Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1920-02-13
CAPTAIN HART GIVES UP
HIS STAR TO HEAD
OF LOCAL FORCE
SEEK A SUCCESSOR
NO APPOINTMENT MADE TO FILL
VACANCY -- EVENTS OF LAST
NIGHT CAME IN WAKE OF
WEDNESDAYS ME- M o r. a B l. E
COUNCIL SESSION.

Withdrawal of Captain Maurice
Hart as Il member OF the Ottawa po.
lice force grew out OF an interview
early last night between he officer
and Commissioner Of Public Health
and Safety Dana Palmer at the lat
,ers home on the South side An
nouncement Of the change in the po-
lice personnel was made this mOrnlng
by the commissioner. who said that
he had asked for the captain resls'
ma ion and 1t was Immediately ten
dered and accepted.
The trouble, winch had its origin at
that memorable council meeting or
"Wednesday night. came in the wake
Of an investigation conducted by the
commissioner during which he tried
to unravel the heavy skein OF suspl-
ciouS circumstances which entanBled
ahe captain in what is alleged 10 have
iDeen case OF lese majestic, with IN ,
result he reached the determination
to demand his assistants star. The
head of the department. looked into
the charges made by Mayo. Weeks
and affirmed by Chief OF Police Grove
that Captain har had threatened to
aise the recall on both himself tPal-
mer) and the mayor. This morning
in announcing his decision 20 cause It
shake-ltp OF the police system ne said
he obtained further evidence that the
retiring officer had at some time or
another made some sort OF threat
against his superiors. Confirmation
OF the mayors charges, it is said,
came from other members of the
force who claimed to have heard the
remark Of watch the captain was ac-
Cused.
Captain Charges Conspiracy.
During the interview with the com
missioner which occurred at nj,
home after Captain Hart had been
summoned there, the captain blamed
the troubles which We're being cram
med upon his to a conspiracy schem.
ed by members of the department 10
get" his lob. He reiterated his dc,
malls of the night before and said he
had never threatened to s.art re-
call against either Mr.. Palmer or the
mayor. He blamed his predcament
on his subordinates.
The occurrence OF last night was
not unexpected in view OF the events
OF the night before, when the captain
openly, in an appearance before the
council, charged he mayor with play
ing favorites.' thereby leaving the in
ference that he and the department
were being impeded in everything
they undertook
Point to Hart's Record.
On the other hand. friends of the
retiring captain-and there are lots
of them-roint to his record while n
member of the force. They maintain
that few. If any, of the bluecoats have
been as faithful in the performance Of
their duties, and cite the two Schlt2
Hotel raids as specific instances OF
the captains enforcement Of the laws
in an attempt to clean up the city
The captain, they say, is as human
as any of the rest of us, and If he dj,i
utter the remarks charged to him az
insubordination they were made under
stress of excitement and never meant
by him. They point a little farther
into Hart's efforts to organize the pc
as the patrolman during the former
administration to straighten out the
kinks in that important branch OF the
city government only to meet with
OppOsitnOn from all sides. 1t was this
effort, Hart supporters maintain THAI
brough. about disorganization of the
police and the apparent pulling o'
cross purposes which helped brine
about his downfall.
pamers Statement.
In Il statement to Free Trader
journal representative this mornina
d.. Palmer said;
II did not realize until my eyes
were opened Wednesday night JUS
how bad conditions were in the po
lice department After II was brough
home to me so effectively decided
things were badly in need of u change
! concluded after conducting an in
vestigation. that it was better for th'
service to let the captain resign.
would have wrecked the ship Ion!
ago If II had been brought home t.
me so iOrcibly as 1t was Welnesda'
that there was an imperative need o
radical changes in the operation o