Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-07-10
ONLY OYERGROWN BOYS
Petty Jealousies Cause Strife
Among the Blue-Coats-
CHARGES AND COUsIERCHARCES MADE
~ All Of Them Are ~ Ne Believed the
fosss .. kottsn fhreagh aad Ihressh
Hut the Most Of Them Are
too Improbable


Among those who have occasion TO be
around the police headquarters 20 any
considerable extent. II has been we'll
known that there Was an eruption III
the ranks Of q few OF tile subordinates.
The first noticeable outbreak was wnen
Detective Johnson Was dismissed from
the force for conduct nnbecomIng al
officer while acting as a witness At Al
legan in a burglary case. II was
chat ged that he became intoxicated
while there and consorted with women
who bore unsavory regulations. Ills
first advent in Allegan wasin May. At
that time the only officer from Grand
Rapids was Detective Joe Smith, also
there as witness. and u 10 lntimated
that he gave Johnson away. However
tins may he, johnson has felt sore ever
since hls discharge and has lost no op.
portnnity u divest himself OF scand0
Gus insiDuations concerning other men,
bcrs of the force. Whether they are
we'll founded or not, johnson will have
an excellent chance 10 prove. The de-
tectves have been fighting among
| themselves, and the whole trouble Is
actuated by q petty jealousy which
would seem more at home among
school children. Each imagines him.
self more competent to hold the higher
Official positions than the present M
cumbcnts, and IN consequence OF this
| feeling there is
A Breach of Unity
| which prevents the officers all pulling
together and performing effective ser
vice. Johnson accuses Gates OF cowar-
dice and Gates retaliates 10y hurting
| similar accusation ut j. Il. Johnson. Ii
| Is alleged that Gates showed the white
| feather during the Sweetest. :. riot.
| Johnson saws that he was ON his way
home and had got as far as Wealthy
ave. when he heard the firing at Sweet
| st. In crossing field TO reach the
| spot he came IN contact with Gates
running with his revolver in his hand.
| When questioned he explained that he
was in pursuit of some of the rioters.
| Joe Smith is charged with having
secured 81 witness fees by making
false affidavit showing that he lad
served certain length OF time
| as witness in Superior
Court case, or at Allegan. The
most serious charge of all. aud one
which will not be gwen credence for an
| instant, is that IN which Johnson al
! leges that Sergeant Ralph Webb stole
50 from a prisoner whom he searched.
Sergeant Webb Is one OF the best known
and most highly respected officers on
| the force-an officer whose Standing
and character is such that any thing
| the disgruntied johnson may say det-
rimental to HIM will not affect him in
| the least. Seargent Webb has been on
| the force nearly tive years, during
three of which, he has been scargent.
For his mertbrious work and constant
attendance to duty he received
Promotion After Promotion
over the heads of older men, until he
was placed In the responsible position
which he now holds. Never, since the
first day he went upon the force has
there been mark against him. Under
| the most trying circumstances he is as
cool rs a cucumber and as brave as n
llon. Nothing daunts or prevents bun
from performing hs full duty. 1t only
takes little INVESTIGATION into the
case to thoroughly dscredIt the
charges made against him. A
prisoner is never searched upon being
arrested unless two or more officers are
present. This rule is seldom. if ever,
violated. No prisoner has ever COM
planned of being money short, unless It
was some bum who imagined he had
ten or fifteen cents when he was locked
up. Supt. Eastman and the other
officers depore the fact that anything
should have been printed concerning
the difficulty. as it Is not nearly 30 bad
as IT has been painted. 1t is the firm
belief OF all who know, that mere jeal-
ousy has caused the whole disturbance,
but that the instIgators have over
reached themselves there is no doubt.
Scrgt. Webb was approached regarding
the charges made against him, and said
that he was not surprised at the state
ments made by Johnson or anything
else that had been said about him. lie
regarded IT rs purely n matter of per-
sonal spite, and said he should leave II
to the citizens of Grand Rapids and the
police board TO determine whether he
was guilty or not. He had nothing 70
say against any OF the department, and
said that as for. himself he WAS conf
dent that he could disprove what had
been SAID against him 10 the entire s.t-
easfaction of every body. Sergt. Webb's
friends do not doubt this.