The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-08-12
POLICE COMMITTEES REPORT,
I1NDS NOTHING THAT CAN BE
CONDEMNED IN MIR. Nc.
K.lGEN'S ACTIONS.
Hcport III Us Discussion of Affair
The Various Matters Brought
Out I'm the Investigation Held
by Police Committee.


The Pol ce Committee which held
me investi cation into the charges
against Policeman H. G. McKagen
made its report and recommendation
Tuesday nj yht, which were adopted
by Council after a part Of the testi-
mony cover ing most of the ground
was read. The report Of the commit
tee was as follows:
Sum er. S. c., Aug. s, 1871.
To The City Council of
The City of Sumter.
Gentleme Submitting the evil
dence herewith, taken at the investi-
cation order red by your Honorable
body at 70 mer meeting, of the con-
duct Of officer H. G. McKagen re-
garding the position of Health Officer
OF the City of Sumter, We beg to say
that We see nothing in his action
for which lie should be condemned.
Very respectfully,
r. L. WRIGHT,
Chat man Police Committee.
The inv stigation was ordered
subsequent to the rec eipt of a letter
by Council rom the Board of Health
in which 1t was stated most positively
that Mr.. M:Kagen had not been Of
fered the osition Of Health Officer
for the City of Sumter at any salary,
whereas Mr McKagen had stated to
Mr.. Jennings and Mr.. Wright that he
had been offered the position by Mr..
Ligon and IN this ground his salary
had been raised by Council to $50,
as they d,d not care to lose his SER
vices which were regarded as valu.
able to the city.
The tes iinony taken by the COM
mittee was rom the members Of the
Board Of Iie alth and from Mr.. Wright
and Mr.. j Jennings. Mr.. McKagen of
course, te.t fed in his own behalf.
Mr.. Wrigha stated in effect that Mr..
McKagen lf d come to him and told
him that n. Ligon had offered him
the position Of Health officer and
had advised him to accept 1t as he
had seen the members Of the Board
and a majority was in favor Of him.
He had adv sed Mr.. McKagen to ac-
cept the pr sition as the city could
rot afford /, pay him this much as
policeman. He said that he had later
brought up he matter at the council
meeting whrn Mr.. McKagen's salary
rad been llised and then had not
thought fur her Of the matter until
Council rece wed the letter from the
Board Of f. ,alth and his committee
had been OF 1ered to hold the inves-
tigation. M. McKagen had asked
his personal advice in the matter.
Mr.. Jeni ings stated that Mr..
Wright hal first mentioned the
matter to hi n and later Mr.. McKagen
had come tC his office and told him
that Mr.. Lig> IN was trying to get him
to accept tn place Of Health Officer.
Before accep ting the position he had
come to Mr.. Jennings to ask him for
advice. Mr.. Jennings stated that he
told Mr.. Mel .agen that he would not
advise him either way, to withdraw
his applicati which had been put
in. or not. lie said that he told Mr.
McKagen tn; It Council would meet
Monday aftey noon and possibly they
would raise his salary, but he could
not say that they would. He later
on. after the meeting Of Council, had
gone to Mr.. tfcKagen and asked him
to withdraw his application as his
salary had teen raised. Mr.. Nc
Kagen told him all right, or some
thing to that effect.
Mr.. McKae en- testified in effect
that he had b zen sent for by Mr.. Lig-
on, who had asked him If he would
not accept the position OF Health Of
ficer at the salary of $50, when he
would never get more than $40 on
the police force. He said that there
was chance to get even more than
$50 after he had served as Health Of
flcer for a while. He said that the
evidence as stated by Mr.. Wright and
Mr.. Jennings was correct as far as
he was concerned, except that he had
told Mr.. Jennings when he came to
the depot and told him to withdraw