The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-07-22
Bitter Feeling In the Police Depart
ment 10 to be Aired at the
Hearing Of Fuqua's
Case,
FILE NO SPECIFICATIONS
Doubt In the Minds Of the Civil serv-
Ice Commission az to Jurisdle-
tlon In the
Case.


this morning that there would be no
answer to former Night Captain
Fuqua's appeal from his order Of a
few days ago. He said that he was
willing to let the case 60 to the civil
service commission on Its merits and
felt sure that his attitude would be
sustained by that body.
II is said that there is question
whether or not Mr.. Gray has author
ity to reduce Fuqua without the sane
ton OF the civil service commission.
Fuqua's friends insist that he might
have been suspended, pending the In
vestigation, but that his reduction
outright by Mr.. Gray was not legal.
This matter will be threshed out at
the hearing.
That F'uqua is preparing to make
sensational affair out of the hearing is
known by all his friends. They say
tina. he has been made the target for
the dislike of the heads of the depart
ment and will bring counter charges
against these men and also against
several officers. He cites the cases
| in Chicago last winter, during the
shake-up in police circles there. At
that time, instead Of reducing the of
ficers and then having hearing, the
officers who were under the ban were
suspended, pending the investigation
and hearing and If the charges against
them were sustained, they were re-
1duced. If not they were reinstated
land given full pay for the time Of their
suspension.
| Ralph 3. Smith, one Of the members
| of the civil service commission, said
today that he was not sure that the
commission had jurisdiction over the
case. According to Mr.. Smith, the
chief of police has the power to dis
charge members of the force but the
discharged member can then appeal to
! the superintendent, in this case Mr.
Gray, and If the decision of the chief
| is upheld, can then go to the civil
service commission with his appeal.
Mr. Smith also said that all officers
we're under the jurisdiction Of the
commission if they were members OF
the force at the time the commission
went into Office. Fuqua, at that time
was patrolman and was given the
might desk at police headquarters with.
out the sanction of the commission
and given the increased pay that goes
i with the position. This made his Of
| fee that of acting night captain" and
whether the recent action of Mr.
Gray is really removal from office
or merely different placing OF the
! men, is a question that will have te
be argued by the men concerned.
/ Charges and counter charges are
being prepared, it Is said. by Dot.
sides and sensational developments
are expected when the hearing c,,ncs
Iup. There is much bitter feeling II
the department which will be aired O.
!, that time.
, / 1t was said this morning that Mr.
Gray was going to file charges agains
!. another officer who was heard usins
loud and profane language to MAJ
:. The was arresting last night. II Il
!. said that the arresting officer AIS
used his club without much judgmen
at the same time. Theatre goers hesr'
land saw the affair and reported IT {
s the commissioners this morning. Mi
Gray would not talk of the matter
saving that he was taking some tin''
to investigate the matter before sc
: ing further with it.