The Washington herald., 1915-03-05
SYLVESTER ASKS
TO Be Retired
Charges Of Drunkenness and
Partially Against Chief
Will Be Dropped.
MAJOR DECLINES TO TALK
Commissioners Probably Will Consider
Application Today-They Are Bent
on Filling Office in Short Time.

Formal action on the application for
retirement made yesterday by NAL
Richard sylvester. superintendent OF po-
lice. following announcement that Rep
resentative Parks. of Georgia. would
cease to press the charges filed against
the police chief several weeks ago. prob
ably will be taken this morning by the
District Commissioners
Commissioner Browniow to whom the
request was addressed, will recommend
favorable action in the matter and will
move that Mai. sylvester be retired at
the maximum pension permitted under
the law This maximum is 500 month.
and it is practically certain that 1t Will
be granted to the police chief.
When interviewed last night concern
ing his retirement. Mai. Sylvester said
he did not care to make any statement
Of a public nature at the present time
conccrling the matter but intimated
that he would have something to say
later. He declined to discuss his plans
for the future.
Thirty-two specific charges of miscon-
duct including accusations Of repeated
drunkenness and the manifestation of
partially toward certain members of the
police force. were filed against Maj. Syl-
vester by Representative Parks recently.
The police chief. through his attorneys.
detailed reply. rebuttins each charge
scparately.
Commissioner BrownIow had read
carefully the charges and answers and
was preparing a report and recommcn-
dations for the board of commissioners
when Maj. Sylvester asked to be re-
tired.
Major Will BE Retired.
There is some question as to whether
the police chief filed his application
for retirement before Representative
Parks announced his intention of drop
ping the prosecution of the charges or
whether the reverse was the case. At
any rate, the major in all probability
will be retired at a maximum pension
and the charges against him will be
utterly ignored.
II was the intention of the Commits
sioners to keep secret the news of
Maj Sylvestcr's request until they had
selected his successor, thus foreStall
ing the nuisance created by applicants
for the Office, but the word leaked out.
and the District heads are anticipating
a siege by would-be superintendent of
police and their supporters. 1t is be-
lieved they will settle the matter as
rapidly as possible. thus minimizing
the applications. They announced last
night tndt tneN mao no OIlc IN vie"
to succeed Maj. Sylvester
The major has been superintendent of
police for sixteen years. having been APP
pointed to the office July Is. 1895. He
has been connected with the police de-
partment since April. 1882. when he was
appointed chief clerk by Gen. William
McE Dye then chief Of police. lie is
president of the International Associa
ton of Chiefs of Police.
lie was born in Iowa City. Iowa. in
1851. and in 1853 moved to st.
Louis with his parents. He attended
the academic department of Washington
I University and later studied law for A
year. He WAS connected in reportoria,
- pa city with the st. Louis Press and
later established the West Point Progress
IN Nebraska.
In 1877 he returned to St Louis and
took charge of the Farmincton Times
At the age "f twenty he came to WASH
ington as the correspondent OF a number
of 81. Louis papers. Later he was ap-
pointed disbursing officer for the T-te
Indian commission. In 1855 he was mar
ried to Miss Laura V. McFalL- He has
three Children-Mrs. Laura Wood of
Utica, y. Y: John McFall Sylvester.
who recently resigned as an ensign in
the navy to engage in private business
and Hubbard Sylvester. a local business
man