Evening journal., 1913-10-10
COUNCIL TO
PUT "SHOO-FLY
COP" ON JOB
Republican COunClImen Vote
For and Democrats Against
Confidential Agent
Mr.. ZIMMERMAN WOULD
DO "GUM-SHOE" WORK

Any official OF any OF the city de-
partments of Wilmington who has a
guilty conscience Of duty not perform
ed in the manner it should have been
will now sit up and take notice, for
City Council, at its meeting last
night adopted, by a strictly partisan
vote, Councilman W. r. Stover's
resolution authorizing the finance
committee to employ a confidential
agent" TO be really a private detcc-
tive whose duties shall consist of in
vestigations into the various city de-
partments with the aim in view Of
eliminating such unsatisfactory con-
,ditions as may exist at present. The
eight Republican members voted for
the resolution and the hve Democratic
members against II.
There has been much speculation as
TO just what departments are to be
investigated by the detective who will
in all probability be a Burns detec-
tive or from some other we'll known
detective agency with a reputation Of
obtaining results. This matter, how
ever, will be kept a profound secret,
although II is stated that no one de-
lpartment in particular will be singled
out for the investigations. The thought
that a detective is in the city work
ling somewhere. no one TO know just
where, will no doubt serve 70 keep
every official OF every department up
to the standard in the performance OF
his duties for fear that "the detective
might get him II he don't watch out. "
In fact, there Is a suspicion in some
Quarters that the "shoo-fiy" sleuth
has been at work secretly in this city
for a month
At the meeting of Council last week
the same resolution, worded in a slight
~ different manner, was presented but
was lost, the vote upon its adoption
being a tie. The members were some
what surprised when Councilman Stover
loflered the resolution again last evening,
las they had not expected such action
until next week. The resolution, in the
form il was offered last evening, was
similar in every respect TO the resolu-
tion lost last week, with the exception
that the word detective in the original
resolution was stricken out and the
words confidential agent inserted in
stead. The resolution IN the form Il wa
adopted last evening, il az follows:
he it resolved by the Council Of vii
mington. That the finance committee o
, the Council be and they hereby are au
thorized 10 engage the services Of n con
fidentihl agent, and 10 fix his duties
compcnsation and term Of service
In offering the resolution. Mr.. Sto
yer remarked that Il was practical
ly the same resolution that he hat
offered at the meeting the week be
fore. The only change In il is tha
instead Of using the word detective
u have used confidential agent" h
said. 1T sounds a little milder, but I
means the same thing"
Councilman McDermott took excep
tion TO the resolution. stating that h
understood the investigation was to b
into the affairs Of the city department
! THE reason / am not going to vot
for t." he declared. lis because I be
lieve our mayor has appointed honor
p able men to all the city department:
/, and II there is anything wrong. ] be
. lieve they are competent enough I
p investigate the conditions themselves
D Why would take Il as an insult 70
q this body to appoint an agent to in
}, vestigate a department of which
{ had charge" Mr.. McDermott men
! toned the Street and Sewer Depart
10 ment In connection with the investi
! cation.
Il have never made any statemen
as to who is to be investigated" re
piled Mr. Slower, "and I do not thin
any one else has made such state
e ment There has been nothing sal
IS to the effect that the Street and Sew
Il er Department has even been consiC
l. cred in the matter. I feel. however
-e that there is ample reson for thi
l. body 10 have a man of that kind. W
l. are entirely within our rights. Il
VI done in other cities and there is n
IT reason why II should not be don
ID here"
~ 81 did not mean TO refer to any eel
= tain department when ] mentioned N
Street and Sewer Department" return
ed Mr.. McDermott. "Take the Board (
Police Commissioners. Aren't they con
u petent enough TO run the affairs Of thi
y department without any outside help
D. "Any employe Of the city who is d.
/ ing his duty as he should be doing
IS has nothing to fear from any priva
r detective who may be brought here
J. replied Mr. Stover.
y Thinks Council Should Know.
10 Councilman Haney then asked NJ
Slower whether the finance commits
or City Council as a whole was TO d
fContinued on Page Two).