The Secret Move to Fire Seattle’s Police Chief

It was reported yesterday that at a meeting of the police commission on Saturday night a move was made for the removal of Chief Bolton Rogers, and was thwarted by the action of Mayor Phelps. The session was an executive one, the commissioners pledged not to tell what took place, but the mayor last night positively refused to say anything about the proceedings; it was learned from other sources that such a move was made but was not carried through.

Commissioner W. S. Relfe said that he was under the impression that the move to cut off Rogers' head was public property, and acknowledged that the matter was thoroughly discussed in Mayor Phelps' office last Saturday night. He said:

'We finally decided to let the matter drop, call it no meeting and adjourn until next Wednesday evening. Commissioner Niggle, who was the prime mover in putting Rogers in chief, is very open in his desire to have him deposed. I do not know his reasons, but presume he would give them himself without hesitation. For myself, I have nothing against Rogers, and in fact do not know him well. He is under no obligation to me or I to him. If the matter of his dismissal comes before the commission I am not prepared at present to say how I would vote. I will say, however, that I believe that the chief of police should be chosen with regard to his fitness for the position, irrespective of politics, and if a good Republican was nominated to succeed Rogers I would not vote against him. I shall not file any charges against Rogers or proceed toward having him beheaded.'

Police Commissioner Cheasty said to the Post-Intelligencer reporter that he was not making a fight on Rogers, and did not propose to file charges against him, but if the matter of deposing him came before the commissioners he would vote in the affirmative.

'I am perfectly willing that all that happened at the meeting should be made public, but I gave my word to Mayor Phelps to say nothing of the proceedings, and therefore prefer that if anything is said it shall come from him personally. I will not deny that the subject of deposing Rogers was discussed, but I do not want the Post-Intelligencer to say that I said that such a discussion had occurred. My position in respect to Chief Rogers has been well known from the time he took office. I do not think he is the proper man for the place, but in this I am not actuated by personal feeling. If Chief Rogers is relieved from duty I am willing to vote for a Republican, and in fact under the circumstances should prefer that a Republican be placed in his position.'