Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-09
TO BE INV ESTiGATE D
What Major Moore Says About the Police
Scandal.
His Attention Called to 1t by Assist-
ant Attorney Pu&h and
Lieut.. GessfOrd.

| James L. Pugh, tr.. special assistant at
| torney for the District Of Columbia, who
| prosecutes District cases in the Police
| Court, made a move. yesterday, which call
| ed Maj. Moore's attention to the evidence
given in cases this week by policemen, and
which. in all probability, will result in an
investigation. The case Of Sam Newton,
] the colored man arrested for alleged va
-ency, and that Of Mrs. Bergman for an
g,- violation Of the Sunday law. brought
allegeo 'aence of the police indicating
out the ev,,.> >raethins wrong. 1t tended
that there was ~ot combined effort
to show that there Is Ia -,o,ica officers to
being made on the part OF ore the fault
do their sworn duty. Just VIII ice in
lies may, perhaps, be settled by po.-
vestigatioh. .r-. +*~s o'H~- -..
Mr. Pugh, after hearing the evidence OF
the officers in the cases, concluded that
some action on the part of the police de-
partment was necessary. He thought that
Maj. Moore should, at least, know what was
going on, and so he sent him the following:
Mr. Pugh's Letter.
'T desire to call your attention to a prac-
tice that has recently grown up among the
officers of the police force. which, to say
the least, is very demoralizing, and impairs
the efficiency Of the force and embarrassing
to me In the prosecution of cases.
lowing to the factional fights and per-
sonal feud3 existing between members of
the force, 1t frequently occurs that some
member of the force will take the stand in
behalf Of the defense, and do everything in
his power to prevent conviction, some
times going SO far as to swear that the rep
utation for truth and ve-acity Of the officer
Is bad, and that he woul1 not believe him
rnder oath.
1.-TWO instances of the kind, of a very
fagrant character, occurred yesterday, and
/ think that your department ought to take
some action In this matter. as 1t is on the
increase. and, If allowed to continue, will
seriously jeopardize the prosecution of cases
in this court"
wrote Maj. Moore a letter calling his at
tention to the facts which were shown in
the Police Court case In connection with
Policeman Gsiabert, whom Officer Bryan
officer Gelabert was transferred from the
fourth precinct some time ago because of
his alleged misconduct in connection with
a contemplated whisky raid.
What Major Moore Says.
Maj. Moore, speaking to a Star reporter
this morning. said he had not heard of the
Gelabert case until the proceedings in court
| two days ago, and he expressed surprise
that he had not heard Of 1t before
Concerning Judge Taylor's remarks yes
terday Maj. Moore said he thought the
police had as much right to crittcise the
| court as the court did to criticise the force.
There is no inducement offered to police
men to make needless arrests, he said, for
| the number of cases he makes has nothing
| to do with his promotion.
'"The matter will be thoroughly investi-
gated" said the major. after Mr.. Pugh's
letter had been discussed, land then 1t will
| be seen where the wrong lies, and 1t will
| be rectified as promptly as possible"
Maj. Moore will probably see the Com
missioners before taking any action In the
case.