The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-03-03
WHO FOR CHIEF 2.
Politics Has plunged Us Into
Troublesome Mire,
And Politics is Trying to Plunge
Us Deeper.
WHAT CITIZENS WANT
Is Preservation of Peace, Pro-
lection of Property.
Don't Want Police Force to Re-
ward Political Services.

Inc CHIeI Topic Oh COnV0ESdtLon OA hA0
streets today is who is to be named as
chief of police.
Both the leading candidates are at sea
and very little is now being done. Cap
tain Gardeners friends feel confident
that he will secure the appointment but
Sergeant Ellison is just as confident.
If the friends of Sergeant Ellison have
been to the governor that official has
shown no disposition to take a hand in
the matter and no orders have been re-
ceived.
DR.. McCabe of the police board insists
that no effort has been made TO influence
him by proffering support to his son Ar
thur, who is candidate for county al
torney. 1t was. however, rumoreG that
the Ellison supporters had made that
kind of move. and one of them was on
the streets last night Offering bets that
Ellison would be elected at the meeting
last night
would have been influenced in his actior,
by such motives, however. and it is
stated that it was without Dr. McCabe's
knowledge and consent that such Z deal
was hatched; nevertheless, il was
hatched and it is neither 'cainmuy"
uor reflection" to publish it. 1t was
simply news that there was such pro-
gramme on foot, and news that the pub
lie ought to know. No ripping OF linen
or shrieks from shocked respectability
should prevent the people who are most
interested from knowing what influences
are being brought to bear in this matter.
What would have been done at the
meeting last night is only matter Of
conjecture, for when it was found that
DIR. McCabe would not be present the
meeting was not called to order.
Both Commissioners Holiday and Fos-
ter refused to talk about the matter to-
dav, but it is evident that Commissioned,
pointmont of Ellison and President Fos-
ter is in favor of any one else but Ellison.
Elk Police Commissioner Bone brake
SAYS he is in favor of the appointment
of CaptaiE Gardiner as chief. He says
he is a tried and trusted officer aud
should be promoted. He thinks that
| Sergeant Donovan should be made cap
tain if Gardiner is promoted
Ex-Coumiss ioner Bon brakes opinion
in regard 10 Gardiner is shared by almost
all the other business mon in the CITY
and citizens generally who want their
| peace and property protected Business
| men don't care anything about reward
| ing this or that politician; what they
want is a police force that will prevent
thieves from breaking into their stores
| and houses, or if they are broken iutc,
! will promptly capture the thieves aud
tsrrorize all evil doers. Under Gardeners
two administrations more criminals
were CaDLuE6O tAdn uuOCL AAnb "a
| any other chief. The reason
of this is plain. Gardiner has been an
| officer for nearly fifteen years. He knows
| almost every member of the criminal
class in Topeka by sight and reputation.
As chief of police he made it study
| to know what the 300 permanent crimi-
| nails and vagrants of Topeka were doing
| all the time, SO that when crime was
! committed he could almost unerringly
lay his fingers the guilty man. Gar
! diner is a terror to the criminal classes
He knows them and they know that te
does.
Some years ago the force of patrolmen
under Gardiner was skilled and we'll
| drilled; it is somewhat deteriorated and
! demoralized now, because old expert
| enced policemen who were acquainted
with the faces and customs of the law
breakers were dismissed and their places
| filled with green mentor political
reasons. This was first done by the
| Populists. They ruined the police force,
but they left few old s.andbys; when
| the Republicans came in the pressure
| for office vas so terrific that stand as
they could against it, the commissioners
were forced into the same mistake
| The force was entirely 'cleaned OUT
and none but new men put in. The re-
| suit every citizen knows.
1t wasn't long before one policeman
| was caught drunk in an alley, an
other was dismissed for bribery and
drinking, two fed fearing Indictment by
the grand jury for stealing, two more
were dismissed for robbing a mans Gel
lar of beer and drinking it in a grand
drinking bout at the police station, in
which one of the present candidates for
chief of police took a part; another Of
this police force is in jail for man
| slaughter
This is not a nice record.
1t is all due to the fact that politics
| secures man a position on the police
fierce, instead of merit or the recommeu-
dation of numb Der OF reputable citizens,
irrespective of party, az it ought to be-
Hank Lindsey's Populist political po-
lice force was a crying disgrace to this
city, and its Republican successor,
though not as bad, is discreditable-
No one would think of dragging the
| fire department into politics and subject
| ing the force to change for political rea-
| sons. The business men would hold an
Indignation meeting were such thing
attempted. For the same reason fbe pO-
lice force should be lifted clear ont Of
| politics. If any man wants a job on II
for political reasons, that ia very good
reason why he should not have il.
The fight for the place of chief may
result in compromise, and in that case
new man will be selected. 1t is likely
that if the commissioners go outside the
present force, that Lieutenant II. 81.
Phillips will be named, but the fact thai
he has no experience, will be apt TO pre-
vent him from doing the work necessary
| to secure safety to the city.