The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-09-24

the police muddle will meet this even
ing at o'clock in tho room of the
Hastings Court. The committee is COM
posed of NIessrs. Eckloif, Coo HUFF,
Sheehan, Wolch, Camp and President
Buckner as chairman.
A large number of witnesses have
been summoned to appear before the
committee, and tho proceedings viii, no
doubt attract a large crowd.
1t is understood that charges not only
against Chief Morris will be heard, but
thatany information leading to tho an
expose of the system, or any dcrcliction
of duty on the part of any officer, will be
heard
Tho committee is very anxious to
bring out everything OF 4 corrupt ma
ture and thoroughly reorganzc tho pre-
sent force. They desire to settle for
good the trouble existing between Ger
tain members, and perfect the organiza-
ton in such manner rs will be an
honor, rather than discrcdit to the
city.
The police commissioners appointed
Officer Brown as chief yesterday morn
ing until the investigation is over.
Sergeant Jones will retain his position
as usual.
A great many facts concerning reck-
less management about police head
quarters will he brought out before the
committee if tho evidence can be Sc
cured.
Ono Of the charges is that several
watches which were taken from prison
ers incarceratcd at police headquarters
have disappeared. The fact was re-
ported TO Mayor Evans some weeks ago,
but whether an investigation was ever
made is not known.
The watches have been kept in q
drawer with Il common lock, and whether
they were stolen by some outside party
or Incorporated by some policeman
is still mystery. But some one is re-
sponsible, and the matter should be
thoroughly sifted.
The question raised that pistols which
had been confiscatcd, were used by the
police, or misappropriatcd by the chief,
caused furore OF excitement yesterday
morning.
Mr.. Morris appeared before Mayor
Evans at the close of tho police court,
and desired it to be understood that he
had Fever placed but two lots of pistols
atauction houses in the city and those
could be accounted for. Those taken
from prisoners since were still in pos
session Of the court except those used
by few officers, which had been given
out according to the mayors instruc-
tions.
Mayor Evans advised Mr.. Morris to
pay no attention to what the ncwspa-
pcrs said The committee would at
tend to that matter, and no ono else had
anything to do with it. lIo said such
publications should not be made.
The mayor then opened drawer CON
tanning large lot OF pistols. and said
he thought all tho pistols could be &C
counted for.
There arc cascs,of sleeping on beats
and drinking in tho rear Of saloons
which have been freely talked of by the
public, but which have never been re
ported.
1t is we'll known fact that the Sun
day liquor law is violated on Railroad
avenue every Sunday. The police are
well aware OF these facts, but do not
report them. 1t is only in cases where
negro den is raided that a groa t spread
is made. In places where the Sunday
law is violated the police who generally
patrol that beat arc powcrlcss to act
Those who are free from bribe are
hustled OFF to some far away beat, and t
is alleged boldly by saloon keepers that
some of the police dare not report.
And why?
You report mo and I'll have you fired
OFF the force for drinking on the heat. -
This is the well-detined answer. and
some OF the officers know it. This is
why the outrageous practice goes on
| every Sunday that dawns IN Roanoke.
81 rNf
faithful fellows, and it is hard for them
to bear the insinuations heaped upon
the force just now. Yet these few are
making no complaint. lnwardly they
know the charges do not apply to Them
and they only smile at the attacks
which will wipe out the guilty, and
bring the trusted ones up to their pro-
per positions.
One of the wrOSt features about tho
system is the notorious detective work
that is being carried on by some of the
members notably by Schancks and
Wolfe. The latter officer has not done
two weeks assignment duty since last
January, but for some reason best known
to the authorities he has been allowed
to move as he pleased on all occasions,
rather as an Ornamental regular white
elephant on the city of Roanoke at the
rate of SEQ a month.
These arc facts and can be substan-
tiated. Tho work pretended to have
J been done by this officer was nearly all
for the commonwealth. The Massie
case occupied his attention for several
months, although there was a detective
| paid to do this work.
Again, when the murderer Mex nigh t
escaped from North Carolina, and big
reward was offered several months ago
for his capture, the attention and
time of Wolfe and several others were