The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1912-08-09
ACTION DUE TO FAIL
URE TO STOP ROW
AT THEATRE SAT-
URDAY NIGHT
Aldermen Act Promptly in
Absence of Mayor-Po-
lice Claim JOhnson's In
structiOns Got Them i'm
TrOuble-Mayor Johnson
Has Nothing to Say.


theater Saturday might, and refusing
to do so, ]. Edward Vernon, chief of
police, and Lieutenants w. T. Cudd
and Frank j. Johnson were summari-
ly discharged by the city council at
special meeting held last evening to
investigate the conduct of the police.
New Heads of Police Force.
Captain Moss p. Hayes was elect
ed chief; Robert C. Hall, chief under
John F. Floyds administration, was
elected captain; S. J. Alverson, a pa
trolman, formerly sergeant, was
elected first lieutenant. and Alexan-
der Fleming, a patrolman, formerly
lieutenant, was elected second lieu
tenant.
Four new policemen were elected,
as follows: J. B. Lee, who has been
a substitute and formerly was a
chaingang guard; w. C. Alverson,
formerly street railway employe;
w. Splawn, of Beaumont, and j. R.
Crocker, lineman, formerly a po-
liceman.
To guard against disorder on Fri
day, when Governor Cole L. Blease,
Judge Ira B. Jones and other candi-
dates for state Offices will speak here,
council directed the mayor to appoint
100 special policemen for that day.
The sheriff and rural policemen were
requested to aid in preserving order.
The social clubs were directed to close
- 81 bxFd tlsths dribfts
ing OF liquor fhigfit rs feducsd t0%S
minimum.
Mayor Returns; Is Silent.
Mayor o. L. Johnson, who left for
the mountains Sunday morning at 3
o'clock, was absent from the council
meeting, but returned to the city
shortly before the meeting adjourned.
He was surrounded at his office by a
large throng of friends. He went to
the council chamber just after the
meeting adjourned.
Asked to make some statement as
to the situation, he declined, saying
that as he had been away and had
just returned he was in complete ig-
norance of what had developed.
Hundreds Call on Mayor to Resign.
Petitions calling upon the mayor
to resign, as having shown incompe-
tence by his failure to avert the dis
graceful proceedings at the theater
Saturday night, were signed by hun
dreds of citizens yesterday, and
many others sought to find those who
had the petitions for the purpose of
affixing their signatures. 1t is prob
able that copies of the petition will
be placed at stores and Offices in order
that those who are in sympathy with
the movement to recall the mayor
may have an opportunity of placing
themselves on record. 1t is said that
at one of the cotton mills fifteen men
expressed desire to sign the peti-
ton.
A Counter Threat.
Friends of Mayor johnson threat
ened last night to circulate petitions
calling upon the aldermen to resign
for proceeding to reorganize the po-
lice force without consulting Mr..
johnson.
Many inquiries were made as to the
laws touching on the impeachment
of mayor. Attorneys confessed that
they were not aware what proceed
ings were necessary, but were gener-
ally of the opinion that the legisla-
ture was the only body in which
impeachment proceedings could be
brought. They also said that may
or could probably not be impeached
except for malfeasance or crimes