The St. Louis Republic., 1900-09-07
SEE NO CAUSE
FOR SUSPENSION,
Captain Roemer's Superiors Salts
fled TO Wait for the
Boards Action.
CHIEF CAMPBELL'S POSITION.
charges Not Serious Enough 70
Warrant Suspension, Even
If True-Mr. Hawes Dis
cusses the Case.
CHIEF CAMPBELL'S POSITION.

captain 7. Rosser Roemer. special patrol
man OF the Central District, Is still walking
nis neat and drawing his pay, despite th,
charges uncer which he is to be tried before
'i'e board of Police Commissioners as sooT
as meeting can be held
Chlef of Police Campbell and Captain
reynolds. his superior officers. are stin tac.
my II not actually. defending him. Both
are inclined TO believe his statements rathe,
thah the afiidavits of the three young
women who preferred the charges Neither
seems to think the charges of serious ma
ture. anyway.
Sfier Campbell, when asked yesterday il
any further action had been taken In the
matter, said: Il don't see what on earth
Ihe newspapers have got against Roemer
NO. ne has not been suspended and will not
ee unless the board takes that action.
do not believe he did anything
wrong Intentionally: anu the ofYense
charged by the girls is not serious
enough To cause his suspension, even
II we were convinced that they were
rue. Boemcr denies part of the
chnrges. He is "a good officer. The
ease Will go to the board in due or
der of business"
The charge against Roemer is that
ne accOsted three young women on
their way home from work, threw
nus arms about them, bumped their
heaas against brick wall and con-
uhucd To hold them without making
any Kind of explanation OF his con-
duct.
The charges are made by Miss Ella
Moody OF No. 4el5 Manchester avenue,
Mss Nellie keepler of SIaplewoOd and Miss
rose Littleton of No. S735 Finney avenue.
an employees of a downtown store and of
captain Peter Reynolds, who made the
Iori;iai charge OF conduct unbecOming an
oIhcer, was asked again yesterday why he
had not suspended Roemer. He said:
We do not suspend officers except
Tor serious ofcnses. such rs being
nsieep ON duty, intoxtcation and
other grave matters.
Il did not hear of the ease until
after it had been printed in The Re-
public, and then it came to me
through the Chiefs office"
When the Captains attention was called
70 the section of the police manual which
gives him authority TO suspend a subordi-
nate for any infraction of the rules. he
drew a nice distinction between the words
may and shall" The rules do not spe-
eincaliy require that patroimen shall" be
suspended for any offense whatever.
,vtr,, ttresident l Hawes OF the Police Board,
We have never before had any charges
against Roemer that I know of. and the
reports from his superior officers are OF
WI hout having heard of the case in an
othcfaI capacity, il seems to me that he has
simply made serious mistake in the char
acter OF the young ladies he sought TO ar
rest As soon as Police Commissioner At
fnore's health Will permit, board meeting
VIII be held and the full facts In the case
VIII there be disclosed. l cannot conceive
now Roemer could Intentionally have been
guilty or the conduct attributed to him.
As TO the matter OF his suspension and
tne charges being preferred against him
that Is something which the Chief alone
mas 70 determine I presume that the hear
ing before the board Will disclose ali the
features in the case which may be at this
time in some doubt
III Roemer was guilty of any fnten-
tionaf miscOnduct-if he was drink
ihS-or ms actions were such that
were calculated TO needIcSsIy break
the peace, I feel satisfied that the
board will deal harshty with him"