The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-02
THE METHODS OF CHIEF LEES.

is: reported that Mr.. McVey, the Delaware de-
tectlve who is solournng in San Francisco await
= ing action IN the Botkn extradition case dis
agrees with Chief of Police Lees as to the latter
method OF investigating crime. He says that in
Delaware and other Eastern States it is now the Gus
tom to give all evidence as it is gathered to the pub
lie, which in these days like the Roman Comitia has
great deal to say about whether people shall be sent
to prison or to the galows and against whose wishes
no person can usually be so disposed Of Mr. McVey
believes the more publicity given the facts of the
Botkn case the better for all parties and were he
handling it he is free to say he would immediately
take the newspapers into his confidence -
Evidently this Delaware detective does not under
stand the principle upon which the Hawkshaw at the
head Of the San Francisco Police Department works
his wonders to perform. For his information it may
be said that the methods of Chief Lees are essentially
secretlve. He is mysterious and urtive. He never
tells what he knows unless the newspaper applying
for information will consent to glorify him. He is
somewhat ot a blowhard and is accustomed to boast
OF ms legal knowledge though matter OF fact he
resembles necessity in knowing no law whatever 1t
has long been a tradition in San Francisco that a
police officer who gets into the newspapers without
consulting the Chief and taking him in also loses his
job: Moreover our local Hawkshaw is veritabe
Vidocq. Will Mr.. McVey believe us when we say
that Chief Lees is in the habit of arresng people ON
Suspicion locking them UP in the tanks" and after
investigating their conduct setting them free with
out explanations? Does this practice prevail in Della
waref That it prevails here Mr. McVey may ascer-
tain by asking any old resident 49,
For instance, suppose Chief Lees should suspect
Colonel Tobin of the Hibernia Bank of poisoning
MRS Dunning. Would he swear out warrant and
arrest the colonel in the usual way? Not at all He
would Quietly slim over 70 he b,+t1 81,
colonel In conversation and walk him to the City
Hall Arriving there he would suddenly whisk him
INTO tank After several weeks Colonel Tobit S
friends might discover where: he was and get him
out, but If he were not fortunate as to possess
friends he would remain in Jail until it suited the
royal pleasure of the Chief Of Police to release him
Detective McVey may think this is illegal, but that
signifies nothing. Lees is a law unto himself
. OF course nothing like this could happen to
Colonel Tobin The colonel is Police Commits
sioner and has quill" Chief Lees never throws the
fortunate possessor of "a pull into the tanks In
fact he often refuses TO arrest persons with a pull
Vide the case of Mr. Figel.
All this may surprise Detective McVey, but it IS
strictly in accordance with the truth Our local
Hawkshaw works like bee in a tar barrel and fer
rets out crime mostly by getting himself written I'D
in the newspapers His methods are so Thoroughly
understood here that no intelligent man pays the
slightest attention to anything he says or any theory
he entertains When it is made apparent that Chief
Lees considers Mrs. Botkin guilty the entire com
nunity will unanimously put faith in her innocence
In other words, to use slang phrase which may be
unfamiliar to Mr., McVey, we "copper" Lees out
here every time. If the Delaware authorities really
believe Mrs Botkn guilty and actually desire her
extradition they should at once induce the Chief to
espouse her cause and proclaim her innocence That
Will convict her beyond the peradvenure of doubt