HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - September 29, 1924 SM92
City Ha -1, Citv of Lodi
Yonday, September 29-1924.
Pursuant to Resolution No. 466, passed and adopted by the
Board on September 25th,1924, the Board of Trustees of the City
of Lodi met in special session at 8 o'clock P.r. on the above
date, Trustees 'rule, i"ettler, Roach, Shattuck and Spooner present.
The minutes of the special meeting of September 25th,1924
were read and approved without correction or addition..
After stating that the meeting was called to institute proc-
eedings for an investi~ation into charges rade publicly by the
Reverened Benjamin Smith and others that police officers or offic-
ials of the City had been present in a certain Chinese gambling
house in the City and that no arrests had been rade, the Presid-
ent turned. over the examination of witnesses to the City Attorney.
J.E.Hopkins, being first duly sworn, stated that he had been
present in the Christian Church and had heard the statement made
by Reverened Smith that " two officials of the City had been pres-
ent in a gambling house that had been raided but a few days prev-
iously". Yr Hopkins was quite positive that the word "Officials"
was used. •
On call for the appearance and testimony of Benjamin Smith,
one H.B.sray addressed the Board and handed the President a let-
ter, which the Clerk was directed to read, the sane being as fol-
lows: -
Lodi, Calif.
Sept 29th -24
To the Board of Trustees of the City of Lodi,
in session Sept 29th. ,1924:.
Honorable Sirs:- The invitation to appear before you to night
is of such a nature as to make it necessary for me to decline.
In doing so 1 call your attention to the fact that about one
year ago I voluntarily ca me before the Board of Trustees to
iscuss the matter of law enforcement. In attempting to speak I
was called down, and given to understand that it was not my place
to speak.
1 may also stste that at the present time 1 have some inform-
ation and suggestions that might be helpful to the administration
when the sub2ece of Law Enforcement's seriously considered. I
am ready to give such information and suggestions to the Board of
Trustees at any time mutually agreed upon. I an also willing for
the public to be invited to suc.. hearinng
1 have shown my desire to coo' erase by ofering assistance
to clear our city of bootleggers and gamblers...Such assistance •
has been rejected both b' officers and officials, with one exception,
As a citizen of Lodi desiring to cooperate with the admin-
istration I feel tha. t 1 am, at least, entitled to a curteous
invitation to appear before you.
Sincerely & Respectfully,
(Signed) BENJ: S'11'1'H
q;
The City Attorney advised that the only action poszirle
on %'_r Emithwrfusal to obey the Boards subpoena .was for the
Pres.'-ent to lay :.he matter before the nearest Judge of the
Superior Court; onroti on of Trustae Shattuck, seconded by
Mr-, stee Roa. ch, the Clerk :ras directed to prepare such copies
of the proceedings in this ;natter as the Attorney might require
so that the President could take up the matter in the courts.
.'orrest Pelton, one of the :witnesses subpoened, was then
called and being s=worn testified in regard to a certain con—
versation had between himself and one C.O.Liter in :which Liter
had stated that the Board had not better pursue their invest-
1gat10ns as "they" had the goods On the guilty officers.
C,C,Liter ras then su^-.oned, having been duly served
ilh a subpoena, but .vas not present and or. motion of Trustee
Shattuck, seconded by Trustee 11'ettler, the ?resident was dir—
ected to take the same measures to compel testimony as in the
case of Rev. Benj. Smith.
Presi�ent S-000ner stated that Mere seemed to be no
further action possible at this time; he ,hen invited any one
deslrinS to volunteer testiu,onf to take the—4itness chair,
there -:;as no respo-ase.
On motion of Trustee Shattuc:;, seconded by Trustee Hale,
t':e Board adjourned.
Attest:
e
City Clerk.
c^a r - z,v ii.! 0IV -aC.rSIMe ..1s
aay 7f ectober, 7-1924".--
3- JC.�.YIY