The Minister and the Mayor: A Scandal of Official Power

Chief Woolery of the Seattle Police has attempted to blacken the reputation of Rev. L. A. Banks. He has written letters to other cities, trying to make the people believe that Mr. Banks had been conducting himself in such a manner as to become an object of suspicion. Indeed, Chief Woolery says he has letters from Salt Lake, Corvallis, and Vancouver, Washington, giving Mr. Banks a very bad name. We do not believe he has received any such letters and we challenge him to produce them. It will be noticed that Mr. Woolery does not conduct his inquiries as a private citizen, but as an official, attaching his name with his official title and using his influence to obtain information which is entirely without the scope of his duties. This conduct should at once be made the subject of an official investigation, and unless Mr. Woolery is able to explain it, he should be required to relinquish the office he has so grossly misapplied. It was never intended that the city officials of Seattle should use the powers given them for the purpose of injuring the reputations of upright, law-abiding citizens. We believe that Mr. Woolery is unfit to be at the head of the police, and unless matters are investigated, the public will not be satisfied.