1895 - Police Chief Selected

 

“ ‘Who will be the Chief of Police is a question which all Hamilton is asking today, and a good many people are answering it on speculation by mentioning the name of A.D. Stewart, the present Chairman of the Board of Commissioners, on which body will devolve the duty of making the appointment.

“Mayor Stewart said to a Times reporter this morning, when asked if he would be an applicant : ‘At present I cannot tell you; I prefer not to say anything on the subject just yet.’

Mr. Jelfs, the Police Magistrate, was questioned. He said he would do, in this case, as he has done on every other question, wait until the facts are before the Board and then form his opinion. He would not say how he would act in case Mr. Stewart became an applicant. ‘I have been led all along to believe,’ he said, ‘that Mr. Stewart will be an applicant.’ He declined to say on what knowledge or information he based that opinion

“Chief McKinnon’s written resignation had not been received by the Clerk of the Board at the close of office hours today.”

In an editorial which appeared in the January 19, 1895, the Times expressed regret about the whole situation that Hugh McKinnon had found himself in:

“While sincerely sorry for Chief McKinnon, the Times cannot blame the Police Commissioners for demanding his resignation. It would be difficult, if not impossible, for him to maintain proper discipline in the force after revelations of his misconduct.

“The circumstantial evidence in favor of Mr. McKinnon’s acquittal on the charge of adultery is very strong. But the drunkenness is admitted, along with the neglect of duty, the two offences probably occupying the relation of cause and effect.

“The peculiarly distressing feature of the case is that Mr. McKinnon was not a habitual drinker. For months and sometimes for years, he would not touch a drop of any intoxicant. His lapse in this respect has cost him dear, and if he deserves censure and punishment, he is also entitled to sympathy. It is no light matter for a man of his age, with a family dependent on him, to be cut off from his means of livelihood even for a good cause, and we are sure there will be more regret than exaltation among the citizens as a result of this unfortunate affair.

“Nothing will please the people of Hamilton better than to hear that Hugh McKinnon is doing well, wherever he will go.”

It did not take the Board of Police Commissioners long, after receiving Hugh McKinnon’s resignation letter, to set about appointing as successor as Hamilton Chief of Police.

The Hamilton Times offered to help the Commissioners make their choice. A poll was to be conducted, a poll in which citizens could vote by ballot for their favored candidate:

“In order to give the citizens of Hamilton an opportunity of expressing their preferences, the Times presents below a ballot, bearing the names of the gentlemen who are mentioned in connection with the position and invites an expression of opinion as to the man who should be selected.

“Mark a cross opposite your favorite and mail or send the ballots, singly or in packages, to the Times office. The state of the poll will be announced from time to time.”

In an editorial in the same day’s issue, the Board of Commissioners was urged to act quickly:

“We have enough of frills and may well be content with a Chief who will stay at home and attend strictly to the work for which he is paid. No more should be asked for a Chief of Police; no less should be accepted. Let a man be chosen promptly, and let him be one who will do the work right, leave all other interests alone and die in harness.”

Three days later, the Times pulled no punches in endorsing their preferred candidate to be Hamilton’s Police Chief :

 

Hamilton Times.   January 24, 1895. Image 157

“Now that Mr. McKinnon’s resignation has been received, his successor in the office of Chief of Police cannot too soon be appointed. The force without a head is apt to become disorganized. Our own opinion, and what we have the best reason to think is of the opinion of the vast majority of the law-abiding taxpayers, is the Sergeant-Major Smith should be made Chief. He has the practical experience of many years to make him familiar with the duties. He knows the city thoroughly, and is acquainted with the record of every habitual criminal in Hamilton and vicinity. The lawyers who do most of the practice in the Police Court say that Mr. Smith is well-posted  on all the legal forms and formalities, which it would taker a new man a long time to learn. He is a sober man, of clean life, and he is under no pecuniary or other obligations to any citizen. He is not a party man, and every class of citizen would have confidence in his justice and impartiality.

“The only objection we have heard to Mr. Smith’s appointment is that he is not a brilliant man, whatever that may mean. At any rate, he is a safe man and that is better. The Times had a good deal with bringing both Chief Stewart and Chief McKinnon to Hamilton, and it is now free to confess that it is quite satiated with past experience with popular athletes and all-round sports. A man can be a good Chief of Police without being either a giant, a wrestler, or an orator. We do not need to depend upon the talents of a policeman to advertise the town; there are other ways of doing that; give us a man who will attend to the police business for which he is paid, one who will always be found in his place when he is wanted.

