Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1896-10-11
SPEAKS IN His own DEFENSE
CHIEF IRWIN REPLIES TO ADVERSE
CARNIVAL WEEK CRITICISM.
Says He Successfully Controlled the
Vast Crowds That ThronEed the
Streets During the Par.
ades and Other Events.

heaped upon him by certain newspapers
about the way he handled the crowds dur
ing carnival week, and especially the great
throng at the fire department exhibition
Friday evening on Grand avenue between
Ninth and Tenth streets, Chief Irwin said
last night:
Il know very well the people of the city
do not believe what they saw in some Of
the papers because they saw for them
selves what actually occurred. The same
course was pursued this year as the year
before in regard to the handling of the
crowds of carnival week. This is true re-
garding the mounted men and patrol
wagons being used to handle the crowds
Friday night. 1t was a special request of
Grand Marshal Halliwell and Chief Hale
that L have the mounted men and patrol
wagons ready for use on the occasion of
the fire department exhibition on Grand
| avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets.
ut was expected of me that clear that
meager space for the accommodation of the
fire department, and for this purpose I
took two patrol wagons, with two officers
in each wagon, two sergeants and eight
patrolmen mounted, and three sergeants
and thirty. patrolmen on foot, besides nine
detectives in citizens clothes. Even with
this force. when l saw the crowd of be-
tween 10000 and 4e.0oO people all struggling
to be cleared for the exhibition, I must
confess was somewhat appalled,. But my
word was out to Chief Hale that his eXhi-
bition would come off, and it did without
sirgle man, woman or child, SO far as 1
have heard, being injured by a patrol
wagon, horse in the service of the police
or policeman. There were some ladies
who tainted because they were caught in
the struggling mass of humanity, for which
l was in no wise to blame.
year was e hisblY w commended os en bv the board
Of directors of the Priests of Pallas and
Karnival Krewe by resolutions passed and
published. And believe that the people of
this city were universally of the same opin-
ion. The same methods were adopted this
year, with equal success. and | am per-
zens of Kansas City, as well as our visit
ors. AS regards carnival night found it
one of the features of carnival week when
| took the office. so I permitted it to be
held last year.
There was no one killed as on the year
before and no excesses. and everybody
crowd. which 1 successfully controlled by
these same patrol wagons giving effectual
very different spirit. by 10 o'clock at night,
actuating the people who had taken pos
session of the streets. not for fun, but for
deviltry, and there were introduced several
new features, namely, the daubing of paint
upon the faces and clothing of the passers-
Dy, Inc blowing Oh HOur into tile races OIL
people and over their clothes: and the beat;
ing of people over the head with inflated
blsdders. melting fights. disorder, etc.
e am ce .ns nS boos and
negroes and lewd women, masked and un-
masked. was a menace to our city. as well
they were entirely beyond the control of
the police, resolved me that it should never
again occur in Kansas City so long as !
had control of the police force. and at IL
o'clock 1 called the reporters of the two
morning papers and authorized them to
make that statement to the public l want
nival Krewe had no connection whatever
with the performances of these people upon
that night. and so stated. and gave that
one of the reasons for making the state
ment, as 1 knew it had no head. 1t was
simply an outgrowth of the weeks festivi-
ties, for which no organization Is RESPONSE
Il have no argument with the papers
that have, as / think, criticised me. but
am willing to rest the case with the people.
part of whom saw all of some of the pa
rades, and who saw how the crowds were
handled and how the parades got through
the streets, affording our own people and
sights with pleasure and safety.
There were no accidents. as I said be-
to the fact that cautioned and Informed
every mounted policeman that 1 would
hold him responsible for tramping upon
anyone. and reminded the men of the fact
that those in front often could not get back
because of the hundreds of others in the
rear Of them who were struggling to get to
the front: that they must remember this
fact and be patient, and give everyone a
reasonable. time to get out of the street.
It this order was not carried out it has
failed to come to my attention.
II have simply to say that have done
the best I knew how: that the department
worked hard and faithfully under great
difficulties. and while we ask no commen-
dation. because we have simply done our
duty. to be criticised without good cause
is unjust, and a poor return to the men of
this department for week of such ardu-
ous labor. working. as they did. eighteen
hours day for the week"