Evening star., 1948-06-30
'Sauter Restored
|AsPoIice0fficiiaI
In Montgomery
Boards Action
In Eliminating Job
Found to Be Error

Montgomery County Commits
sioner Wesley I. Sauter has been
reinstated in the police commits
sioner job from which he was ousted
last March Is, when the county
commissioners ordered the $1,000
year post abolished.
The action was taken by the
board yesterday as an outgrowth Of
charges against county policeman
of drinking while on duty.
F. Barnard Welsh. attorney to
the commissioners, explained that
when the county heads voted to
eliminate the Office. they acted un-
der 1889 law which made appoint
men$ to the post permissive.
Yesterday. however. he added,
while studying the act setting up
the Police Trial Board, which must
hear the charges against Policeman
Paul o. Federline, he found the
board must include the police com.
missioner.
Amendment Disclosed.
He said further study of county
laws disclosed the 1889 law had been
amended in l943, making appoint
ment of a police commissioner
mandatory.
Mr.. Sauter, who also receives
$l,800 a year as commissioner for
the western suburban area. will be
given retroactive pay to March Is.
Later, Board President Brooke
Johns, who led the move to elimi-
nate the Office. reiterated his belief
it should be abolished.
Federline, 81, who has been sus-
pended pending a hearing before
the Police Trial Board, is accused of
drinking on duty last Friday in
Gaithersburg.
He joined the force last January
u Prior to that, he was on the force
from July 81, l94l. to September 3,
l943, when he resigned to join the
State police. He lives in Bethesda
designations Accepted.
In other business, the board &C.
cepted the designations of Police
man Leroy Mullinix and Lewis E.
Peck, an employe of the county
engineers office Mr.. Peck said he
was leaving because the county had
tailed to increase his salary.
Mr.. Sauter announced he would
attempt to have the State Roads
Commission set aside funds next
year for the installation of warn
ing signals at the Jones Bridge
road railroad crossing, where three
men were injured June 7 when
their car was struck by a Baltimore
& Ohio freight train.
He said he had been advised by
the railroad that State Roads Com.
mission funds used for contributing
to the cost of installing warning
signals at railroad crossings have
been exhausted.
He added railroad officials in
formed him they would be glad
ITO cooperate with the State In
putting up the warning signals
when State funds are available.
r "A request by the General Confer
eface OF Seventh-Day Adventists
from the personal property tax of
the organizations Department of
Purchase and Supply was denied,
in accordance with the recommend
alton of the County Assessment De-
partment.
Road Petitions Rejected.
Also rejected were petitions to
improve Wehawken and Wapako-
meta roads, Glen Echo Heights.
After receiving petition signed
by about 200 Rockcrest residents
urging the board to cooperate with
the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in
building new bridge over the rail-
road tracks at Agnew drive, the
commissioners promised they would
do everything possible" to expedite
The project.
Balfour o. Lytton, who presented
the petition, said the present span
has been condemned as unsafe by
the railroad and the State Roads
Commission and was closed last
week to vehicular traffic.
Favorable action was taken on a
petition to build concrete sidewalks,
curbs and cutters on both sides of
Rosedale avenue between Kentucky
avenue and Pearl street, Bethesda.
Estimated cost is S6,s75.
| All county employees will be given
a day of next Monday since July 4
falls on Sunday.
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