San Francisco Call, Volume 99, Number 21, 21 December 1905 — SURPRISE IS SPRUNG IN POLICE CHANGES [ARTICLE]

SURPRISE IS SPRUNG IN POLICE CHANGES

Lynch to Succeed Captain Wilson Temporarily.

Latter Made Chief, Vice^Hodgkins, t Resigned.

OAKLAND, Dec. 20.— After a long executive sfesslon this' afternoon; the Police arid Fire . Commissioners accepted the resignation of Chief of Police Hodgklns and appointed ..Captain Adelbert Wilson to fill the vacancy. That action was expected, but the appointment of Detective i J. Frank Lynch to serve as a temporary captain to nil the position made vacant I by the . oromotlon of Wilson came as a surprise to those interested in police affairs. . Chief Hodgkins filed, a request that he be made a detective and gave as his reason that he was In Hi health. I Captain Wilson, who will assume tlie office of Chief January 2, has been in the department for more than thirty years. He was appointed a special policeman on May SO, IS7O, and was made a regular four years later. In 1877 he was made a sergeant, and served 6, years in that position. He was made a captain May 7. ISS9, and served under Chiefs J. W. Tompkins, Louis Schaffer, C. E. Lloyd, W. F. Fletcher and S. C. Hodgrkins. Chief of. Police Hodgkins began , his police duties as a special, then became a patrolman and later clerk of the Chief of Police. Then he became sergeant, was appointed a detective and finally succeeded W. F. Fletcher as Chief. of Police, a position he held for clx years. The appointment of Lynch as acting captain Is intended to fill . the gao In the department until the Commissioners decide upon a permanent officer. This will not be done until some time after Captain Wilson assumes his duties as "head of the department. Detective George Kyte and Patrolman Richard McSorley are among the men under consideration by the board. Under Chief Wilson acting Captain Lynch will probably take the night watch and Captain W. J. Petersen will take the day watch vacated by Wilson. The Commissioners this afternoon also appointed the following regular patrolmen; Milton Emlgh, J. J. Fenton, E. W. Brock, J. S. Dufton, Edmond Pechart and George D. Powers.