“Although we opposed him at the time, we regret now that Mr. Smith was not made Chief of Police when Mr. Stewart vacated the position eight or nine years ago. Since that time, he has done much honest work to earn promotion, and the Commissioners cannot make a mistake in recognizing his claims now. Mr. Smith’s appointment will break up all cliques in the force. Every man will know that he must perform his duties faithfully, or get out. There will no pets, no currying favor with the powers that be, no spying or conspiring.

“There may be men among the applicants who would be as competent as Mr. Smith after learning the trade; there are some who could at once perform the work required as well as he. In appointing any other man, the Commissioners must take their chances. They already know that they can depend upon Mr. Smith.”

In that same issue of the Times, it was reported that supporters Hamilton Mayor, and former police chief, A.D. Stewart, were circulating a petition advocating his return to the force. Sergeant-Major was urged to start a petition as well, but he declined saying that his record would speak for itself.

When the time approached  for Sergeant-Major Smith to make an appearance before the Board, he had a strong written endorsement to present to them:

“Sergeant-Major Smith will go before the Commissioners on Wednesday with the strongest sort of recommendations. In his application he points out that he has been connected with the department for 22 years. For four months in succession in 1886, when A.D. Stewart then Chief was in the Northwest, Mr. Smith acted as Chief and gave such entire satisfaction that the Board of Commissioners at the time passed a special resolution acknowledging his ability and the faithful discharge of his duties, and granted him the full pay attached to the offer. Accompanying the application is a recommendation which should carry weight. It reads:

                                October 16, 1886

“My dear Sergeant Smith – I have the pleasure of stating that I consider you in every way qualified for the position of Chief of Police of this city, for which you are applying. You joined this force on Nov. 4 1872, as a second-class constable, and have since then by your diligence and intelligent performance of duty risen to your present rank. Your intimate knowledge of police duty, your fearlessness, honesty and careful tact are all qualifications which suit you to an eminent degree for the position you aspire to. I have had ample opportunities, during the six tears you have served under me as confidential deputy, of observing you habits, methods of working and aptitude for the special work in which you are engaged, and I say honestly that it has been to me at all times a source of great comfort to have you associated with me, and that I know of no man better able to discharge the very onerous, difficult and important duties of the office than yourself. Wishing you all success, yours very truly,

                        A.D. Stewart. C.C.”

The Times ballot ‘contest’ continued, and there was one candidate that was in the lead decisively:

“The ballots for the principal candidates for the Police Chiefship are now coming in freely. At noon today, the count stood:

 

Sergt.-Major Smith     …..    1,719

A.D. Stewart                            269

Capt. Tidswell                            81

Sergt. Prentice                           55                     

Capt. W.G. Reid                         18                     

Caot. Stoneman                         17

Col. Villiers                                 12

Stephen Burton                             4

W. Devine                                      1

“Mark a cross opposite the name of your favorite and mail or send the ballots, singly or in packages, to the Times office. The state of the poll will be announced from time to time.”

“For Chief of Police”

Hamilton Times.   January 28, 1895. Image 186

 Finally, the application part of the process was over, and there were two last minute applications:

“At 12 o’clock noon today, City Clerk Beasley declared the ‘poll’ closed for receiving applications for the position of Chief Constable of the Hamilton Police Force. At last hour, he had received applications from 21 persons, four of whom put in their papers this morning, as follows :

          Michael Joyce, Hamilton.

          Major John Stoneman, Hamilton.

          Sergeant Joseph Prentice, Hamilton.

          Mayor, A.D. Stewart, Hamilton.

          “The application of Michael Joyce is evidently one of the alleged jokes that some people occasionally play. It is a lengthy affair and opens with:

          ‘My Lords – May it please your Excellencies from the attitude of your sublime perch to shed the light of your benign countenances upon your petitioner, who, kneeling in profound humility tenders his application for the Chiefship of the force.’

“Mayor Stewart’s application is in the fewest words possible, but accompanying it is a 36 page book of testimonials dated 1882 and 1886.”

