I was nominated on &C
count Of a political fight in the Re
publican party. The fact that I have
been mentioned for offices on the
Democratic ticket did not in any way
make me Democrat"
Mr.. Buckmaster still stands by the
ground taken at the time of the APP
pointment made by Mayor Pfennig,
and states that the mayor was acting
wholly within his rights when he
made the appointment, and that he
would remain in office unless forced
out through the courts.
The most significant statementsin
regard to the trouble was made by
Chairman George H. Curtis of the
Board, this morning. Mr.. Curtis was
informed of the fact that Mr.. Nico1
had filed his oath of office, and in
speaking of the matter he said: ct
cannot recognize Mr.. Nicho1 as a
member of the Board. Mr.. Buck
masters appointment was entirely
regular and according to the law, and
he has filed his oath of office and is
now a member of the COMM ssion.
The law in regard to the appointment
of commissioners, as / see it, provides
that there must be two Republicans
and two Democrats. Mr.. Nico1 is a
Democrat and he could not be named
as a member of the Board under the
law"
When informed that Mr.. Nico1 had
stated that he was a Republican, Mr..
Curtis said: GLOW long has he been
Republican, 1t was stated that
MT. N1col had been a Republican for
twelve years and Mr.. Curtis replied:
II cannot see it that way and I must
continue to believe him Democrat.
So far as l am concerned I shall not
recognize Mr.. Nico1 as member of
the Board under any circumstances .
The Board is now adjourned subject
to the call of the chairman, and it will
probably be some time before Mr..
Nico1 will have a chance to start the
fight for the Office to which he has
been appointed.
Just what move will be made by
Mayor German in the event of the
Board refusing to recognize his APP
point1nent cannot be ascertained.
WHTTTTJEAn CpTAKC