The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-09-02
GAINES SUSPENDED.
The Policeman Who Beats Women
and Killed Cruger
IS DROPPED FROM TIE SERVICE

BY the Police Board, Pending His Ex-
animation in Court on the Charge OF
Murder-The Police Commissioners
VIII Not Take Up His Case for Two
Weeks.
Police Officer II. E. Gaines, who shot
Albert Cruger and pounded with his club
the North Topeka Russian women, has
been suspended from duty by the police
commissioners. This was a wise action
on the part of the commissioners and in
line with the usual capable action of the
board.
At the regular meeting of the police
commissioners Saturday night it was de-
oided to postpone the regular police ex-
animation of the charges against Officer
Gaines pending his examination on the
charge of murder in the courts. Ex-
Policeman A. R. Jester was made a
special officer for two weeks to take
Gaines place.
Chairman P. l. Bonebrake of the COM
mission said: ''The very fact that Gaines
was under arrest demanded his suspen-
sion pending his trial. 1t is just the
same with policeman as with a military
officer; his suspension from duty follows
his arrest pending his trial in the courts.
If we had decided to have held an ex-
animation we could not have sworn our
witnesses, and his examination in the
courts will be more thorough than it
would be with u.s."
The preliminary examination of Officer
Gaines, on the charge of murder, is set
for Thursday, September 5, before JUS
tice Furry.
The police officers have been busy
since Gaines arrest hunting up evidence
in his behalf to be used at the coming
preliminary examination, and it is given
out that the memb ers of the Robbins
family who were getting ready to move
when Cruger was killed, have since
moved to Missouri
The members of the Robbins family
were the most important witnesses
against Gaines and were in fact the only
people who witnessed the killing and if
they do not come back for the prelimi-
nary examination the chances for Gaines
not being bound over to the district court
will be very much increased.
Aside from the Cruger killing, which
! is serious enough in itself, there remains
absolutely no excuse for the beating of
women with clubs. Such brutality
should not be permitted by members of
| the police force a single instant. The
people of Topeka can't afford to encour-
| age the beating of women. A wife
| heater is the most detestable creature on
earth and the time has not come when
this city will officially endorse the strik
ing of a woman by a man.
If Gaines should be discharged at the
| preliminary examination for the Cruger
killing the police commissioners should
not neglect to make a thorough inVestl-
CATION into the Etzel case.
MAY RAISE POLICE PAY
| Commissioners Pause Between Economy
and Provision of the Law.
The metropolitan police law provides
! that the salaries of patrolmen may be
raised SIS a month after they have served
| six months.
| Policeman Owens, who was on the old
force, has been drawing 500 month for
some time, but Saturday night the COM
missioners reduced his pay to $50 a
month.
The six months after which all the
patrolmen expected to be put on the 500
basis has expired, and the commissioners
are now discussing the advisabIlity OF
making the increase.
President Bonebrake says Ovens sal.
airy was reduced simply to put him on
the same basis as the other men. and the
commissioners expect to decide next
Saturday night whether the So increase
will be allowed. If it is compulsory by
the law, it seems the commissioners will
have no option. Ffty-fve dollars is not
too much for an active. faithful police.
man.