William H. Watkinds
(1835 – 1889)
Chief - July 20, 1883 – December 1, 1884
(1835 – 1889)
Chief - July 20, 1883 – December 1, 1884
William Watkinds was born in 1835 in Greencastle, Indiana. In 1852 seventeen year old William and his family, using oxen teams, came across the Oregon Trail and settled in Soda Springs (near Lebanon). His father had preceded the family by two years and had set up a farm where Watkinds worked for several years. In 1855 he moved to Salem to apprentice in the saddle and harness making trade. He became very active in politics and attended the 1860 Democratic convention in Eugene. He was a delegate for almost every subsequent Democratic convention for many years.
In 1870 Watkinds was appointed Superintendent of the State Penitentiary by newly elected Governor Lafayette Grover. By all accounts he overcame his lack of experience well enough; being re-appointed in 1874 and losing his position in 1877 when Grover left the Governor’s office for a Senate seat. After leaving the Penitentiary Watkinds was accused of mismanagement of funds while he was Superintendent. Political pressure was probably responsible for his move from Salem to Portland in 1879 and he was involved in several high-profile lawsuits, including a highly publicized libel case involving Portland Republican Joseph Dolph. His fight with Dolph and his estrangement from the dominant faction of the Democratic Party led to his alliance with the Republican “Mitchell Ring” and his appointment as Portland Police Chief in 1883.
Watkinds had a hot temper that caused him legal trouble on more than one occasion. In 1871, after unfavorable articles ran in the Statesman newspaper, Watkinds attacked the editor in downtown Salem, striking him with a whip. The editor responded by turning on Watkinds with a pocket knife, forcing him off the sidewalk. Watkinds then drew his revolver and started shooting and the editor scrambled into the nearest doorway. Despite cut clothes and a bruise from a bullet hitting a suspender strap, neither person was seriously hurt. In the following trial Watkinds was found not guilty and even won a subsequent lawsuit by the editor.
In 1883, Watkinds was appointed Chief of Police after the so-called Carrie Bradley Case that brought Chief Lappeus’ career to an end. In the so-called Besser-Chapman Corrupt Contract, Lucerne Besser had paid Mayor James Chapman a bribe in order to fire Chief Lappeus and name Thomas Connell as police chief. Connell’s nomination and its subsequent defeat by the City Council held up Watkinds nomination as chief for two weeks. Watkinds was only able to secure his nomination by a cash payment to the Mayor; a fact which Watkinds later admitted.
In early 1884 the police force numbered thirty-two officers, three Captains and the Chief. Chief Watkinds main priority was an attempt to gain control over the special officers hired by local businesses, but delegated with police power by the City. Watkinds was unsuccessful at getting control over the special police. The city was growing rapidly and the main residential areas had moved away from downtown toward the hills west of town. Downtown businesses insisted that they needed to have special officers, controlled by the business owners to protect their businesses from the rowdy transients that crowded downtown and the North End during the rainy season. Urban problems, such as homelessness were becoming more important for the Police Department. During the cold winter of 1883-1884 the Chief allowed homeless men to be housed overnight in the jail.
Watkinds’ term came to an abrupt end in 1884. His termination, and subsequent rehire of a policeman accused of sleeping while on duty, was the public reason for his dismissal. The Board of Police Commissioners retained control over hiring and firing of officers and Watkinds’ action was seen as overstepping the Chief’s power. A more important reason for Watkinds’ firing was his admission of paying a bribe to Mayor Chapman for his appointment. Chapman, facing impeachment, was struggling to hold onto his own power and was willing to sacrifice Watkinds, who remained a Democrat.
Watkinds went back to his old business of saddle and harness making. In 1887 he worked as a deputy collector of customs before moving back to Salem. His wife took a job as matron at the State Penitentiary and for three months in 1888 he worked as a fence guard there. Watkinds’ career came to an end in 1888 after a heated argument and altercation with the Penitentiary Superintendent. Watkinds resisted when the Superintendent ordered his arrest and subsequently was fined $2.50 for disorderly conduct. In 1889 Watkinds died of a sudden heart attack while in Portland. His wife remained a matron at the State Penitentiary until her death in 1891.
In 1870 Watkinds was appointed Superintendent of the State Penitentiary by newly elected Governor Lafayette Grover. By all accounts he overcame his lack of experience well enough; being re-appointed in 1874 and losing his position in 1877 when Grover left the Governor’s office for a Senate seat. After leaving the Penitentiary Watkinds was accused of mismanagement of funds while he was Superintendent. Political pressure was probably responsible for his move from Salem to Portland in 1879 and he was involved in several high-profile lawsuits, including a highly publicized libel case involving Portland Republican Joseph Dolph. His fight with Dolph and his estrangement from the dominant faction of the Democratic Party led to his alliance with the Republican “Mitchell Ring” and his appointment as Portland Police Chief in 1883.
Watkinds had a hot temper that caused him legal trouble on more than one occasion. In 1871, after unfavorable articles ran in the Statesman newspaper, Watkinds attacked the editor in downtown Salem, striking him with a whip. The editor responded by turning on Watkinds with a pocket knife, forcing him off the sidewalk. Watkinds then drew his revolver and started shooting and the editor scrambled into the nearest doorway. Despite cut clothes and a bruise from a bullet hitting a suspender strap, neither person was seriously hurt. In the following trial Watkinds was found not guilty and even won a subsequent lawsuit by the editor.
In 1883, Watkinds was appointed Chief of Police after the so-called Carrie Bradley Case that brought Chief Lappeus’ career to an end. In the so-called Besser-Chapman Corrupt Contract, Lucerne Besser had paid Mayor James Chapman a bribe in order to fire Chief Lappeus and name Thomas Connell as police chief. Connell’s nomination and its subsequent defeat by the City Council held up Watkinds nomination as chief for two weeks. Watkinds was only able to secure his nomination by a cash payment to the Mayor; a fact which Watkinds later admitted.
In early 1884 the police force numbered thirty-two officers, three Captains and the Chief. Chief Watkinds main priority was an attempt to gain control over the special officers hired by local businesses, but delegated with police power by the City. Watkinds was unsuccessful at getting control over the special police. The city was growing rapidly and the main residential areas had moved away from downtown toward the hills west of town. Downtown businesses insisted that they needed to have special officers, controlled by the business owners to protect their businesses from the rowdy transients that crowded downtown and the North End during the rainy season. Urban problems, such as homelessness were becoming more important for the Police Department. During the cold winter of 1883-1884 the Chief allowed homeless men to be housed overnight in the jail.
Watkinds’ term came to an abrupt end in 1884. His termination, and subsequent rehire of a policeman accused of sleeping while on duty, was the public reason for his dismissal. The Board of Police Commissioners retained control over hiring and firing of officers and Watkinds’ action was seen as overstepping the Chief’s power. A more important reason for Watkinds’ firing was his admission of paying a bribe to Mayor Chapman for his appointment. Chapman, facing impeachment, was struggling to hold onto his own power and was willing to sacrifice Watkinds, who remained a Democrat.
Watkinds went back to his old business of saddle and harness making. In 1887 he worked as a deputy collector of customs before moving back to Salem. His wife took a job as matron at the State Penitentiary and for three months in 1888 he worked as a fence guard there. Watkinds’ career came to an end in 1888 after a heated argument and altercation with the Penitentiary Superintendent. Watkinds resisted when the Superintendent ordered his arrest and subsequently was fined $2.50 for disorderly conduct. In 1889 Watkinds died of a sudden heart attack while in Portland. His wife remained a matron at the State Penitentiary until her death in 1891.