The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-16
THE WARFAREAGAINSTLANG
The Substance of the Charges Brought
Against the Nets Superintendent. :.
The Commissioners Claim that He Fails to Act
Az accordance with the Policy They
Have Marked Out for Observance.

When Superintendent Lang is brought to trial
on Thursday afternoon before the Police Com
missoners on the charges preferred against him.
there is q likelihood Of all the ms and outs Of
this pestiferous muddle being fully explained
The charges are sufficiently explicit and each
specification, except, probably, that sworn to
by Bernhamer, has history. One Sunday
evening last summer, Jewish wedding festival
occurred at Reichwein's Hail. There was
dancing, Of course and this Super
| intendent Lang stopped by having
the principals asserted. Nothing came out oft
however, as great deal was said in the way OF
public opinion against the act. and people direct
ly interested joined the forces opposed to the
superintendent, and who even at that time were
| anxious to have him removed. c. Deitch, in an
affidavit of regular form, brings this matter to
| the attention Of the commissioners.
Thomas Cottrell, when a member of the Po-
| lice Board, sought to have Lang tried for max
| ing an unofficial visit to house Of ill-fame
He did not at the time 60 at his object in the
| right way. Commissioner Murphy, when the
| charge was presented, signed by prostitute,
| remarked: This is lie."
TT is true, though" said Superintendent
Lang. II did 60 there, but with no improper
motive"
| The prosecution was not followed on account
of the discomfort it would cause q gentleman or
| two connected with the visit But this alleged
offense reappears in &C affidavit made by Thomas
Cottrell. The story of that visit has never been
| told. It is interesting in showing the guile
less simplicity of Colonel Lang One evening
| ex-Police Superintendent Robbins telephoned
Superintendent Lang from the Bates House that
he had friend who wanted to purchase horse
and buggy that woman of the town had to
| sell. will you 60 down there with himW asked
| Robbins.
Certainly" replied the accommodating Lang.
'All right, meet us at the Bates House within
| an hour"
| tendent Lang, and the very proper friend of the
| first named who could not buy horse and
| buggy from a woman of questionable character
without police guardian went to the house.
| They remained quite awhile. and found there
| two or three citizens of prominence Rumor
| got abroad, but there was nothing in IL, that
Lang entertained the select audience by dancing
| the can-can. The weight Of this offense lies
chiefly in its appearance and it is hardly to be
looked for that the Commissioners will pay much
attention to this charge, though both Com
| missioners Downing and Murphy are OF an
| opinion unqualified that . superintendent Of
| police has no business visiting such houses under
any circumstances. If they enter upon a
of wrong doing something in the nature of q SEN
| sation will be produced, as several hearts are
aching lest exposure relating to themselves will
follow. 1t is possible on this account the Com
missioners will not elect to try the Superinten-
| dent on his short coming in visiting house of
| bad standing to help friend Of Major Robbins
| The third charge in this entertaining narrative
| is supplied by Dennis Haley. 1t relates to the
Superintendent efforts in shielding Officer
Meek when he shot John Walsh. There is no
| doubt that Lang was somewhat overoficious in
that affair Meek WAS never under arrest, and his
suspension from duty pending an investigation
| did not take place until some hours after
| the shooting. Before the magistrate and grand
| jury Meek did not have stronger friend, to all
| appearances, than Lang. 1t was during his
period Of suspension, while employed at the
| transfer car that Meek grossly insulted lady
| by swearing at her and pushing her from the
| crowded platform Of the car, endangering her
| life and her two children. This Meek did be-
cause she did not step fast enough in struggling
| with the jam Of people. 1t showed the charac-
| teristic brutality OF the man. For the first
| time, yesterday, Commissioner Murphy learned
| the particulars Of this outrageous conduct.
| WHAT" said he, when a gentleman gave him
| the name of the lady; ''can it be possible?.
never knew the particulars"
s'Yet it was not only told to Superintendent
Lang but to Commissioner Morrison"
Neither reported it to the board. Why were
| not charges filedP
"Simply because the husband of the lady
| rested In the assurance of Lang and Morrison
| that Meek would receive attention. Morrison
| told him not to prefer formal charges, as Meek
| would be removed shortly on account of another
matter. 1T is no use for you to trouble yourself
or your wife in testifying before the board, said
the ex-Commissioner; we will remove Meek
| without that
Morrison never opened his mouth concerning
| it. think Lang referred to 1t generally. He
| mentioned no names-gave no particulars. He
simply said that he had investigated the matter,
and there was nothing in it As we had before
us no formal charges, l regarded the affair as
greatly exaggerated"
ut was not exaggerated in the least Lang
had every particular in relation to it the night
the outrage occurred. His statement to the
board Is direct question Of the veracity Of his
informant
sLang has evidently srie1 to protect Meek"
The fourth and last charge is preferred by W.
F. A Bernhamer. It refers to general in
efficiency In losing control of the force. and
claims that INSTRUMENTATION exists Colonel
Downing said yesterday: "If Lang is removed
there will be bowling, doubtless, that it was done
| in response to the liquor element. Let me say
| right here that Police Commissioners have moth
ing to do with the liquor men except to see that
| they obey the law"
| Has Superintendent Lang received any modi-
| fed instructions regarding these peoples"
mot in the least The instructions reHaain as
Cn6y were urSt SlVeH anu tnoy were TO arrest
verybody, high and low, found violating the
liquor laws. If violations exist, he is to blame.
| He has never been hindered in doing his duty.
| OF course when he established spy SYSTEM by
sending men out in citizens clothes. he was
| called to account Violations of the law can be
detected without acts Of that kind. If he has
knowledge that any saloon keeper is keeping
open after hours or on Sunday. l assure you the
Commissioners will not interfere when he ar
rests him.
sswhat Ia tha ohioctioo tn T,anoVi
Because he is not in accord with the board.
Some time ago he said he would resign if the
board unanimously asked him to do it. He was
given several days by unanimous vote of the
haa To- ocin ha nafi Nuaa mt han Il.