Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-10-06
MUST GIVE JONES
PUBLIC HEARING
Charges Of Misconduct Can Not Be
Buried by Sly Police
Committee

Steelton's council last evening sus-
tained the contention of Burgess Fred
Wigtield that the police force is under
his Jurisdiction so far as the control
and direction of the men is concerned,
and following tho reading of letter
from the burgess. directed the police
committee to give Patrolman Clinton
Jones a public hearing on additional
charges of misconduct preferred in the
letter from Burgess Wigheld.
This action was taken during the
stormiest session of council in prob
ably the whole history of the borough
Frequently during the proceedings
councilmen forgot the dignity of their
office and hurled charges and counter
charges at eaca-other. Accusations of
insincerity were hurled and in an ar
gument that followed the adjourn
ment of council the discussion became
so heated that it looked for awhile
as though blows would he exchanged.
In Burgess Wigfield's letter charges
of misconduct We're preferred against
Patrolman Jones and a history of the
squabble between the police commit
tee and the burgess was recited The
burgess referred to the legal opinion
of the borough solicitor and the po-
lice regulations to show that he was
acting within his authority when he
suspended the patrolman. He then
charged that since the patrolman's re-
instatement he has been guilty of fur
ther misconduct The letter charges
that Jones visited a house in Franklin
street the evening of September 22 and
that while there he danced and drank
liquor. To substantiate these charges
with Councilman Reisch he person.
ally gathered this evidence.
Nelly and His Committee
-.,..,, 90 o.bar aI1eeed offenSe
are enumerated in the letter, when
concludes: ANY of the above Of
fenses. according to the police regu-
lations, subject the patrolman to ans,
missal and l hope that councll VIII
sustain me in my action. ! only wans
to protect the peoples interests ana
give them the police protecuoh lol
which | fell they are paying.
Mr.. Nelly moved that the letter ne
referred to the police committee for
an investigation of the charges.
But IL is a question whether you
should refer this to the committee'
when the law distinctly says II is
matter for council to determine ln-
terrupted Mr.. Capella.
"I take II thai YOU make that a
point of order" questioned President
Reynders, "and want me to rule on
it?"
The opinion of Solicitor Wicker
sham was ordered read again ana
President Reynders in ruling said:
"'The matter should he referred to the
committee for an Investigation OF these
charges. Council, however, cannot
delegate the power of dismissal or re-
instatement of the officer to the COM
mittee. The committee must take the
evidence and report to council for
action"
Everything Irregular. Says Reynders
Mr.. Nelly then sprang to his feet
in reply to a statement of Mr.. Ca
pella and heatedly inquired: DO you
mean to say then that the action OF
the the police committee was irregu-
lar and that the burgess was right in
firing Jones?"
President Reynders interrupted the
argument between Mr.. Nelly and Mr..
Capella by saying: "The whole action
so far has been irregular. ! don't
think it was started regularly by the
burgess and it wasn't handled regu-
larly."
'Then do you mean that the bur-
CESS was right in firing the man ?"
queried Mr.. Nelly.
mot to discharge him. President
Reynders replied, but without any
question he has the right to suspend.
Must Give Burgess Square Deal
Mr. Capella then heatedly exclaimed
that LAS a representative of the peo-
pie / want to say that we must give
our burgess a square deal here in
council"
Then do you want to intimate"