The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-10
MAKES A PRETTY RECORD.
Our Partisan Police Force-One in Jail
for Murder,
FOUR DISMISSED FOR STEALING,

One Suspended for Being Drunk and
Absent From His Beat-Is This PO-
lice Force Any Better Than Hank
Lindsey's?
The board of police commissioners at
their session Saturday night discharged
three policemen and cut another of the
extra list for stealing and drinking beer,
but allowed the sergeant who had charge
of the night force and. who not only
knew of the occurrence, but helped drink
some of the beer at the station, of with a
reprimand.
The action of the board was the dis
charge of Patrolmen w. G. Hobson and
J. G. Johnston, Special Officer George
Matthews and John Haisch, extra
Reprimand Sergeant Frank Ellison and
Night Jailer Hopkins.
Frank Foster, the president of the
board was in favor of the discharge of
Ellison and the vote stood two to one,
DR.. McCabe voting with Commissioner
Holiday, the Democratic member. The
police board needs a change.
The officers did not deny that they had
stolen the beer. 1t was also admitted
that two nights last week beer was
taken from Frank Durein's cellar and
carried to the police station where
geant Ellison was present and helped
drink the beer without limiting to the Of
ficers that they had done anything but
their duty. The second time Sergeant
Ellison was not on duty.
Such an infraction of the rules on the
part of police officer in charge would
not be tolerated in any city in the
country but in Topeka where we have a
partisan police force and a weak -kneed
hoard of nOlica rom niaaiOpQrc
The third rule under which the police
force is governed is as follows:
"The use of intoxicating liquors by
policemen is positively forbidden, and
any policeman who enters drinking
house. or a gambling house, or a house
of ill fame, or any other house of evil re-
sort, except in the performance of his
official duty. will be discharged"
The fact that the police force is sadly
demoralized is apparent, but still men
are appointed policemen to protect the
lives and property of citizens of Topeka
a reward for political services.
Chief of Police Wilkerson is handi-
capped in the enforcement of the
law by police force which was not ap-
pointed because the members would
make good officers but because some
politicians said they should be ap-
pointed,
The commissioners appointed the
wrestler. Jack King, and ex-policeman
Henry Bernard on the force. Bernard
used to be a good officer, and King has
sufficient muscle to make one, if he has
judgment. which time will determine. ,
With one policeman in jail for murder.
four removed for stealing and one tenn
porarily dismissed for drinking and be-
ing absent from his beat it ought to be
pretty clear to the citizens of Topeka
that a partisan police force is as great
evil in Topeka as it is in New York.
When policemen are given their posi-
tons for political services or because
some friend has "influence" to put them
there, they will inevitably neglect their
duties because they do not hold their
places through merit.
The attempt to make the police force
all Republican has proved as disastrous
as the attempt to make it all Porulist
This police force has proved as dis
graceful as Hank Lindsey's; it isn't
whit better. This is the natural
result of partisan politics in municipal
matters.
The people of Topeka ought to learn
lesson from this, even the most biindlv
partisan. We do not want police force
that is either Republican, Populist, Dem
ocratic or Prohibitionist, but one COM
posed of capable men selected regardless
of politics. Patrolman Henry Steele
and great many others who were Oh
the old force should never have been
to make places for members
of ward Repu blican clubs.