The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-09-30
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fests In Investigation.
HI ~ on the instructions Of
II NJ. Schriver and City At
John X. Scott, the newly
nted IRE and police commits
- OF Rock Island are investi-
"a the police department In
iit sre known as star chamber
1icus.
~ chamber sessions are those
= e secret times and places, the
~ Of which are commonly not
Sssio1ed to the public. This form
y Zion was adopted Thursday
s.;sruanx. rs soon as the new board
lS3S honds and took oaths Of Of
~ sad continued today, accord
~ q the commissioner state
~ Attorney Scott encouraged
~ procedure in his address of
fS1rsday night at the city hall.
.ssa. speaking in the name Of the
80. be charged the commission
no Investigate the police depart
nj thoroughly, using secret
,.e6lings for their examinations if
~ deem such a resort advisable.
Ne are going ahead with the
,rvstiration in our own way" was
~ ssatement of William A. Smith,
s.ryvt1ry of the board, last evening.
sVhen our next public meeting will
Y fcannot say as yet. All our in
vegahtions have been private thus
&. We have called in members
Z DE police force and interrogat-
dthem. The results of this exam
ration we are not ready to di-
vulre at this time. l cannot an
poqncs anything as yet in the. name
Of tn board as to what the result
81 our work is likely to be-"
Believe Course Legal.
Asked if he did not think it more
sdyiable, in view of the present
state Of public interest in Rock Is
land to conduct these investiga-
tons in public, Mr.. Smith replied
hat the commissioners were told
70 use their own discretion in this
natter, and that they believed they
we're pursuing the proper and legal
course
The board is industriously at
work, today and has been for two
days, in the police department mat
tor, inquirers gathered from the
brief statements Of the members.
Whether it is tending is purely
problematical.
Commissioner Bert Corken, pres
ident OF the board, today refused
to inform the Rock Island public,
through The Argus, of anything at
all the commissioners are doing.
Shrouded in secrecy at a time
when citizens in all walks of life
are endeavoring to follow the al
legged Investigation of the police de-
partment, the work of the new
board is believed my many to be
conducted contrary to, some Of the
rules laid down by City Attorney
John X. Scott in his Thursday night
address.
Il have nothing at all to say tt
the newspapers in regard to our in
vestigation," Mr.. Corken told al
Argus reporter over the telephone
this noon. Il will answer no ques
tons in regard. to it."
In the meantime the records o
the police board are in the pos
session of F. j. Mueller, secretar,
Of the ousted commission. MI
Mueller, acting upon the advice o
bis attorneys, S. r. Kenworthy an,
c. E. Dietz, has refused to sur
render the records of the board,
being their opinion Mr.. Mueller i
still member and secretary @
the commission, and that he shoul'
not turn over the records until hi
successor has been named and ha
qualified in accordance with tn
law.
u don't wish to be understood a
seeking to retain a place on tn
nfe and police commission" MI
MUELLER said. but l shall certain.
assert my rights as a citizen an,
taxpayer of Rock Island land no
b subjected to such treatment q
me hands of Mayor Schriver. Serv
ing as and my colleagues hav
Deen, without pay and wholly il
ine interest of the public welfare
lof one. feel that We at least ar
entitled to public credit for endeav
orlng to do the right thing unde
any and all circumstances. Fo
one, ! don't propose to submit ;,
such an indignity at the hands o
Mayor Schriver without at leas
pacing my case before the peopl
o. the city. l have never been of
ne'ally served with notice of III,
eismlssal from the commission b,
Mayor Schriver. II l am to be re
moved it must be done legally, an,
snail expect the mayor to Civ
als reasons to the public for depos
lAgSme."
People Are Aroused.
Inc summary action of Mayo
Ccnriver has aroused a sentimen
ast Is growing daily over the cit
ust the city council should be com
siied to reinstate the ousted com
unoners and allow them to re
Mln in charge Of the police de
nment until it completes tn
Delness before it.
Aayor Schriver certainly
sulty of big blunder," a forme
~ onicial remarked. What Cit
ems with whom have discusse
ae Incident can't understand