The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-02-19
Will Take No Action Until
Vice Commission Files It's
Final Report With the Mayo
Gordon Wishes
Prompt Action
Thinks That With So Much
Suspicion Aroused Board
Members Owe 1t to Them
selves to Have Investigation

The Board of Police Commissioner.
decided at a meeting last night e
take no action In regard to request
ing am investigation of the Board un-
I'll the Nics Commission shall have
made It's final report To the Mayor
The decision came after length,
and heated discussion. and ever tho
protest OF individual members Com
missioner Douglas Gordon, after Tho
meeting reafftrmed his desire for ar
Investigation. and stated that ht
would follow mp his official request
for an investigation made In a letter
Ia the Mayor several days ago.
MIR. Cor Ion although evidently
outvoted by a ma tority OF the board.
who voted against urging that the
Council investigate that body at the
present time. is still of the opinion
that rumors that have been circulated
about members Of the board should
be either proven true or false Mr..
Gordon stated last night that he was
OF the opinion that since 80 much
suspicion had been create din regard
TO the actions of the Police Roa I'd
that he felt that he owed il 10 him
self to have his connection with the
situation fully aired
Commissioner Bradley, VINO has
been quote as saying thar he would
also make 4 request t'lat he he In
dividually investigated If the boa I'd
failed to make this request as a body.
stated last night that he would await
the final report Of the vice commits
sion.
Oni, Ono Absentee.
All ~ the members % the board
We're present at the meeting with the
exception If Commissioner Cliff Well
Mayor Ainslie presided. Before the
question If tire SElsoB tlass Hoari j ettstsG
take IN regard 10 the report of a1<
vice commission came mp much rou.
tine business was transacted. After
routine matters had heen disposed Of
the board entered into discussion
OF the report of the vice commission
the action OF Commissioner Gordor,
making request that he be in
vest gated, ard of what action the
board would take. Several members
spoke III th.. facts concerning the
social cond, Ions of the city as brought
to light Us tsle vice commission.
The implications In the Vice Com
missions report that the Board OF Po-
lice Commissioners had even failed 70
enforce even It's own segregation poll
cies were discussed. After a discus
sion Of the different phases OF the vice
question the board voted, with Mayor
Ainslic present, not TO take any action
until the complete report Of the Vice
Commission had been filed with the
Mayor.
4 Question of Reports.
The attention of Captain Pollock
secretary OF tho board. was called to
the fact that the Vice Commission
might incriminste members OF the
board in report No. >, and that the
commission might not file complete
report for some time. He stated, how :
ever, that the board had decided &c
announce that they would take no
action until the final report of the
Vice Commission is filed with the
Mayor. This was taken to mean that
even II II were shown that members
OF the Board of Police Commissioners
had neglected their duty In report No
2. or had been guilty on other charges
that the Police Board would not un-
der any circumstances ask for an in
vesttgation of the board body
lii taking this stand the board has
announced that whatever the outcome
that any action looking to an investi-
CATION OF themselves will have to be
forced, unless IL comes after a com
plete vice report Is filed with Mayer
Ainslie.
No Meeting This Week.
Ashton Starke. chairman OF the Vice
Commission, stated yesterday that the
Vice Commission would hardly hold a
meeting this week, and that 1t Nigh,
not be held until some time next week
He has often been quoted as SAYING
that the Vice Commission intended
taking it's time before making it's next
report.
And. furthermore. the commission il
not to be hurried in its work. Its work
will be complete and will fully cover
final report is flied with Mayor Ainslie
The Vice Commission, in its first re.
port. recommended that that body be
continued until permanent board
could be named to carry on the work
they had begun. This recommends.
ton was taken to mean that the Vice
Commission did not desire to make a
final report at this time nor at any
other early future date. Undoubtedly
Mayor Ainslie took many OF the mem
bers of the Vice Commission by sur
prise in asking for complete report
from their hands instead OF requesting
that only such information in their
hands regarding the action OF the Pc.
lice Board be forwarded to him
Gordon Makes Statement
In connection with the work of the
Boa I'd OF Police Commissioners
Douglass Gordon yesterday had this
following to say;
While the matter Is 40 fresh ir
the mind OF the public" Mr.. Gordon
said. lit MAJ be good time to ex.
press an opinion that l have held fol
a long while: that the present plan OF
the administration of the Police De
partment Is wrong and inefiic.ent IL
almost every sense.
THE constitution Of the department
dividing. as II does Gae responsibility
among eight business and professiona
men,. the commissioner continued
who are OF necessity amateur police.
men. makes it Impossible to fix thu
Responsibility apon any definite per