The San Francisco call., 1898-04-22
THE SERB AND YELLOW CHIEF.

/ HlEF LEES never neglects an opportunity to | demonstrate his unhtness for the office he
 holds, and opportunities are frequent He should be retired Exhibitions of his incapacty have become monotonous. The people want a Chief of Police Tn whose executive faculty and integrity of purpose they have confidence. This old man has outlived such usefulness as he may have had. The tune has come to lay him aside The act would be one of simple self-defense
 Whenever crime is committed Lees forms a theory, and with perspicuity in which he takes great pride selects criminal upon whom the crime must be fastened. Then all testimony is made to adapt itself to his theory or 1t is thrown aside as worthless Ii the theoretical criminal cannot be vcted, search for the real criminal is abandoned. Perhaps few innocent have actually suffered through this peculiarty but there is no doubt many guilty ones have escaped. The subordinates of Lees dare not oppose him. Detective Hogan tried it some years ago. Hogan was "put on the shelf"
 In every trial Chief Lees arrogates to himself the right to take sides Instead of regarding his duty be that of collecting evidence he assumes to be prosecutor, Judge, jury, and has lately added his prerogatlve that of being censor Perhaps this is but an indication of senie decay Yet there safe retreats tor one in his dotage and Lees has ample means to pay for the he seems to need As head ot great Police Department he is clustering er TOT. When one ot his men Is charged with derelic- ton to duty, with cowardice with unbecoming con- duct does Lees try to ascertain the truth? It may be said frankly that he does not Unless the truth favorable to the he does not want it known A similar spirit governs his attitude toward friends who steal The of Widber is enough to cite to prove this
 Here was public servant, elected by the people trusted by them, permitted to handle their money and by laxness yet to be explained allowed to spend 1t III rlotous living, to rob the vault month after month Widber caught, as must have been in evltable The public had every right to know each tact It had as much right the Chief himself. Yet after Wldber had confessed Lees tried to shield him. refused to tell the story Widber had told to him. grutt1y denied there anything to tell. Perhaps the Chlef had picked out another person upon whom he preferred the weight of condemnation might fall. The element Of gratitude may have been present At about the time Widber began his lavish system of thefts he changed his bondsmen releasing Lees who had qualified for the of $5o,ooo. It would be natural for man to be thankful for this escape but II the man happen to be Chief of Police he should not let his benign joy blind him to the circumstance that stealing is forbidden by statute and the cornered thief IS not entitled to the shield of official protection
 Lees IS said to be retained as Chief so that rlti- mately he may draw higher pension than if ree- gated to private life We submit that the reason IS not good. The welfare of this city is of more inn portance than the personal welfare of anybody who has grown grossly rich and notorously incompetent while in the city's service