New Britain herald., 1917-02-17
BABCOCk DEFIANT,
CALLS NO MEETING
Steele and Moran Waste Their
Breath in City Building
THEIR DEMANDS IGNORED

Chairman Refuses Point Blank to Call
Star Chamber Session to Act On
Resignation of Police Sergeant in
Spite of Majority's Demands.
Caustically branding the proposed
course as too hasty, unwarranted by
circumstances and unfair to the tax
payers" Chairman Edward G.. Bah
cock, late last night thwarted the at
tempts of Commissioners, Frank J.
Moran and Howard M. Steele to rush
through action on the resignation of
Police Sergeant Theodore M. Herting
at an emergency called special session
of the safety board. Not only did he
refuse point blank to call the requested
session but gave his colleagues some
straight-from- the-shoulder talk trela-
tive to his opinion of conditions.
Moreover, under such circumstances,
he continued, II will never consent to
an executive session. 1t is unfair to
the taxpayers. Neither will I attend
such session, as is proposed, or call
one. You have a quorum and the
clerk, go and have your session, it you
DESIRE
Positively refusing to consider the
demands of his colleagues he informed
them that the resignation will come
up for proper action at the next meet
ing Of the board and that he does not
propose to act on the matter, even
then, but allow those whom he con-
siders to be responsible for the resig-
nation take such action as they may
see fit. According to Chairman Bah
cock, Commissioner Moran requested
the session so that the resignation
could be Immediately accepted. Ac-
cording to the former, Commissioner
Steele agreed that immediate action
should be taken "to stop the newspa-
per talk" Chairman Babcock believes
that conditions should be thoroughly
aired in the press AID said that, if the
meeting was called last night, he
would personally see that newspaper
men were Informed so that they could
attend.
Chairman Babcock was attending an
informal session of the common coun-
Gil when Clerk A. Z. Magnell Of the
safety board, came to him as Inessen-
ger from Commissioners Moran and
Steele. Absolutely refusing to call a
session, as requested, he was Informed
that his colleagues desired to see him
outside. He went and, according to
him, Commissioner Moran demanded
that a session be called, reminding
Chairman Babcock that two commits
sioners constituted quorum. DO
you refuse to call a meeting he was
asked when Chairman Babcock adj
vised his colleagues that such action
would be ill-timed hasty and that he
Of (fin
circumstances. He then returned to
the council session.
Ouisley to Be Consulted.
No hasty action will be taken on the
resignation and Mayor George A.
Quigley, who is expected home Mon
day from an extended southern trip,
will be conferred with before the res
ignation is taken up at a meeting Of
the board, il Chairman Babcock has
his way. He announced today that no
meeting will be called by him, or will
he attend one, prior to Tuesday night,
unless an emergency other than the
resignation arises. Firm in the con-
viction that Chiefs William J. Raw
lings and Robert M. Dame are compe-
tent to handle their respective depart
ments without petty interference from
the safety board, Chairman Babcock
has actively opposed all apparent at
tempts to tie the hands of the fire and
police department heads.
Those in close touch with the po-
lice department matters admit that
there is a near state of chaos existing
with officers and men all at sea as
to what the safety board commission
ers want or will do next. Officers OF
the department feel that it is all due
to the petty interference of the ma
jority members of the safety board in
matters ordinarily handled by Chief
Rawlings, recognized throughout the
state as an able police executive and
largely responsible for the high eff
cheney Of the local department. AL
though he refuses to make any COM
ment on conditions, those close to him
realize that he has taken much to
heart the repeated interference of his
superiors and is at a loss relative to
what is wanted and expected of him.
Much speculation is rife throughout
the city over the conduct Of the safety
board commissioners at their meeting
Tuesday night when Supernumerary
Policeman Ira r. Pierson, Edward =.
KERN and William Souney openly
criticised their superiors. accused
them of favoritism and, in several in
stances questioned Chief RAWLINGS
veracity and openly took issue with
him on department matters. Wonder
ment is freely expressed that the com-
missioners allowed them to do SO, even
if summary action in bringing charges
of characterization was not taken by
them Wonderment is also expressed
that Chief Rawlings did not bring YER
bal charges of the same type at the
meeting. Although he is reticen1 reld-
tive to the matter il is intimated that
he would probably have done so, had
he been sure that the commissioners