The Mayor Fires a Police Commissioner to Save His Chief

The regular monthly meeting of the police commissioners last night at headquarters fully confirmed the Post-Intelligencer's assertion that Commissioners Niggle, Relfe and Cheasty were united in an attempt to remove Chief Rogers. From beginning to end the meeting was replete with sensations and, although the chief's enemies tried every trick and more at their disposal to carry out their intentions, Mayor Phelps defeated them. Commissioner Niggle was removed from his office, and so fierce was the fight that followed that Mayor Phelps felt it necessary to call for the resignation of Commissioners Cheasty and Relfe. The former flatly refused to resign, but the latter took the matter under consideration.

Closely following these pyrotechnics came the concerted action of the triumvirate to elect a new chief in the person of Capt. Hogle. The motion was declared out of order, but Cheasty arose and put it himself, voting with Relfe for Hogle's appointment. Niggle insisted that he had a right to vote, although removed from office, and joined Cheasty and Relfe in the vote for Capt. Hogle.

The plot to oust Rogers was undoubtedly carefully planned. In walked Commissioner Niggle with his long ulster and cigar; he carefully divested himself of his outer garment and sat down between Cheasty and Relfe. Then the mayor said: “Mr. Niggle, I would like to speak with you a few moments in private if the other commissioners will excuse us.” After a few minutes they returned and resumed their seats.

The mayor then arose and said: “Gentlemen: I wish to state that I have removed Commissioner Niggle from this board and I will file my reasons with the clerk now for so doing. Mr. Niggle will take no further action in the meeting of the board. I have found Chief Rogers an efficient officer, obedient, honest and energetic, and will sustain him. So far as I know the extent of the opposition to the present chief it emanates from the very sources that make it necessary for us to have a police force. While Chief Rogers performs his duties he shall have my support.”

The clerk read the letter of removal, dated September 5, 1894, charging that the mayor had “good and sufficient reason to believe” Niggle “attempted to dissuade and prevent the chief of police from executing his sworn duty, in that you have attempted to dissuade him from and prevent and hinder him in his efforts to suppress prostitution in certain portions of the city of Seattle, wherein you are personally interested in seeing it remain unmolested,” and that he had “threatened and conspired to have him removed from his office as chief of police.”

Cheasty told the mayor he believed he had exceeded his authority, and after stating that he was opposed to Rogers, moved to dismiss him. Relfe said he had nothing against Rogers personally, but believed the public wanted a change and would vote for his removal. He thought it a grave question for the mayor to assume that he could retain Chief Rogers against the wish of the majority of the board. “I want the question of authority settled,” he said, and seconded the motion.

The mayor put the motion; Relfe and Cheasty voted for it, with Niggle prompting them; Niggle also voted “aye.” Wallingford and the mayor voted no. After the motion was declared lost, Cheasty nominated Capt. Hogle for chief and Phelps declared him out of order. The mayor then asked Cheasty and Relfe for their resignations. “I won't resign until this matter is investigated,” said Cheasty. Relfe asked to take it under consideration.

Relfe, Niggle and Cheasty voted in the affirmative for Hogle; the nays were not called. “That is all I want,” said Cheasty. “I want to get the thing on the minutes.” The commissioners sat in silence a moment and then adjourned. Commissioners Relfe, Cheasty and ex-Commissioner Niggle maintain that Capt. Hogle is chief of police, while Mayor Phelps says Niggle had no vote and that Hogle's appointment was never officially before the meeting.