Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1920-02-12
HEATED DEBATE COMES
IN WAKE OF WEEKS
STATEMENT
STORIES ARE DENIED
CAPTAIN HART REFUTES RE.
PORTS HE THREATENED RE.
CALL OF EXECUTIVE AND HEAD
ACCUSED BY CHlEF-DEFENDE
BY COMMlSS

Alleged disloyalty among city eEI
ployes, which is said 10 be working
toward that inevitable end -undernip
ing the present administration Was
severely dealt With last night at tht
regular meeting Of the council. Tn.
discussion, general in its scope. was
participated in with some neat BY
members OF the commissi with IN,
mayor leading the attack upon recent
police developments, not 10 his liking
while commissioners Bradley ana
Sticklen countered with an assault
upon lone employe. whose name III
to this time had never before beer
mentioned. but who is charged with
using sinister influence To- disrupt by
alleged undetermined tactics every de
partment OF the city.
The break, which came after month,
and months OF the comet following
closely taa even tenor os its way with
out turmoil or any outward manifesto
lions OF an undercurrent OF dissatis
faction among members OF the admin
iStration, was toreCaSted in Il state
ment given out yesterday afternoon
by Mayor Weeks. In that statement
no announced he would demand gen
eral explanation of the attitude OF the
police toward him, both as an indi
vidual and as chief executive. The
mayor, not being a man OF idle
boastinSs, made good on his promise
leading into the record q brief con,
tanning all his complaints against the
department. The brief, prepared il
advance, was typewriter and wa,
carefully compiled with data and
charges Whicn the mayor said have
been accommodating over Il wide
stretch of weeks.
Spades Were Spades.
The statement was not 4 yeiled in
situation crammed with antiquities
II was an out and out charge that Cap
tain Maurice Hart Of the Police was
working against the administration il
every way possible to deer and ham.
per 1t as much as possible Captain
Hart, who was present at the meet
ing, denied the truth Of the mayor
assertion. while he "Countered with q
charge that the admins ,raliun was
playing favorites, leaving the police
powerless to proceed with their WORK
Systematically and upon we'll organ
lied basis.
Goes Back Into Old Case.
He referred as an instance of in
reference with the police perform
ance of their duties to the Hamilton
4 Vincent case. He said that instruc
tlonS had been given jus ice Of the
Peace George Koenig TO let the case
drag until it was forgotten and then
dismiss it. The mayor denied even
having issued any such instructions
and an attempt to get proof by secur
ing Justice OF the Peace koenig's ap
pearance at the meeting failed when
the captain was unable to reach the
j. p on the phone. The Hamilton K
Vincent case grew out OF an arrest
made by Hart last summer when tbs
grain and feed company had sent one
of its trucks to garage for repairs
The garaseman made general over
hauling OF the truck, stripped it OF
numbers and lights, and then whilC
the machine was still in his custody
and entirely out of the owners hands
he drove it about the streets to test
the engine. W nile making inns teS'
the captain caused the arrest of thu
driver and warrants TO be issued fol
AL Richards OF the firm OF Hamilton
L. Vincent. With the facts presented
on the proofs the case did go BY de
fault. but the mayor ana City Attor
ney Weese denied having been any
parties to a frame up" to preven
further prosecution of the complaint
Mayor Proves His Stand.
Further on in the nea. OF the dis
pute the mayor retaliated with an in
terrogation which was vouchsafed by
Mr.. Hart. The mayor asked Hart
Chief of Police Grove and Commits
siOner Palmer if he had not issued in
structiOns early in his regime to az
rest every law violator withou: fea
or favor. He inquired if his instrue
tiOns were not to treat them al
alike" Affirmative replies were givel
by all three of the men. thereby set
Ting any misconceptions which NIGH
have been injected into the discussion
by the impression that the mayor wa
playing favorites." The commission
Continued on Page 4, Col. 81