El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-06-10
CITY HAS NEW
POLICE CHIEF
J. B. Zabriskie Sworn in.
Department Is Without
Head for 2 IL Hours.

Il PaSO was WITHOUT police chief
for two and one-half hours saturfa,,
morning. None of the crooks or had
men knew of it and there were no
IawIess acts in spite of the fact thar
the local police department was with
out a head.
Former chief Don Johnson rendered
lis resignation to mayor Lea late Fri.
DAY afternoon. J. B. Zabriskie. thu
newly appointed chief. did not anpear
az the police station until 1890. two
and One-half hours after the chief is
due in his office Former chief John
son did not appear at the station at
al Saturday morning and the newly
appointed chief was escorted to his
office by Capt Claude TillmIn
johnson Quits.
Former chief Johnson rendered his
Pc estimation Friday afternoon at the
verbal request. OF the mayor. who
stated that he had requested the resig-
nation of Johnson because of criti-
cism Of the police department and not
because Of anything affecting his in
Mayor Lea administered the oath
OF office 10 chief Zabriskie Saturday
morning at the city hall before the
new chief went TO the police station
4 have nothing to say Of the police
department at this time" chief Zab-
Iiskie said after he mad taken charge.
7 am not familiar with the office
But / can say that there Will be no
changes in the department at the pres
eut time. I will make every effort 70
give Fl PasO my best efforts as chief
B. J. Zabriskie is a native FL Pasoan.
He was born in 1875 in q small adobe
house on the corner of Oregon and
san Antonio streets His father was
Col James y. Zabriskie. a graduate
Of West Point. who raised q volunteer
regiment in California and marched
with il TO FL PasO N civil war days.
Col Zabriskie was married in FL PasO.
he was United States district aCtor-
nev in Arizona for several Years and
was connected with the treasury de-
partment in the southwest Ths
Zabriskie family resided for a long
time in Tucson, where they moved from
Ell PasO.
a new commissioner to take Mr..
Zabrjskie's place at the head Of the
sa nitary department Of the city has not
been decided upon, mayor Lea said
Saturday
JOhnson-s Resignation.
Chief Johnson, Friday afternoon sent
in his resignation at the request of
mayor Lea, Friday morning. 1t read as
follows.
In compliance with your verbal
request l hereby tender you my
resignation as chief Of police Of FL
Paso. to take effect at once.
In rendering this resignation. I de-
sire TO say have set forth my best
efforts to promote the efficiency Of
the police department.
PerRicious MeddIers.
As you well know. when I took
charge of the office. there was no
semblance Of system. and never had
been And il has been my only am
bition to place the department on a
high plane of efficiency and place
fen rI-Tf D. he ff la ha
never before been known But II
has been my misfortune TO he han
dicaDDed by q lot of narrow and
pernicious meddlers-
] desire TO thank you for the as
surance that my integrity is IN
questioned in the request for this
resignation I have two very high !
locals in life one Is TO be man ,
and command the respect Of the
best citizens Of the community, and /
have them say 1 am square The (;
other IS success and in that 7 can Z
only see right and never look back.
Going Out With Head Up.
I am going out of this office with
my head up I have clear con I
science, and can look any man in
the eve II 1 have been accused OF Z
maliciOusly wrong doing. I take
issue and demand an Investigation
If II is politics that promotes the
request for my resignation. / hum
bly, accept il as Inevitable
desire to thank you and city
council TO- past favors and hOnors.
and viii suffer this humiliation in
manly way. and consider il part Of
the trials and tr5bulationS of life.
and the ways Of the world 7 viii
toke another hitch on the reins with
the old motto on my lips. that "a
gOod man cannot be kept down"
viii start at the ladder again. and
viii get 10 the top if manhood and
determine tiOn viii win