Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-31


Later, he found a poker game over Mil
| lers saloon. near Baltimore and Ninth. He
| could stand in the alley and hear the call:
| I'll go you 81 better"
'Ill raise you s. and call you" and other
familiar gambling expressions.
He conducted Sergeant Burk to the alley
| and they stood there and heard the play
| ing go on. He asked how it was best TO
| proceed and Burk told him he would take
| charge of the case. No raid was made; no
arrests followed.
Opposed by Arthur Moses.
ARTHUR Moses objected to my appoint
ment as policeman and L was told to go
to Commissioner Fyke and explain why he
opposed me. With Officer Goodnow | went
to see Mr.. Fyke and chatted with him, and
ne told me that 1 would not be dismissed
opportunity for defense. Later I was
| dropped without a charge against me or a
| chance for word of defense.
Joe Shannon's BuIIdozine.
II saw Joe Shannon command an officer
| who wears star AZ, at the election precinct
| at FIFTEENTH and Lydia. last fall, to keep
| all men with yellow badges back from the
polls. The officer tried to do it and ] told
him he was not doing right. The yellow
GIBBONS were worn by people who opposed
ION the 11th of October. while walking
| a beat on Independence avenue [ found a
man man lying on the walk with his head in
the gutter. He was beastly drunk and
| was SO dirty could not tell who he was
| until L got him up on his feet Then 1
found 1t was Sergeant Wofford. my su-
| perlor officer. He was angry at me and
| wanted to fight"
Whitsett Not Cross-Exnmined.
Walter whitsett. ex-sergeant of police.
was called back for cross-examination. He
| said the general understanding among
| members of the force was that officers
should be careful about making arrests. es-
| pecially of gamblers. He admitted there
was a distinction observed between violat-
n 10 flar,
blers were simply reported to superior Of
ncers and IN many instances nothing what
From the record Senator Gray brought
| olt the fact that in number of arrests
and amount of stolen property recovered
| during 1894 Whitsett's name headed the
| list. In 1895 he and officer Kennedy headed
| the list and in 1886, as sergeant, he headed
| the lists OF sergeants and captains in ar
rests made. He produced the letter of dis
| missal. He got it August q, 1896, when he
reported for duty at night. At that time
| Commissioner Johnson's brother was a de-
IecuVe, ana retained on the force and
| Johnson's father-in-law, who is 60 years of
| age, was also retained in violation of the
rules. A man with a cork leg was also
kept on the force, when rules required
| sound men who could pass physical exam
| ination. A detective. with one arm, was
/ also employed, but witness admitted the
| man, O'Hare, was an efficient and success
| ful detective, and a valuable member of
| the department.
Whitsett was not cross-examined about
| his remarks of police bribery and pay
ments of fees to detectives for protection,
| as had been expected.
f. p. Allen Testifies.
E. P. Allen, of the Star, related his visit
| West Ninth street. No man was at the
| door and the place was filed with men and
boys playing at the six tables running.
Boy GambIed His Earnings.
Martin Regua, a boy who lives at 21S1
| Summit street, and is employed as collect
| al Kansas nSfa
| testified to having gambled many times at
| Findley's place over Christie's saloon at
| 12OS Walnut. He played craps and roulette
and lost his money. He was told by other
| frequenters one evening to stay away as
the police were coming that evening on a
| raid. He stayed away and a raid was
| made. Booth and Gus Baughman were in
| charges of the place. Gus Baughman was
| also in charge of the place in the old Times
| building where witness played craps and
| lost more money. Charley Small. a boy
| who lives on Oak street, was with him and
| also played the games, as did many other
| boys. The boys who told him of the police
| raid were known as Butch and "Skin-
| ny" and We're frequenters of Christie's
| place. Butch" is a well known politician.
| witness said he was not of age. He had
also been in Grays hall at Southwest bou-
levard and Jefferson street, where big
| crap game was conducted.
Ex-Detective Cartyyright
.Ex-Detective Cartwright now deputy
sheriff said when he went on the force
| in May, 1895. Con Murphy inspector of de-
tectives, instructed him 20 get a list of
| policy shops. He gathered up the loca lion
| of 3 dozen places and turned them over
| to Murphy. Later he asked what was to be
done and Murphy told him not to rush, if
| anything was wanted he would be notified.
1 Understanding nothing was to be done, he
| gave no farther attention to the matter.
| WAS there n detective on the force Y no
was generally understood to be go be-
| tween with the police and the gamblers?''
asked W. II. Wallace.
YES, sir, there was. John Booth was
L. hot,
| He made frequent trips preceding raids
from police station to Pendergast's sa-
Loom" said Cartwright.
why were you discharged from the
Because I would not vote for Marcy
| X. Brown for chairman of the Democratic
cCUnty central committee" Much laugh
| teri
Tip to FindIey's Men.
DO you know of any time tip was
given to gamblers?"
Yes. sir, the night the police raided
Beams place on Eighth street. a tip was
given to the men in Findley's place at
I Pendergast,s, and when the two wagons
loaded with players from Beams place
the Flndley game back of Pendergast's had
closed and all of the players were out 10
give the laugh to the Bean players.
Il have been in nearly all of the gam
bling houses in the city; have seen other
detectives and policemen in the games too
| l have been in Cal MortonS gambling
| house. Crims poker room, Findley's place
in the old Times building, poker rooms al
Twelfth and Walnut and Christie's place
| In all cases 1 reported all places to the
chief. but no raid was made except al
| Crim's place, where thirty people were
| CAPTURED. l think there were eight poker
rooms running. Inspector Con Murphy
| gave us orders. The general order was
that TO raid was to be made except wher
specific instructions were given.
| Il have frequently seen Ed Findley talk.
| ing with Commissioner Johnson. 1t was
| about the time Mr.. Johnson was trying
| 10 be appointed as commissioner.
Il arrested n one-armed man in the
| Gibraltar building from whom I bought
| a policy ticket. Chief sent me out after
three particular people, but / could no
Il find the other two
! I'VE did not have the right kind of grand
| iuries and it would have been folly tC
carry the fact into that body. l made my
reports, that discharged my duty
Dismissed for Political Reasons.
BY Senator Morton: did you at an,
| time have any statement from either Com
missioners Fyke or johnson that your dis
missal was due to your vote against Brown
for chairman
Not from either commissioner. but dix
from Chief Irwin and Fred Fleming" saiC
Cartwright.
'.If you talked with Commissioner Fyk
about voting for Brown, what did he say,
asked Attorney Lucas.
He said to do as l pleased. he was no
I'm :, position TO talk advise"
What did the chief or Fleming say,
asked Attorney Wallace.