Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-16
At
WAR;; CRIME
THR|VES
Conflict Between Mayor and Bond
Trustees Of jacksonville for
Control Of Police Grows.

JACKSONVILLE Sept. 15.-Owing
to the continual wrangling between
Mayor Swearingen and the Board of
Bond Trustees, over the control of
the police, and the Frequent til1s be-
tween the Mayor and Chief of Police
Roach, the police force has become
Gemoralized and thieves are taking
advantage of the situation to COM
nit depradations.
For some weeks past many reports
Of rohberies have been received at the
police station, but in almost every in
stance the thieves have escaped I'M
caught.
Strong pressure is now being
brought to bear upon members of City
Council by enemies Of the Mayor to
induce them to rescind ordinance l..
104 under which the Mayor is making
his battle for the control of the police
department. This would leave him
poweriess.
War on Police Chief.
While no member of the City Coun-
ell or the Board of Bond Trustees viii
give out anything for publication. ad-
herents of the bond trustees declare
that Swearingen weakened himself
yesterday when he carried his war
upon Chief of Police Frederick c.
Roach 70 Captain Harry Han.
In his efforts TO ignore Roach, who
continues at his post. despite his sus-
pension by the Mayor, the Mayor has
been issuing his orders to Hall, and it
has been generally conceded that if
Hall would accept, the Mayor would
appoint him chief Hall is now out of
the running as far as Swearingen is
concerned. however, because he join
ed with Roach in declining to be die
tated to by Swearingen, relative to the
treatment by the police officials of
Policemen clyde Dawson and r. w.
Willis, whom Swearingcn has rein
stated. This quarrel has left the
Mayor in the position where there is
no reasonable officer on the force
upon whom he can rely to carry out
his orders.
Hall. who is a thirty second degree
Mason and popular with all classes of
people in Jacksonville, regardless Of
political affiliations, had, until few
days ago, managed to keep out of any
open rupture with Mayor Swearingen,
but now, it is said, his name is writ
ten in capital letters on the Mayors
blacklist
To Define Powers.
Persons who have no particular in
terest in the police controversy and
are Indifferent as to whether the
Mayor or ten trustees control, SO long
as public safety is conserved. are de-
manding that something be done at
once to define the powers Of the
Mayor and prevent further conflicts
Of authority
Swearingen still appears TO have a
preponderance Of popular support in
his fight, as there is a growing SEN
timent against the continuation in
pow tI u lllC btdlt- 1 4l' AbIlS lollt
wrangling az the police station, how
ever. between the chief and the Mayor
has become wearisome and the feel
ing is general that the quarrel is in
juring the city.
In view Of the fact that the ques-
ton Of authority to control the po-
lice force was not settled when the
Mayor recently brought an injunc-
ton suit in the Circuit Court to have
board members restrained from inter
tering with his prerogatives, no re
lief is looked for from the courts until
the supreme Court Of Florida decides
on the merits OF Swearingen's appeal
from the decision of Judge Gibbs. of
the lower court, that he had no juris-
diCtion in the matter
COUNTRY CLUB FOR GAOSDEN.
GADSDEN, Sept. Negotiations