Once again, the Times editor was not reluctant to weigh in a matter concerning the choice of who should be the next Hamilton Chief of Police :

“The announcement in yesterday’s papers that Mayor Stewart had made formal application for the office of Chief of Police must have caused a disagreeable surprise even to his friends and well-wishers. Being himself a Police Commissioner, by virtue of his position as Mayor, and having therefore a voice in the appointment of the new Chief, it is as undignified as it is unfair and selfish for him to try to grab the permanent office for himself. The people of Hamilton do not want him for Chief of Police. It is an open secret that his brother Commissioners are unwilling to appoint him. Indeed, those who are familiar with the state of affairs in and around City Hall assert that there is only one person or influence that can possibly secure for him another vote besides his own, and the predominance of such an influence would be so absurd and discreditable that we hesitate to describe it. The electors who voted for Mr. Stewart on January 7^th did not intend the Mayoralty to be a stepping stone toward the Chiefship of Police, and Mr. Stewart should have recognized his obligation to his supporters by refusing to abandon his post. Since he has shown the other course, the duty of the judge and the Magistrate is plain, and they cannot perform it too soon for the good of the force and the city.”

The meeting to formally choose the police chief was held in the morning of January 31, 1895:

“The Commissioners met at 11 o’clock in the Mayor’s office, all the members being present. Little was known of the meeting as it had been announced to be held at 3 o’clock this afternoon, and there were few people present. A crowd of men, however, who had seen the Commissioners going into City Hall gathered in the corridor outside the Mayor’s office to await results.

“Before taking up any business, Magistrate Jelfs announced that it was necessary to elect a chairman. It should have been done before, he said; therefore he moved that Mayor Stewart be chairman. This motion carried.

“Clerk Beasley then laid before applications from 20 persons for the position of Chief of Police.

         

“The fake application of Michael Joyce was not submitted, Mr. Joyce, with more sense than the alleged jokers, having called on the Clerk and informed him that it was not genuine.

“Mr. Beasley read a petition, signed by 1103 persons, asking that Mayor Stewart be appointed to the office.”

Magistrate Jelfs replied that he had. He said that he had carefully considered all the applications, and had no hesitation in moving that Sergeant-Major Smith be appointed Chief of Police. For two years, he (Mr. Jelfs) had been closely associated with Mr. Smith and could conscientiously endorse every word that had been said of him in the two testimonials from the former chiefs of the department, Messrs. Hugh McKinnon and A.D. Stewart. Mr. Stewart was a man of sound judgment, keen perception and of unblemished social and domestic life – a man who would prove, he had no doubt, a successful Chief of Police. He could conduct himself on the lines of propriety in public as well as in private life.

“Judge Muir said he had very great pleasure in seconding Mr. Jelf’s motion for the appointment of Mr. Smith. He thought the Board should give Mr. Smith no half-hearted, but its whole-hearted, undivided support. The Board should allow Mr. Smith, he thought, to begin his duties as Chief at once. He considered him the best qualified for the position and hoped that he might live long to enjoy the honors and emoluments of the office.

“The Chairman said that he could heartily endorse every word that had been spoken in support of the motion. He had ample opportunity of observing the official life of Sergeant-Major Smith and believed him to be a most honest, upright, faithful man. The appointment, therefore, he said, he had the pleasure in declaring to be unanimous. “

Just hours later, the newsboys in the downtown streets were loud in selling their afternoon editions containing the news of who had become Hamilton’s Police chief, such as this from the Times:

“Alexander Smith is Hamilton’s Chief of Police.

“The popular and efficient officer who has filled the position of sergeant-major for years, and who has performed the duties of chief during much of that time, got the appointment this morning by the unanimous vote of the Board of Police Commissioners, and was formally installed into office by the chairman of the board signing an order to the department announcing Mr. Smith’s appointment.”

The Times editor approved the choice:

“The members of the Board of Police Commissioners are to be congratulated upon their prompt and unanimous decision to appoint Sergeant-Major Smith to the position of Chief of Police. The Times wishes the new incumbent a long and prosperous term as head of the police force. He has fairly earned promotion by good conduct and ability, and there is practical unanimity among the citizens with regard to his deserts. Any other choice by the Commissioners would have been most unpopular, whereas Chief Smith can take hold of his new duties enjoying public confidence and the esteem of those whom it will be his duty to serve.”

 

With the choice made, there was no longer any need for the Times ballot exercise:

“The appointment of Sergeant-Major Smith to the Chiefship having been made today, as announced elsewhere, the ballot has been withdrawn. The votes polled and the large number of ballots marked for him that have been received since yesterday show that the Commissioners’ selection is the popular one.”