The Mayor vs. The Chief of Police
A high-stakes power struggle unfolds in 1885 Seattle as the Mayor moves to impeach his Chief of Police for refusing to crack down on unlicensed saloons.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Yesterday, at the hour when the Council had their report of the impeachment proceedings against the Chief of Police, special remarks were made on behalf of the Chief, followed by an attorney, who replied to the objections to the articles of impeachment made by Mr. Woolery's attorneys. In regard to Article First, where it is charged that on April 11, 1885, John Leary, the Mayor, lawfully commanded and directed the Chief of Police to ascertain the names of those selling intoxicating liquors without a license, and to make a sworn complaint against them, the Chief of Police, James H. Woolery, willfully refused to obey. Judge Lewis makes the point that there is no specific law giving the Mayor power to order the Chief to make complaints. It is true there is no specific law to that effect, but I think the charter gives the Mayor power to do a great many things which it does not specifically point out. The Mayor is the head and director of the executive officers and has a sort of general supervision. If the Mayor is the chief executive officer, the subordinates in that department should be directed by him. There must be some head, and unless there is such implied power, our city government is a very weak affair. These men were violating both the Territorial law and the city ordinance. It is the duty of the police to make the necessary complaints. If they fail in their duties, then the Mayor is in duty bound to see that they do perform their duty. The ordinance itself, No. 357, provides for the removal of the officer who, knowing of its violation, fails to make complaint.
“There must be some head, and unless there is such implied power, our city government is a very weak affair.”
This 1885 dispute over executive oversight, municipal enforcement, and the authority of the Mayor versus the Police Department reflects the ongoing tension in Seattle’s modern civic governance. The struggle to hold law enforcement accountable for policy implementation remains a recurring theme in Seattle’s long history of municipal friction.
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