Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1911-06-20
WORRY over
SHOOTING
OF PRISONER
MANY FANCY THEY SEE THE
MAYORS FINE ITALIAN HAND
IN THE INVESTIGATION OF
THE ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING
OF PRISONER BY POUNDMAS-
TER IRVINE.

Charging that Poundmaster Irvine
had violated a city ordinance when
several months ago he shot at a
escape while with a gang of prison.
ers which he was working on the
streets, and also that he had violated
the law of the land by shooting at a
person when he was guilty of no
greater offense than a misdemeanor,
a communication was submitted to
the council last evening asking that
an investigation of the affair be made
and it was referred to the health and
police committee, and Chief of Police
Hamilton with instructions to report
at the next meeting.
Just Intended to Scare.
Irvine at the time of the shooting
had had considerable trouble by rea-
son of prisoners escaping and when
the hobo in question sought to effect
his escape, he fired, so he says, to
scare the prisoner and halt him in
his flight. The bullet hit a rock,
glanced and hit the prisoner in the
toe with the result that he was con
fined to his bed in the city Jail. for
several days. Considerable discus
sion was INDUCED in concerning the
matter at the time and it was gener-
ally asserted by all lawyers that r.
vine had violated the law when he
shot at the prisoner as it only al
lows an officer to shoot at prisoners
when attempting to escape, when he
is guilty of an offense greater than
a misdemeanor.
Mayor Blames Chief.
The signer of the communication
last evening stated that he had adj
vised the mayor of the matter and
also Councilman White, and asked
for an investigation and criticized
them as well as the other members
of the council for failure to hold
one.
Prior to the putting of the motion
to refer the matter to a committee
Mayor Lachmund stated that he de-
sired to clear his skirts of the affair
by saying that he had called the mat
ter to the attention of Chief of Police
Hamilton and demanded a report on
it and that he had declined to fur
nish it.
Will Declare Office Vacant.
After the motion Councilman White
advised the council that the appro-
priation for the maintenance of the
office of poundmaster would be used
up by July 1, and asked if the coun-
Gil desired to create a deficiency for
the maintenance of the Office Amo-
tiOn wnC r,ndo 4hOt r,1o- H. e,.,I.
run out the office be declared va
cant, and this met with an objection
from Councilman Elliott, who insist
ed that if any charges were hanging
over the officer they should be heard
before he went out of office. Upon
receiving the assurance of the com
mittee to investigate the affair that
1t would report before July 1, he
withdrew his objection and the mo-
ton prevailed.
See Malice in Move.
Shortly after Poundmaster Irvine
arrested Mayor Lachmund for violat,
ing the traffic ordinance, it is known
that the mayor went to the chief of
I police and asked for a report on IT.
vine in relation to the shooting of
the hobo. The chief after thinking
the subject over declined to make it.
Friends of the officer believe they
see back of the communication OF
last evening the fine Italian hand OF
Mayor Lachmund and assert that the
proceedings against Irvine are
brought to satisfy a revenge enter
tanned towards him by the mayor be-
cause the officer arrested him.