Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-16
FAITHLESS OFFICERS
Ten Policemen Summarily Dismissed
From the Force.
THE COMMISSIONERS STERN REBUKE
Trial Board and Major Moore's
Finding OvenuIed.
OTHERS MAY SOON FOLLOW
THE COMMISSIONERS STERN REBUKE
OTHERS MAY SOON FOLLOW


oihcers found in the club rooms at the
time has been reversed and they dismissed
from the police force
Since The Star first called attention to
the raid Commissioner TruesIeu Cwho has
the direct supervision CT the police force,
has been secretly looking into the matter
he mas left no stone unturned to get at
the facts, ana today sprung his surprise
At LIS suggestion special meeting of the
bCard of Commissioners was called 10 her
the reading Of a report upon police mat
tSrs- While the Commissioners had an
ldea OF wnat was coming. they did not know
such a clean sweep was contemplated
As soon as the board convened Co,nnis-
sloher lrueSdell called attention to his re-
port lie stated he had investigated the
subject which brought the board together
with great care, anl had Only arrived at
the conclusions contained In the reDDrt
winch he was about to present after care
Iul deliLeration- He then read his report,
Ehlcn Is as follows, and which was unani-
HouSLy approved by the Commissioners:
Ten Dismissed.
Mac Villain G.. Moore Superintendent
MetrcDciitan Police:
Dear Sir-The following named officers
are hereby relieved from duty and summar-
hy dismissed from the force:
Washington Sanford.
Z. J. Hayden,
VIM. Kemp
r.. r. Lee
Alex. McKie
j. 7. Hatton,
James FentOn,
Alvin Bryan.
J. II. Clements,
W. T. Hawkins
The first seven are men'De of the So
called Fat Mems Beneficial Association.
having its headquarters over and directly
connected with Wells saloon. at 3tT; III
street southwest. The first five named
were present on Sunday, although off duty
ras1 1asV I.v-C
Daley, and we're tried for entering bar
room premises where the law I'm reference
to the sale of liquor on Sunday was being
violated The charges were dismissed, it is
presumed upon technical grounds only. The
evidence shows that this association was
composed of policemen, saloon keepers and
others, the policemen and saloon keepers
constituting the active members and Mr..
Wells being the most active member and
chief beneficiary. The association was or
ganized at Gearsts saloon, the proprietor
of which was also a member, and since
then has met regularly once a week at
Wells place, where a keg of beer and
freshments were served to the members at
each meeting. On two occasions at least
the club, or a portion of it. met on Sunday.
in a room over the bar room, which during
the week was used in connection with the
latter for dispensing liquor TO Wells pa
irons, and Is practically a part of the sa-
loon. on the Sur day when the raid was
made the association was protected by
locked doors and the services of a sergeant
alarms. whose duty IT appears was to as
sault and eject any person. even officers of
the law, attempting to gain access. The
beer and refreshments were concealed in
the bath room, and had evidently been re-
moved from the refrigerator but a short
time previous.
They Were Tools.
The association numbers thirty-six and
the membership is limited to forty. The
beneficial feature, for which its organiza-
ton is claimed. consists of assessments of
81 i'll Nf IL
ceased members. 1t was claimed by Wells
when Daley entered the room that he had
presented the boys with a kes of beer"
but in his testimony, for obvious reasons,
he thought il better to admit that the beer
had been purchased of him en- the previous
Thursday evening and placed in the bath
room by him on Saturday evening.
That one of the special objects of the
meeting on Sunday may have been to make
arrangements for an excursion on the fol-
lowing day does not change the fact that
this combination of saloon keepers and po-
licemen was undoubtedly organized as So
ciaI drinking club, chiefly in the interest OF
the saloon men and as means OF enaDnnS
them to evade the law or violate 1t with
impunity. The benefits in the event OF
death derived from assessments or 81 from
not to exceed forty members, are 100 IN
significant to be seriously considered The
bar room was carefully locked ana exposed
to view on that Sunday, as required by
law but the contents of the bar were re-
moved to the bath room and dispensed
10 the persons gathered there in a room
which was used every day Of the week as
mart of the saloon and Connected with the
- ROOM with free access between them.
While this violation of the law was going
IN in Wells place, FentOn, another member
of the association, was patroirns ,in ms Deas sas
outside and knew that the meeting was
bsinp held inside. No wonder that when
called to assist Sergt. Mcnamara IN rdlu.
ing the place he gave no intlmapon OF
what was going on inside, and that When
caIIad 10 the assistance of Sergt. Daley he
failed to respond. Could 1T be supposed
for a moment that an officer VINO could SO
far forget his duty as TO enter INTO such re-
latiOus with salOonkeepers whose places OF
business he is especially charged with the
duty of watching, and reporting thoSe WhlCh
sell on Sunday. would give any nforma-
ton that would lead 10 the @ SCnN ictioii 1L
the latter no matter how hagrant their
IgoIatfon of the law might be? Surely not
These officers when they joined this asso-
ciation deliberately betrayed the trust re-
p0sed in them. and became the active tools
and agents of men whose purpose was to
violate the law. They are vett rams in the
service and have served long enough
among law breakers to enable them to
with every technicality of the liquor law
and were knowingly aiding and abetting
Wells in violating IL. The police force
must be relieved of such men, and those
WIZ might be weak enough to yield to SINH
Tar temptation warned that their punish
ment will be swift and sure after detec-
hOn.
other Cases.
Brysn is dismissed for trying. without the
slightest reason. to impeGch and discredit
the tes timOny of 9 bro ther officer before the
Police Court in the terest of saloon Keep
er I'M bis tAat uis Zeal in behalf of the lat
Ter charged with srIiims VIt f1,.:.c.@s, snd
convicted notwithstanding his testimony,
proves him lacking in the important quail
ifc.tiCns of a police Otficer-truthfulnes
IYs fat he
To others who have shown a similar diSpO-
sitlOn so frequently that the attorney for
the DIS trict has been compelled to make II
ers
Officers are reminded that their duty is
TO help convict and not defend, law break
ers.
Clements is dismissed for intoxication and
dasertion. He was recently appOinted upon