Arizona republican., 1910-05-01
PENDING AN INVESTIGATION
Charges He Has Prompted Colonization For Election Purposes Will Be Laid Before City Council Mon day Night

Mayor CnrlStN last night suspended
 the authority of Leo Troutman, a mem
 Der of the police force. pending an in vestigation by the city council of cer- tain charges made by the management ofthe democratic city campaign. The publication of a story in the ! Democrat last evening. charging the brothers of Policeman Leo Troutman. a republican, with having taken apart ments in other wards than their regu- lar abiding places, inferring that they were prompted to do so by Officer Troutman in the interest of the repub- lican candidates for councilmen. came as surprise to the candidates and to the republican organization in the city. and was the first charge that has been made against the republican campaign management sufficiently specific to suggest the possibility of authenticity: the first report of irregularity to reach the ears of the candidates or central committee
 It resulted in d hurried conference between the mayor C. T. Hirst. chair man of the central committee, and Candidate McDermott of the Second ward. in witch the colonization is al legged to have occurred. Candidate Me Dermott emphatically announced that he wanted a thorough investigation of the facts. stating that he was candi- date for the office of councilman and seeks election only through the votes .e ar1 The chairman of the committee and the mayor. both expressed themselves in condemnation of such a proceeding if it should be established that the al- legations were true. and were not mere campaign stories originating in malice. The republican administration of city affairs has been clean and unassailable and it is proposed to keep it so, not permitting even the exigencies of d campaign to warrant resort to repre- hensible methods that were practiced by political managers of former years. They decided to investigate the mat ter personally and promptly, and if there was evidence of irregularity, to purge the party of the offenses. Though the offense charged is not a crime un- der the law. it was stated by Chair man Elirst that such acts are not in keeping with good citizenship and will receive no endorsement by the adminis- tration or the candidates. If victory in the election cannot be secured by clean administration and clean candi- dates. he said defeat with honor would be regarded as preferable
 Accordingly the gentlemen named.
 
 Mayor Christy. Chairman Hirst and Candidate McDermott. inquired into such facts as could be secured last night and satisfied themselves that the damaging statements carried sufficient color to warrant further investigation. whatever shall be finally proved Thercupon the mayor suspended the authority of Policeman Leo Troutman, pending an investigation of the matter by. the cit,- council. before which body it will be presented Monday night. Chairman Hirst of the central commit tee also announced that whether guilty or innocent. the Troutman brothers will be asked to refrain from voting next Tuesday.
 Prejudiced critics of democratic per suasion will doubtless seek to make Cdpltdl Ol tDt illNiucnt DN 0tHNtlluS the opinion that the mayor should dis charge MT. Troutman from the force that his suspension is merely for effect. To forestall such a criticism it is stated that in the first place the mayor has no authority for such action. Mir. Troutman was ap- pointed by the council and that body alone can revoke the appointment. Sus- pension is the limit of the mayors au- In the second place it would be unfair to Mir. Troutman to act so until he has had an oppor- tunity for d hearing, even were the charges known to be true.
 An elector who has lived in the ter ritory. county and ward the required length of time. even though he moved into the ward for the sole purpose of voting. has committed no crime though there is no defense of the act.