The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-03-19
COUNCIL REFUSES
TO GUST SHEETS
Wells Offers Resolution to Re-
move the Chief From
Office.
VOTE IS ON PARTY LINES
FERNSTROM SAYS SHEETS is
SHOWN TO BE UNFIT.
Anti-sheets Resolution.

W leIt'iS- AHIef OF BOlICe .
d: George \. Sheets has been charged .,
:. with serious offense against the @
. peace and dignity Of the state and :.
. city: and. g
% Whereas. After a preliminary 6.
: hearing said chief of Police George .,
9 \. Sheets has been bound over to g,
answer before the district court; @
: and.
.. Whereas. Without reference to :,
: the guilt or innocence of said ..
. George A Sheets of the crimes o.
= charged. condition Of affairs was q
. revealed ar the preliminary hear (.
= ing which requires the speedy ac- .,
. ton IF the city administration =,
f" Therefore. Be is resolved that ..
. said George \. Sheets be removed :,
. from the office of chief of police
: for the good of the service"
THE VOTE.
:. Ayes-Barnes. Fernstrom. Hot
'.ley. Preece Wells.
" Nocs-Black. Carter. Crabtree. .
. Ferry. HOLIDAY. Martin. Mulvey, 20
o O'Donnell Davis ..
6: 9 (. :. . (. (: {. &. -. q. {. ., :, .,
The sensation of last evenings ses-
SIGN of the city council was the Offering
of the above resolution by Councilman
Wells. 1t came as a complete surprise.
and during the reading something very,
like CONSERVATION was pictured on the
faces of some of the American party
members Previously there had been
nothing in the manner Of Mr. Wells
that might have been construed into
even a hint of his intention to bring up
the Sheets matter. The session was
practically at an end. Members had
been glancinS idly at their watches for
some time in anticipation OF a speedy
wind up, when, like thunderbolt from
clear sky, came the resolution
There was no occasion to call for z
second reading. its significance had
been grasped by the members present
even before the first one was conclud-
ed. and in silence almost audible the
roll call was commenced. s'American-
isN' prevailed. and on strictly party
vote Chief Sheets was sustained in the
position of chief of police
Councilman Blacks was the first
name called Mr.. President" he said.
Il VIII vote 10 in this matter for the
reason that the matter is now before
the courts and this does not seem to me
tn be the time TO bring up the question
of the guilt of innocence of the chief
Later on it may be necessary to act,
but just now in common Justice l think
that matters should be left as they are,
and | therefore vote no to this resOIu-
ton.
Fernstrom's Arrangement.
Councilman Fernstrom's ideas were
of different sort, however, and he was
at no pain to conceal his views.
II George Sheets We're not implicat-
ed in the matter of the McWhirter rob
berry, then he has proved by his own
acts that he n absolutely unfit to hold
the position of chief of police said Mr.
Fernstrom. He had all the OppOrtunitrr
in the world to catch the entire gang
After o'clock at night the Mcwhirters
showed the police department the
tOughs in the buggy or the way to the
New England addition. and the chief
WAS informed of it. There is no ques-
ton but what if he had exerted himself
be could have effected their capture
He knew them all. The O'Briens had
boon up before him before. He was ia
miller with all the facts. knew all about
the entire matter, yet ne did not take
two steps to take the men into custody.
anC never even took the trouble to in
form the police department that a So
600 robbery had been committed. If he
We're not a party to The robbery lac dis
played the gUOssest stupidity and ig-
nOrance and showed himself 10 be any
thing but a safe man to maintain I'm the
important position of chief Of police.
and 1 vote yes to the resolution.
Wants An Explanation.
Councilman Preece IN voting ais,
took occasion to make a few remarks
Mr.. President, he said. Il will vote
yes to this resolution, but in doing So
/ claim the privilege of explaining my
vote. There is nothing in all the
tangle of facts and contradictions
which I have never clearly understood.
and that is why Chief Sheets, on the
evening of the robbery. when one OF
the admitted principals offered to reim-
buIse the victims to the extent of $3.50.
was able 10 let that man go out and
obtain 4 further S250.f He admits him
self that he did this. and on the
strength of his admission l consider
him untitled and incompetent for the
position he holds.
Councilman Wells, in voting. said:
MY resolution does not imply the guilt
or Innocence of the chief Of police. It
merely states that condition has been
revealed which requires us to take ac-
ton Were l completely convinced of
the chiefs innocence ] would offer the
resolution just the same. Should we
wait until he is convicted before tax
ing any steps at all? Isn't it bad
enough as it is 10 justify US in doing
something to indicate our attitude i'm
the matter to the people of Salt Lake?
In the best interests Of peace and de-
cency, should we not do something to
command the confidence of the tax
Continued on PAGE q