The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-09-28
HE WAS A SOLDIER
COMMISSIONERS TRY TO EXPLAIN
WHY THEY FIRED HIM.

emvtb. I.ieurepce and Keck on Trial for
Violating the Law in Regard to Dis
charging soldiers-Iry to Show that
Oaicer Ruckins was Inefficient and Inn
moraI-They Fall Back on Their Ignor-
ance of of the Fact that Huckins was a
soIdier-Keck, the Old Soldier, Keeps
His Record and Votes to Fire a Comrade
Police Commissioners Lieurance and
heck and Reconnaissance Smythe ap-
peared in Judge Walkers court yes
treday 10 answer to a criminal charge
preferred against them by County At
torney John Davis.
The charge was for discharging Of
ficer Huckins, who is an honorably dis
charged soldier from the police force
and retaining others no more efficient
contrary to law.
The commissioners were very conf
dent when they started in and boast
ed that they would show that Officer
Huckins was the least efficient officer
on the force but before the evidence
was all in they made il plain that
their ignorance of the fact that Huck-
ins was an honorably discharged sol
der would be their line of defense.
The state was represented by County
Attorney John Davis assisted by Col
onel Pat Rolnrbaugh and Colonel Dyer
represented the police commissioners.
The proceedings attracted a large mum
Der of people to Justice Walkers Of
fee and nearly all day ii appeared that
the commissioners had the best of the
battle but exOfficer HuckinS rallied
his forces in the Afternoon and turned
the tide in his favor.
The state introduced only a few wit
nesses TO show that Officer Huckins
was an honorably discharged soldier
and that ahe had been discharged from
the police force by the defendants and
other officers no more efficient retained
in violation of law.
Mr.. Dyer argued that they ought
to be allowed to show that the commits
sioners had not Intentionally violated
the law and if permitted they would
show that Huckins was the least eff
Gent man on the force.
Judge Walker said the commission
ers Were on trial and not Huckins but
in order to show the intent of the COM
misSioners it would be permitted TO
show that they had dismissed him for
cause.
County Attorney Davis knew that
vigorous attack would be made on
the prosecuting witness and he had on
his fighting clothes. He evidently be-
lieved that Officer Huckins had been
wronged and that the police commits
sioners had plainly violated the law in
order to get rid OF him.
Inc Vol l,;r-
court for the noon hour there was
sensational meeting in the hallway of
County Attorney Davis and Chairman
McCanless of the board of police COM
missioners and for a time there was
blood on the moon and a sulphuric
coloring in the atmosphere.
How long will this case last?' ask
ed Chairman McCanless.
Il am as yet unable to TELL" answer
ed the county attorney.
1T appears to me that this case is
being conducted with a view of getting
Costs
''Oh, you fellows make me tired about
expenses"
Yes, and am tired too
III you want to save costs to the
people why don't you have the police
stop working up these cases IN Tuck
er's court Your crowd will squander
$4,000 of the peoples money trying to
convict a couple of jointists and then
raise howl If eight or ten dollars is
spent in defense of an old soldier"
Il had nothing to with what you are
talking about. I have just been APP
pointed on the police board. You need
not try to bluff me-
Then some friends interfered and
white winged peace resumed her sway
and acknowledgements retired but the law
officer of Sedgwick county went of
walking on his ear.
The trial of the commissioners did
not become interesting until in the af-
ternoon when the effort was made by
the defense to prove that they We're
justifiable in discharging Officer Huck-
ins. The evidence developed that num-
erous complaints had been brought to
the commissioners against Officer
HuckinS the most definite OF which
seemed to have come from Rev. Ander-
son on the West Side and an assigna-
ton house up near the stock yards.
The charges against officer Huckins
as gained from eX-Chairman Smythe
of the board Of police commissioners
were:
Loafing around saloons.
Sitting on q wOman'S lap in a room
adjoining a saloon.
Riding in a hack with prostitutes
6nd trying to drum custom for an as
Signation house.
Disobeying orders of superior OFF,
GERS.
Arresting young girl who was
drunk and allowing the man who was
with her TO go free.
In order to understand the case il
VIII be necessary to remember that
officer HuckinS most of the time he
I.n-r Oh. ezT~ ID in ~
north part OF the city. his beat extend
ing from Oak street to the packing
houses, which is over a mile.
As TO the first charge but little at
tention was paid TO ii because he had
orders TO watch the saloons up near the
packing houses.
The second charge was virtually wip-
ed out when the defense put young
Emil PitZold on the stand as ne seemed
to have been responsible for the story
OF the officer sitting on the woman
lap. He is q nephew Of the proprietor
OF the Pitzold hotel and under the cross
fire OF County Attorney Davis he adj
united that his uncle's hotel was an as
ignation house.
Officer Huckins when on the witness
stand said the boy had lied but he adj
mitted that he slept one night in the
Pitzold hotel because. il was raining
when he went off duty at midnight
and he did not want TO walk home
through the rain.
Chief Massey was put on the stand
as an expert and he said HUckins was
guilty Of an act unbecoming an officer
when he climbed onto hack at Thir-
teenth street in which Were prosti-
iutes and rode 10 the stock yards. The
county attorney asked him il he We're
Awarded