The herald., 1897-09-30
Santa Monica Officers Do
About as They Please
SOME INSTANCES OF RECORD
WHERE ARRESTS WE'RE NOT
MADE
High-Handed Proceedings Of Marshal
Dexter and His Deputies-A
Justice Makes Complaint

The season which has just closed at
Santa Monica has brought that resort
undesirable notoriety through the Wis
itation Of gang of card sharps and con-
fidence men who operated there extens-
lively for several weeks, with what sue
cess long list of unfortunate suckers
can testify. The business of these bunco
men was carried on with the greatest
openness. In fact it may be said of them
that they were absolutely innocent of
any attempt at secrecy. This gambling
and feecing of victims was in fragrant
violation of law, to be sure, yet these
men even boasted that they did not fear
arrest. The people knew what the con-
fiderce men were doing and were ac-
quainted with the location Of the dens
into which the suckers" were steered.
Visitors to the seaside who went to San
ia Monica heard of the bunco men and
their operations, and yet through all
this the officers there appear never to
have had an inkling of the facts.
Whether or not the officers really were
densely ignorant of the conditions which
unquestionably existed cannot be stat
ed, but there are those in Santa MoNica
unkind enough to say that the officers
were not ignorant of the gamblers
methods, and, what is more, that the
operations of the card sharps were car
ried on with their full knowledge and
even connivance. Whether this be true
or not, there certainly is condition Of
administration now in effect at Santa
Monica that would seem to need REM
edying.
An examinations Of the records in Just
Ice T. H. Wells court shows state Of
affairs in reference to the serving Of
warrants which might be made the basis
of some pertinent inquiry by the next
grand jury. For instance, in one case
warrant of arrest was issued for Edwin
James, December 4, 1896, on charge Of
fast driving. The warrant was turned
over to Marshal G. B. Dexter for service
and he returned it on the 18th inst, nine
months later, without having made the
arrest and without any explanation why
he had not served 1t. The following en-
try in reference to the matter is found in
Justice Wells record: September 16,
1897: The warrant of arrest in this action
which was delivered to the town mar
shall on December 4, 1896, was this day
returned by him to the court without the
date even of it's receipt by the marshal
or anything else written thereon"
In reference to this case it may be said
that the complaining witness i'm the ac-
ton was I. A. Willis, who was knocked
down and run over by James on the
night Of November I'd, 1896, receiving in
juries which kept him confined to his bed
for several weeks. He swore to the conf
plant charging James with fast driving,
and was anxious to prosecute the case.
The warrant was turned over to Marshal
Dexter, who, according to the language
of the justice of the peace. pigeon
holed" it. James remained for some
time in the city and was not arrested.
One day Justice Wells went into the
marshal's office and inquired for rea-
son why the warrant had not been serv-
ed, but received no reply.
Several other Instances of this kind
shown by the records might be cited.
On the 31st of August warrant was is
sued by Justice Wells for the arrest OF
Frank Rangel on charge Of petty lar
ceny. The complaint was sworn to by
]. M. Brounett, an old soldier. A guam
tity of Brounetts household goods had
been appropriated by RaEgel. Civil ac-
ton for their recovery was first brought
and Judgment awarded. The goods had
been secreted in the meantime and the
demand for them was met by fiat re-
fusal on the part of Rangel to turn them
over The petty larceny charge was then
made. Again the warrant was turned
over to Marshal Dexter, but although
{al In tn
out OF sight he was never arrested.
Brouuett made the following state
ment yesterday in reference to an in
terview which he had with Marshal
Dexter's deputy, w. E. Webb: II met
Mr.. Webb on the street about two weeks
after the warrant was issued and asked
him why he had not arrested Rangel.
He answered: Because do not want to
arrest him. If you want him arrested
you will have to get somebody else be-
sides me to do it,
"'Well, you have the warrant, haven't
your asked.
ayes, 1 have it, he answered, and
here it is. will not serve it,
IT took the warrant and returned 1t to
the Justices court"
The statement is borne out by Justice
Wells, who said that Brounett did re-
turn the warrant to him and that Officer
Webb has never made any explanation
of his failure to serve 1t either by a
written rotation on the back Of the war
rant or otherwise.
AS another example of the admipis-
tration Of the marshal's office, on Sep
tember s, VIM. Bowen asked for COM
plant against C. S. Lupton on charge
of grand larceny. According to the state
ment made when the warrant was is
sued, Lupton, who is sewing machine
agent, came to Bowens home at Santa
Monica on the day previous to that on
which the complaint was issued. He
found no one at home except Bowen's
14-year-old daughter and the girls
grandmother, who was sick in bed at the
time. He wanted to trade an old machine
which he had in his wagon for new one
which Bowen owned. The girl refused
to trade, whereupon the agent declared
that he would trade anyhow, and pro-
ceeded to change the machines. The
young girl was so much intimidated that
she was afraid to offer any resistance to
the action Of the bullying agent, but re-
ported the matter to her father when he
arriuad home The agent In aafd trr@ive