The West Virginia Digest

It is about a certainty now that James H. Holmes, erstwhile police officer, will be denied the privilege of serving the citizens of this city in that position. His petition asking for a writ of mandamus to force the city to hire him as a police officer has been denied and Holmes, as far as the force is concerned, is out in the cold again.

Holmes passed the civil service exam shortly after the new system went into effect. His name was placed on the eligible list and last November Mayor D. Boone Dawson appointed Holmes to the force. The civil service commission, however, refused to recognize the appointment contending that Holmes was no longer eligible.

Mayor Dawson said the other day that he wasn't aware that Holmes was ineligible as his name had been sent to the mayor's desk as an eligible. In order to settle matters, Mayor Dawson said, Holmes was allowed to take another examination when it was given last month but Holmes failed to pass the exam.

It seems a little odd that a person who made a high mark in the first exam should flunk a second one completely. But that is what happened.

The city answered Holmes' petition for a writ by saying that his name had been on the register more than the two year period and that he was not eligible for appointment. Then why was his name left on the register almost a year after the time the city contends he was no longer eligible?

JAMES H. HOLMES
Pictured in uniform soon after his abbreviated appointment by the Mayor last November.

Meanwhile, the city goes without proper police protection. The department is undermanned and it seems that nothing can be done about it until the new fiscal year begins July 1.

When additions are made to the force, there is a likely chance that no new colored officers will be placed. Some "public spirited", citizen (or citizens) has shown the city government the point that only one Negro plainclothes officer is needed. This leaves two eight-hour shifts without a single Negro detective to work them.

Does that make sense?