Imperial Valley press., 1922-11-23
DAVE MATLOCK IS
OUSTED WHEN HE
FAILS TO RESIGN
Mayor Fawcett and Council
Declare Office Vacant.
Appoint Barker
Slaughter Not Reappointed
With Other Officers;
Griffin is Aid

In the place on the official roster
of FL Centre where once read the
name David j. Matlock, chief of police,
now stands the name Harry l.. Barker.
1t all happened at the meeting of
the city council last night. After the
reading of the minutes and the dis
posal of unimportant details, Mayor
Fawcctt asked the clerk if there were
any communications. Receiving the
reply that there were none, Mr.. Faw-
cett said that he had matter to bring
up.
Mayor Fawcett reported to the
council that in his capacity of police
commissioner it had become apparent
to him that further retention of Dave
Matlock as chief of police was not in
the best interests of the city. He had
asked Mr.. Matlock, he said, to tender
his resignation, but that he had failed
to do so. He therefore recommended
that the office of city marshal be de-
clared vacant. Motion to that eff
feet was promptly made, seconded and
carried.
Mr.. Fawcett, as police commissioner,
then recommended that Harry l.. Bar
ker be appointed chief of police, or. in
the language of the charter of cities
of the sixth class, city marshal Mo
tion to this effect was immediately
made and carried and Mr.. Barker was
declared the duly appointed city mar
shal.
Mr.. Barker was called on the tele-
phone and told to report for duty. He
appeared in few minutes and was
sworn in by the clerk. The new chief
announced his nominees for the posi-
tions as officers on the police force
and the appointments were made by
the council.
Members of the police force remain
the same except that ii. p. Slaughter
was not reappointed and Sam p. Grit
fin was named chief deputy.
OF Lesser Importance
Members of the city council present
were Mayor Fawcett and Trustees Pit
ger and Lavayea.
A. c. Schwabland, Los Angeles, ap-
peared before the board and asked to
be appointed inspector on the paving
work. He was informed that no ap-
pointment would be made until the
contract was let.
Park for the East Side
Formet Councilman w. A. Reams
appeared before the board with refer
ence to u park for the east side, which
he declared was badly needed. Mr..
Reams suggested that the project was
made possible by the fact that the
school district had abandoned the
block of land formerly occupied as
school grounds and erected the new
school building on lot on Main street.
The city had already given the school
district the equivalent of the value of
the former school grounds by paying
for the paving in front of the lot where
the new school building is located
Mr.. Reams said that he believed that
this fact was recognized by the trus-
tees of the school district and that fav-
orable consideration would be given to
the proposition to deed the former
school grounds to the city, with the
understanding that it was to be con-
verted into Il public park. Mr.. Reams
was made a committee to take charge
of whatever details might be necessary
to bring the matter about.
Fire Chief Asks Ordinance
Fire Chief Ferguson urged the board
to adopt an ordinance forbidding park
ing in front of theaters and hotels. In
ability of the fire department to reach
buildings for the purpose of laying
hose and erecting ladders constitutes
a menace to life and property, the chief
said, and space should be reserved
within which automobiles may not park
at any time of day or night The
board took the matter under advise
ment with the probability that such an
ordinance will be brought up at
later meeting.
Ordinances which had already been
given first reading Were read a
second time and the meeting adjourn
ed.
Shortage of Deputies
With Undersheriff Harry Barker and
Deputy Sheriff Sam Griffin accepting
new positions with the city of III Cen
tro, and Deputy Sheriff Cummings sick,
the force at the county Jail is seriously
handicapped in the criminal depart
ment, though Frank G.. Weir and Char
les NJ. Berry are standing by, as
they pat it.
The entire force expressed regret
over the departure of the two men,
and wished them every success in their /.
new work. Despite the fact that he
has been confined to his bed since sun