Evening journal., 1914-02-26
COUNCIL TO
DROP BOWERS
CONTROVERSY
Mr.. Draper'S Resolution
Adopted Z to 4, DepIOreS
Commissioners Language
CALL FOR POLICE DIRECTOR
TO RESIGN VOTED DOWN

City Council as committee of the
whole last evening took up for con-
siderstion The subject Of the hearing
before Council last Thursday even
ing, when Police Commissioner viii
liam II. Bowers appeared before that
body TO answer the complaint of Mrs.
Winifred Whiteman to the effect that
nc had been influenced in the appoint
mont of a police matron at the sta
/ tiOn house by a question Of religion
and that she had not been appointed
because she was Catholic.
Two reports were submitted before
the committee last evening, one Of
which had been prepared by Council
man McGoldrick and the other by
Councilman Draper. After sharp
discussion. in which the supporters of
each resolution stated their positions
upon the matter the resolution sub
mitted By Mr.. Draper was adopted
by vote Of 10 A. The Draper
resolution provided for dropping the
Whiteman- Bowers incident and it
will come before Council tonight as
the committee OF the wholc's report.
Another squabble may ensue then. as
Mr. McGoldrick said he will pre-
sent his resolution as a minority re-
port
Those who voted FOR tho Draper
resolution were: President White.
Councilmen Cook. Draper. Hopkins.
Heal, Grantland. Williams.
Against the Draper resolution
Councilmen McGoldrick, Stover,
I Haney and McDermott-4
During the discussion Councilman
Stover intimated that he may resign
from Council soon
Councilman Diapers resolutions
that was adopted the preamble of
which was Mrs. Whiteman's letter.
was as follows:
Whereas. Tho Council. on Febru-
ary n, 1914. decided TO request vit
ncsses to appear before Il for the pUr-
pose Of ascertaining whether thf
statements made IN the above recltcc
letter were true or false: and.
Whereas. On February 9. 1914
| the Council did hear the Vitncssc.
relative TO the contents OF said let
I ter. therefore. be it
Resolved. BY the Council Of ths
/ Mayor and Council Of Wilmington
: that in the opinion Of the Council
Z most of the allegations In the said
/ letter from Mrs. Whitcman are true
I tho same having been supported 10y
/ the oath OF Mrs. Whiteniau aud hay
( ing been admitted by Mr.. Bowers ;
that in the opinion OF Council. how
eyer. there is nothing in the said
/ testimony TO show that Mr. Bowers
or the board permitted its scctariar
views 10 prejudice Il against appoint
! ing persons vino are otherwise quail
/ fled to fiji positions at its disposal.
as suggested in tho letter from Mrs
| Whiieman; that In the opinion OF
! Council. 5lr Bowers was using his
best judgment IN appointing a matror
a; The police station 10 secudc a per
son that could be OF the most SER, ,ic'
To the police department and TO tn
city
BE IL further resolved by the
! Council that In IFS opinion. however
pure and worthy as may have bean
the motives Of Mr. Bowers. the langu-
age used by him in discussing this
| matter with Mrs. Whiteman and hci
friends. was unfortunate. unwise ano
indiscreet. for the reason that II
could easily have aroused religious
prejudicos in the department. thing
which should he carefully avoided al
all times.
"Be Il further resolved that IN,
Conncil desires hereby to thank al
the witnesses for appearing befor,
II on the nineteenth instant. and fOl
the frank manner i'm which they CAV.
their testimony
Mr. McGoldrick's resolution, which
was rejected last night, was as fol
lows:
"Our action this evening will 3,
forth through the public press an,
We feel that in view of the condi
tions rs proven in this case b.
sworn testimony. the city Council o
Wilmington should place It's stanl
OF disapproial on such officials n
view Of the admissions Of Mr. Bow
ers. confirmed by the sworn state
ment Of AIRS. Whieman. Mr.. Barne
J and Mrs. McClintock. we arc firml.
convinced that Mr. Bowers ha
proven at least his incompetency.
not the moro serious charge of Usiui
AS bar TO appointment. And sine
AZ this time movement is on foo
aiming at the Improvement OF GU
police force. there being AZ presen
an expert investigating the method
and manner in which this department
is conducted. We feel in view of IN
evidence as heard in this case tina
step toward betterment can b
made by the withdrawal of Mr.. Bow
ers from said Board of Police Com
missiOncTs. We therefore respect
/ fclly recommend that tho Council re
I quest tho immediate resignation G
/ William II. Bowers as police com
\ missioner
II When Council first took up the ma
| ter last night Clerk Of Council Di
Ion was requested to read the entir
minutes OF the hearing last Thursda,
after which President White cal,e
for action. Councilman McGoldric
presented his resolution and move
that il be adopted as the report ,
y Continued on Page Two