The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-09-03
DONOVAN TEST|F|ES
IN The PRATT CASE,

SalQ mat II Was al Cnle1 traits Sug-
gestion that the lease was taken in
the name of her father; that holding
the position he did. he could not afford
TO be connected in the renting Of his
house for prostitution. Said Essie Wat
kins also told me that she had agreed
with Pratt TO pay Pratt a certain sum
per month for the rent of said build
ing. What the sum was T cannot re-
member. That when I sent word to
said Essie Watkins to remove from said
building she came to Headquarters and
tod me she would not leave; that she
mad paid rent and had spent a large
amount of money in making improve
ments, and would not leave unless she
was paid back what she had paid out
/ told her it was the orders q the chief
that she must get out, and she then
told me she would expose him for rent
ing a place that he had an interest in
for house of III fame While he was
chief of police
CONSULTED Mr.. LANNAN.
went to Mr.. Lannan for advice. and
ne sent me to Judge o. w. Powers, to
whom l went, and there learned that
he (Powers) was attorney for Essie
watkins. He took out a book and read
lot of things to me, showing how I'M
Just II WAS for Pratt to try to put Els
sic Watkins out after renting her the
building, and allowing her to spend SO
much money in improvements
THEN PRATT CAME HOME.
After a good deal of work and man
euvering, l got the Watkins woman out
Of the building and informed Chief
Pratt Of the fact. and he came home.
PLAYED DOLLAR LIMIT.
While was captain of police, at the
urgent request Of Chief Pratt. 1 Joined
the Union club. which = as then To-
Gated in the Hooper 4 Eldredge block
on Main street. One night Pratt and
others Gambled at playing poker for 81
limit from about II p. m. until after
daylight the next morning. This vas in
the summer of 1855. I have seen him
gamble at said place for money a great
many times before and after said time
from evening until or o'clock in the
morning Said Pratt was at those
times chief Of police of the city.
DEATH TO HARMONY.
Arthur Pratt became chief of police
Jan. /. 1894, taking the place of Cap
tain Samuel Paul. at the time he took
said Office the force was in a harmon
iOus and contented condition. This con
dition continued until about April 1.
force. became the constant confident
and Intimate Of Pratt. That said Ford
and said Pratt began laying plans to
get rid Of the old men On the force and
set in other men of the same kind as
themselves. and from about April /
1894, down 10 the time / left the de-
partment. there was not an hour that
there was harmony or contentment in
the department. Nor was there time
when there was not two or Inore fac
tons amenG the men.
No CONFIDENCE IN THE CHIEF.
That very few of the men had any
confidence in the chief. They believed
and said that he was after the heads
of most of the old men, and was so
Inscriptions that he would <.sort TO
any means to accomplish his ends. That
the fact is that during the time the
said Ford was in said department he
was great cause of contention, He
was a liar and had perjured himself
some of the men claimed. and was in
dicted for perjury while on the force,
all OF which was we'll known TO Chief
Pratt, and yet when any member of
the force made complaint to the chief
about him he was threatened with dis
Inissdl If he said anything further about
the matter. That on several occasions
with the knowledge of the chief. Ford
while only a sergeant changed men On
their posts, that l had placed, and tIA
my protest to the chief, he simply said
he would inquire into ii. but never did.
Pratt at one time told me that when
Ford had it in for man he (PratO
would give that man a poor place
SHARED THE SECRETS WITH
LANNAN.
That during all the time was in the
department, Chief Pratt was constantly
giving the secrets CT the officers TO
Pat Lannan and the Tribune and the
men all understood that was the case,
and there was never an important case
came IN but what Lannan WaS colln-
selled With in regard TO the same by
the chief. instead of taking the men of
the force into his Conscience, which
caused dissatisfaction among the men.
That at the time the council ordered a
decrease in the number of men on the
force TO the number of ten, Pratt pre-
pared a list of the men to be dis
charged, which was as follows:
LUND. YOCITN
ESLTNGER. DUKE,
LIVINGSTON. LARSEN,
BROWN. CANNON,
JOHNSON, EVERIL
who were without doubt the most eX-
perenced men ON the force, and all Of
whom Except Livingston) had been a
long time on the force and against
whom no one could with truth say
anything. and the reason these men
we're selected was understood 10 the
men to be because said Ford did not
Ike them. as they took no stock in him
knowing the sort of nan he was. That
many complaints we're made by differ
ent officers of the condition Of Ford.
which was known by ali men on the
force. but no COMPLAINT would he en-
tertained by the chief. Said Ford was
at one time accused OF buying beer
for woman while on duty as SER
geant on the right shift. and asking
her 70 so with him to a room in the
Singer block. which she refused to do
and complained to me about il. and
bV order OF the chief I investigated
the matter and made him a written
report Of ii. in which it was found that