Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-19
ALEXANDRIA AfAInS
conmoawsaltht Attorney
Replies to Mayor PaH.,
ANIMATED gRITICIsM
ourconn Of THE ehzcnnr raid
AT ST AsePH.
- go Il te.4-s : .aSA&
Park sAgnew Considering Retirement
From Craftsmanship of Republican
Committee-General Matters.
-

Il.
ALEXANDRIA, Va, January 10, 1905.
Commonwealth Attorney Samuel G.
Brent this morning vigorously denounced
the utterances of Mayor Paff before the
board of police commissioners last night
in criticism of the action Of the common
wealth attorney and the police depart
ment in the raid on st. Asaph last week,
when the place was closed by Chief Web
ster and squad of policemen without
the knowledge of Mayor Paff on war
rants drawn by Mr.. Brent, After the raid
the mayor issued 81 statement character
izing the procedure as unwarranted and
high handed. This occasfoned a criticism
from Mr.. Brent at the hearing of the pool
room cases in the police court, in which
lie said, referring to the mayor, that
fools rush in where angels fear to
tread"
At the meeting of the police commits
sioners last night Mayor Paff paid his re-
spects to Mr.. Brent for this statement, as
well as for several others or like point
ed and personal character Among other
things the mayor denied the imputation
that he considered the police force his
personal property. 1t was Mr.. Brent. he
said. who INDUCED this delusion. He
claimed that the commonwealth attorney
had used the police department for his
own personal ends.
1t was this assertion that stirred = Mr..
Brent to expressions Of Indignation this
morning. Prefacng his remarks by the OBJ
servation that his rule was never to make
statements for publication In reply to criti-
cisms. but would do so in this case, as he
considered the circumstances as particu-
larry aggravated he went on to voice
his estimation Of the mayor in forceful Ian
guage. He charged the chief executive Of
the city with gross Ignorance of the law,
and said he was guilty of making state
ments which We're utterly without founda-
ton. n
Alleged to Be Groundless.
The matter of the recent rioting three
miles from this city in Alexandria county,
when the local police we're called out, was
cited by Mr.. Brent as case in which the
mayor had made groundless allegations.
The statement of the latter that he had
been misled by Mr.. Brent in allowing po-
licemen of this city to go outside the juris-
diction of Alexandria was denounced as alb
solutely incorrect. Mr. Brent said that
Mayor Paf was simply venting his spleen.
that he was sore over criticisms, and was
attempting In an awkward manner to JUS
tify himself before the public He said the
mayor had been fully informed OF the facts
in connection with the rioting at Four-mite
run. The call for assistance, Mr.. Brent
said; was personally delivered to the mayor
by Constable Cornell of the county who ac-
companied Mr.. Brent to- the mayors resi-
dence. Mr.. Brent also declared thataythe
mayor had gone to Four-mie run in Der
sonal supervision of tho squad of police
men.
Mayors Comments.
With Mr.. Graham occupying the chair at
the meeting of the commissioners last even
ing Mayor Paff took the floor and made
several eaustic comments ION the St. Asaph
raid, as well as Mr.. BrenEs CRITICISMS. He
declared that the action of Mr. Brent in
using the police force of Alexandria to con-
d. 1nfc hlicfro hnxyo = h.
city limits was without precedent, and he
said that 1t had been adversely commented
upon not only in this city. but throughout
the entire country. Though the raid, he
said, had been conducted by Chief Webster.
1t had been instigated by the common
wealth attorney. The people had right.
the mayor. thought, to expect better things
from this official Mayor Paff tcontended
that the police had no right to leave the
corporate limits without consulting him.
Referring to Mr.. Brents statement that
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread
the mayor thought 1t applied with much
greater force to the commonwealth attOr-
hey than to himself. -
Mr.. Brents utterances, the mayor said,
had only served to multiply the public CEN
sure of his conduct. The mayor read from
acts of the assembly, the city charter and
the rules of the police board to support his
contention that the warrants should have
been placed in the hands Of some county
officer for service The policemen who made
tentionally mislead by an official who
should have been above such things.
Asked Board to Sustain Him.
At the conclusion of long discussion
Mayor Paff said he would like to have the
board sustain his position for the good Of
the service. No motion. however, to that
effect was made. A resolution suggested
later by Mr.. Grammar that the board sus-
tain the mayor in all his legal acts was not
acted upon, other members stated that
1t would be superf1uous, since each member
had sworn to do SO upon taking his seat.
The meeting adjourned after Mayor Pan
had announced that he would ask the cor
poration attorney for an opinion upon the |
questions involved
Probable Resignation of MI. Agnew.
Chairman Park Agnew of the Virginia re- |
publican committee stated this morning |
that he had under advisement the Ques- |
ton of resigning the state Craftsmanship. |
He had not fully made up5hia mind. but ex-
pected to reach a decision by Saturday. In |
the event of his deciding upon resignation
executive committee, which meets Saturday |
evening at o'clock In Lynchburg. Mr.. |
Agnew said he had no further statement |
to make on the subject. He has been at |
the head of the republican organization |
in Virginia for several years, and is now
collector of internal revenue In this district. |
Ii Is UNDERSTOOD that Mr.. AgHeW ueSiicS |
reappointment to this position. !
Fire Company Officers Elected.
The Reliance Steam .Eirsl Engine Com
pany has elected the fQ3lowipg officers for |
the ensuing year: Il. F. llfhbler. president; /
Thomas W. Robinson. first sXice president;
]. r. N. Curtin. seeond sX1ce president;
Richard NJ. Pettey, tsea suffer; Frank d.
Pollard. secretary .Geofge PEettymanol
assistant secretary; clagleS nE. Petty. re- !
eordsr: George w Petty. Gahtaini Arthur hui
Ogden, second iieutenanfIs HAIRY Telnesson. |
commander of hose; r., ", nBetty. Kenneth |
Ogden end Wm. ,Bontz.s committee on
constitution and by-lawSSa fNarles B. Pan. |
Courtney Acton and Jsafdney Douglas.
trustees -! ,r
- So General Mssfftss9ss 4
The anniversary of tHesbirih of Gen. Lee,
have been closed all dlav, ~aB,d corporation |
offices were open for rnBg1siTnBss only until |