The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-04-10
AFTER THEIR SCALPS
Members of the Police Whose
Jobs Are in Danger.
Tonight'S Police Board Meeting
to Tell the Tale.
STEELE AND CAPR0N
STEELE AND CAPRON
Scheduled For RemovalByT Those
Near the Throne.
Tramps and NabObs Alone Have
Friends 1t Seems.

Police Sergeant Henry Steele and
| Patrolman O. Nj. Capron are marked
men in the eyes of one who stands near
the Populist throne-Mr G.. c. Clemens.
| At the meeting of the board of police
commissioners this evening they will
/ elect new force of policemen as the
| term Of Office of every patrolman and
officer on the force expires at this time.
Mr.. Clemens, who has for years been
known as the friend and counselor of
the poor and down trodden who are the
victims of the police, wants these two
officers removed in the interest of true
! reform.
Patrolman Capron committed the un-
/ pardonable sin when he shot the tramp
Frank Brogan, although the police COM
missioners have, so far, declined to look
at the offence in that light. The gene
raj public also looks at Capron's offence
with little severity.
The commissioners have retained or
fcer Capron, but by a very slender
thread. His retention at all does not
satisfy Mr.. Clemens, and he has appealed
to higher court, and Governor Lewell-
ing has asked the commissioners to send
him detailed report of their investiga-
ton in the Capron tramp shooting case.
Officer Capron was given a ten days
lay off for cursing Gore Stuck in a North
! Topeka restaurant because Gore Stuck
criticised the officers actions in shooting
Brogan.
AS soon as the ten days expired he was
reinstated and now wears a star and
walks a beat like any ordinary inoffen-
sive policeman. Mr.. Clemens thinks to-
night would be good time for the COM
missioners to dispense with Capron's
services
Police Sergeant Henry Steele, who
has generally been considered among
the best, if not the most efficient, officer
on the force and who is the only man,
Eow on the force, who was appointed,
at the time the metropolitan police de-
partment was organized, has too much OF
a record as tramp catcher" to suit Mr..
Clemens.
Steele has a record of having arrested
more tramps and raided more box cars
than any officer in Topeka, and this is the
main cause of Mr.. Clemens warfare
upon him.
In reciting the record of Sergeant
Steele Mr.. Clemens favorite charge
against him is that that officer arrested
deserters from the United States army
from Fort Riley simply for the few dol
lars reward paid for their detention by
the government. According to MIR.
Clemens idea of things. it would be more
proper for the policeman to have given
the deserters a quarter to get square
meal and then direct them how to keep
out of the way of Uncle Sans detectives
who are hired to catch them.
Mr. Clemens appeared in police court
this morning the attorney for George
Seiber, Frank Collins and Isaac Moore,
three young men who were arrested on
Kansas avenue few nights ago by Ser
geant Steele on the charge of drunken
ness and resisting officer. Mr.
Clemens paid particular attention to the
fact that Steele fourished his club, and
although this case is not yet decided,
Mr.. Clemens argues that it shows very
plainly why Sergeant Steele's services
should be dispensed with by the reform
administration. One of the members of
the police board, it is said, is pledged to
Steele's removal
Since it was only a few months ago
that Policeman Wiley was discharged
from the force for arresting a lot of high
up railroad officials and now that the
interest of the tramps are being SO ably
looked after the common people in the
middle walks of life must watch out as
they are the only people whom the police
can arrest without being called to account
by the powers that be.