The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-10-06
OFF GOES HIS HEAD
CHIEF OF POLICE MASSEY GOES OUT
AND BURROWS GOES IN.

Police Commissioners Want Napoleon
Policemen are Expected to Do sherif's
Work Because They are Not Under
Bond Massey was Afraid of Damage
suits - Commissioners are jumping
Jacks and Somebody Else Pulls the
string-surmises to Who is Pulling
the String-Finds No Fault with MASSEY
Last night Chief of Police Park Mas
sey received orders from the police COM
mission TO Vacate his Office on Monday
morning in favor of Charles Burrows.
The people of Wichita differ in re-
cara 10 the policy TO be pursued in re-
gard to the liquor traffic but in regard
to the official integrity Of Park Massey
they are pretty nearly unanimous. They
concede that he has been faithful Of
ficer
The official conduct Of Mr.. Massey
was not satisfactory to the police COM
missioners nor is that strange. The
police commissioners are looking for
sort OF a Napoleon who will trample
under foot official customs and the wis
DOM or ages preserved in court decis-
ions
Ihey want a man for chief of police
VINO by his OWE inherent power can go
torth and Samson-like stay the deal
ers In hop tea irrespective of personal
rights or business interests. This Chief
massey could not do and he had to go.
IL has been known for several days
that Chief Massey was anxious 20 get a
decision from the supreme court on his
naoeas corpus case carried up from
Justice Jones court.
he had captured liquors and bar fix
lures under orders of the police COM
mlssioners and 10y their command had
refused to surrender them on a writ of
repIevin. No officer of ordinary eau
ton would like TO proceed in such a
business in contempt of the local courts
in absence Of a decision from the su-
preme court.
Every one of such cases is liable, in
case OF an adverse decision Of the SUI
preIne court, to result in a damage suit
Ihe man who is insolvent and expects
70 always remain so can go on in de-
nance OF damage suits but an ambitious
man in middle life like Park Massey
ooes not Ike to take such chances
he became nervous on account of the
delay Of the supreme court in deciding
his case and the commissioners took
this TO be lack of interest in the cause
OF prohibition and they lost faith in
him.
There is not policeman, constable or
deputy sheriff in this city but will tell
You in confidence that the sheriff and
constables are not permitted to serve
the assistant attorney generals search
and seizure warrants for the reason
that they are bonded officers. The DO
lice are allowed to do the work because
the commissioners think they are ire
sponsible for any damage they may do |
IN the execution of their orders and If |
Park Massey is responsible they do not |
want him.
Ihere were numerous expressions of !
regret last night because of the retire
ment Of Chief Massey, but it was con- |
ceded that il makes but little difference |
who is chief Of police so long as the /
police commissioners are not in har- |
money with the sentiment of the peo-
pie.
When Chief Massey was notified to |
Vac2ts by the commissioners he asked |
them to tell him plainly whether or not
in their opinion he had been faithful to
his trust. The commissioners replied
promptly that they found no fault with
his official conduct.
Then why did they remove him was
the question asked many times last
night Are the police commissioners
citizens of Wichita responsible to the
people or are they jumping jacks who
move when somebody else pulls the
string? The latter would seem to be
true II the police commissioners dis
charge Chief Massey and then say they
found no fault in him.
That seems TO be the conclusion of the
business men who expressed opinions
last night and many were the surmises
as TO who was pulling the string. Some
said ii was Governor Morrill, and Others
that 1t was Attorney General Dawes.
but a much larger number said it was
a local liquor firm.