The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-10-03
ITO INVESTIGATE"
Sheets CONDUCT
American" Members of c.~.y
Y Council Decide on Hearing to
indicate Police Chief.
HOT SESSION OF COUNCIL
INVITE NEWSPAPERS AND Of
FICERS TO ATTEND.
HOT SESSION OF COUNCIL

The city council will meet as COM
mittee of the whole at $50 o'clock this
afternoon to begin an investigation of
the conduct of Chief of Police George
a. Sheets in his office in connection
with the robbery of more than $4,000
from Alexander and William McWhir-
ter.
The council session was devoted en-
tirely 10 the discussion of the matter,
and the motion to go into the commit
tee Of the whole to take up the matter
was passed only after the rejection of
clause calling for the temporary re-
1noVal of Chief Sheets from office dur
ing the progress of the investigation.
1t is not regarded as probable that
the county attorney or the sheriff's
office viii respond to fhe invitation of
the council. Both Mr.. christensen and
Sheriff Emery are busy trying to run
down the thieves.
friend of both said last evening
that the evidence they are piling up
was not for the city council, but would
be used i'm the proper place when the
} time comes. Those desired to be pres
ent at the hearing are the newspapers
that didn't suppress the news of the
robbery. and the county officers.
The members of the council present
were A. r. Carter, G. ]. Crabtree,
Thomas Holiday, w. Mont Ferry, F. s.
Fernstrom, w. j. Tuddenham, Rulon
S. Wells, j. II. Preece, John Holley, A
+. Barnes, II. r. Black and Martin E.
Mulvey- In the absence of Council
President A. j. Davis. Councilman
Black occupied the chair.
Chiefs Letter Read.
The discussion of the Office of
chief of police came to a head under
the order of communications, when the
following letter was read:
Salt Lake City. Oct. ], 1906.-TO the
Mayor and City Council of Salt Lake
City: Two newspapers in Salt Lake
The Salt Lake Herald and the Inter
Mountain Republican, make a grave
accusation against me as chief of police
and the police department of Salt Lake
City. Personally,NI denounce the ac-
cusation as malicious and untrue. a de-
liberate falsehood, and 1 defy the news
papers mentioned to prove the truth
Of their assertions.
I'm view of these published state
ments, 1 respectfully ask and demand
that you order a most vigorous inquiry
into the charges alleged. ] am conf
dent that such inquiry will show the
absolute falsity of the charges alleged
as | believe that it will disclose the
political animus that is behind the al
lega tions.
This inquiry I demand at once. and
ask you to demand OF the papers men
toned that they produce what they re-
gard as the proof of their charge. Very
truly,
(Signed) GEORGE A. SHEETS.
Chief of Police
The moment the communication had
been read. Councilman Crabtree, chair
man of the council committee on police
and prisons, caught the eye of Acting
President Black, and was recognized.
Asks for Sheets Suspension
Il move that the communication be
received and flied" he said and that
the council act as a committee of the
whole, meeting at 2 o'clock Wednesday
afternoon. That The Herald and Inter
Mountain Republican be invited to be
present, also the city attorney, the two
Scotchmen, and all others who know
of these charges, and that they be
substantiated or the police department
cleared
Councilman Fernstrom was the next
Councilman recognized. II am hearth
~ in favor of the motion SO far as II
goes he said I'VE want no delay
but / think that tomorrow is too soon
I'd rather see it tomorrow night. We
do not want the newspapers alone, but
the -heriff and the county attorney, We
want TO locate the men who claim they
were robbed, and have them there. too
Il would also like to suggest that
think it nothing but fair that Chief
Sheets be suspended from office while
this investigation is going on. I do not
think it just or fair that he should act
as chief while he is under investigation
If il is fair and square on its merits. al
right But not while he is acting chief
of the police department with the en-
tire police department under his con-
troll, where he might suppress informa-