Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-11
CITY CNUNCIL MAY
Continued from page

Tho. resolution was seconded by William
Il. Mcgear. Commissioner Wickersham
said he couldn't second the resolution.
"I've had no opportunity to 60 over
the minutes Of the last meetings., COM
mented MIR. Wickersham, "and we have
had no conference on the resolution. l
don't believe the testimony .lustifics the
dismissal of the two officers
sI believe" said Mr.. Mcgear, that
the testimony does justify it. II | didn't
think it was justified, | wouldn't vote for
IT" =,
81 have given great deal of consfdcra-
tion to it and this is the conclusion
arrived at" said Mr. Smith.
sBut YOU haven't given the men a
trial?" Mr.. Wickersham told his col
leagues.
at is not necessary to give trial,
was the response of Mr.. Smith. This
board has power to dismiss men for the
good of the department.
Mr.. Smith asked City Solicitor John
w. Huxley If it was necessary to have
trial. The city solicitor said that In the
act creating the commission IN 1898
they are given the same powers as granted
in the act of 1891, which gave the COM
missioners the same power that the mayor
had in IS73-that is. the discretion to
employ and discha rye, dismiss or suspend
for the benefit of the public good. 1t Is
therefore in the power of the board, he
said, to dismiss the two officers:
Mr.. Wickersham inquired II Mr.. Hux-
ley had read the rules and regulations OF
the police department, to which he replied
in the affirmative. Mr.. WIckersham de-
clared that Sergeants Green and King
had been informed that they had done
their duty in reporting the matter.
Mr.. Megear said that they bad not done
their duty in making the report as report
cd.
The resolution WAS voted upon, Com
missioners Smith and Megear voting for
its adopting, while Commissioner Wicker
sham opposed 1t.
CRUx OF THE TROUBLE.
The much mooted question was "who
furnished the information on which the
report that the FIVE officers named above
had condoned the crap game and had
INDUCED in whisky in Nason's apart
ment?" Both sergeantS refrained from
giving the information, stating that they
were pledged not to divulge 1T. This
declination brought forth the question
from Commissioner Smith as to whom
the men considered they were subservient,
the commission or the attorney-generaPs S
Office.
To those in some circles, the action
caused little surprise, for it WAS intimated
that such would be the fate of the two
men following Mondays probe" of the
report.
Adjutant General Wickersham named
Green five years ago for the detective
berth
Sergeant Green was first appointed a
patrolman in October, 1900. Sergeant
King, the other official who was removed
from Office, had been a member OF the
department since March 10, 1905, and
for the past four years had been i ser
geant in the department.
With the removal of these officers from
the detective bureau, that department
will be reorganized and IT is limited that a
general shake-up is contemplated In the
department.
Detectives Green and Lorenzo c. King
both moved their personal effects from
the detective bureau in the Public Build
ing last night. Both refused to make
any comment on the action Of the police
commission.
The two dismissed officers were notified
last night of the boards action by the
chief of police, who also announced that
for the time being he would act as head
of the detective bureau.