The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-18

II second that motion" said Council
man F. 2. Nipps.
Wanted a Record.
Il want the council to go on record
/ on this. I think that the referring of
/ this resolution to the mayor is unusual"
/ said SWendsOn-
The mayor replied: eI seriously
question the ACCESSIBILITY of a resolution
of this kind at this time. I however
/ will put the resolution to q vote.
/ Reiterating his stand, Councilman
| Swendson said: Il think that it is the
proper thing for the council to 90 on
record at this time. People are ask
ing about this matter; they want to
know
81 would like to know said Nipps,
/ IF the council undertakes to run the
police department Isn't that a mat
ter that belongs to the mayor?"
Swendson replied: I'VE, as eoun-
cilmen, have right to make recon-
mendations"
well, if you do this. are we not
! making ourselves responsible for the
police Department. queried Nipps.
IF you vote with Mayor Davis to
retain the chief you are equally re-
sponsible with him. said Swendson.
| Il don't propose" he continued, ito
stand sponsor for the chief. I don't
propose to be responsible for these
things which have occurred on the
/ evening Of October 18th"
/ Councilman Griley got excited. "He
asks if this motion is sincere. I am
sincere. l was sincere when made
/ it. How can the council act in the
matter when they don't know any
thing about the testimony? It's just
grandstand play on the part of the
councilman. He wants to oppose II
now. Why didn't he bring in a mi
nerity repOrt2 Why did he sign the
report? He didn't have to-
Swendson said: 4 didn't concur
with the report of the committee. it's
true. But l stated that I would sign
it; I didn't say what I wouldn't do
II think that you viii recall that
you agreed that this would be the re-
/ port of the committee.
Mr.. Swendson: Il did not. / might
have said something, though
Il very seriously regret that I am
! not Informed on this subject, owing to
my recent absence from the city,
said L. A. Ryder.
81 believe in the sincerity of Mr.
Swendson. 1 believe we want a chief
above FeProach. I believe the mayor,
above all wants a chief above re
proach l don't know the mar, but
1 say to him and to anyone that no
mans honor should be assailed on
such imperfect evidence as was shown
in that report. This council can't get
me to vote on this question until 1
| have learned of this matter more
fully. I have no objection to having
this man removed. But you can't get
me to vote unless you get me the in
formation. You haven't shown one
thing in this report to show that this
man is as black as he is painted"
SIT seems to me" said VIM Green
/ with elaboration, "a councilman has
1 a right to introduce such a resolution,
and upon its own merits. think that
/ it is all right to consider this matter.
If some of the councilmen don't like it
| they don't have to vote for 1t. The
chief has not introduced any evidence
to vindicate himself"
Mayor Davis interposed: You are
evidently mistaken. We got all the
evidence we could secure. Some of
the witnesses couldn't be secured, but
we had some of their afddavits and
there was nothing in them to show
that the chief was guilty
81 understand all that. replied
/ Green 1.-THE chief. though, came up
/ and asked for an Investigations. he
wanted a rigid one We didn't ask
/ him to come UP. We didn't ask 70
/ have the investigation. He should
/ have brought his evidence. These wit
nesses were his friends Why didn't
they vindieate him? am sure
would do something if I was acting
as friend"
/ from the Third said S. T. Howe. 4
! don't believe that this council has
I anything to do with the matter what
ever
1
Green want a second investigation?
Isn't he satisfied" fiared up Council
man Griley. 80
you mistake me. have no criti-
cism 10 offer,'' said Mr.. Green.
/ Davis Makes a Suggestion
ct think that the proper method to
handle this is for the mayor and the
police committee to act on 1t, re-
/ marked Mayor Davis from his chair.
! Councilman Nipps: agree with
! r ic 07n1
1 To substantiate these charges l would
/ he in favor of removal. I don think
THAT the council should handle this
/ though; I believe it should be left to
/ the mayor.
would like to say something. said
Councilman Hughes There IS
enough evidence to fire any man from
/ a posftion. I have no malice IN the
matter whatever, and if it were my
own brother ! would do the same. The
chief said on Sunday morning That
White was drunk. He ought to have
/ been fred then.
know White was drunk. Interrupted
af9oa't interrupt me now, [ will talk
of that later came back from
Hughes. ssKVhen. ever the chief allows
/ a drunken man to go down an alley
with a young girl he ought to be dis
aThis man White stayed on the
police force three days. That alone
shows that the chief was negligent in
his duty. The mere fact of letting
/ that girl go down an alley with q
drunken man is enough of charge.
/ Take that home to you, you who have
daughters and wives. How are you
going to protect them when the po-
/ lice department can no longer protect
| them -
"The members of the council said
A LADY LECTURER