The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-16

lntendent or the ponce force, as Deing men
unfit for the positions held by them and
was constantly disorganizing the work of
the department.; that for more than year
prior TO his discharge from the police force
he was IN the habit, while on duty, of as
sociating with women of bad character and
would, while patroling his district. go to
the house of some woman of immoral char
acter and spend the time there that he
should have devoted TO the duties or pa
trolling his district, including portion or
South street, his associations with wom-
an upon that district becoming so notorious
that the people of the neighborhood were
demanding his removal therefrom. and at
another time while patrOling a district In
the southern portion of the city, his as
ISOLATION with woman became so motor
fous that finally some of the people living
near the house where he associated with
this woman, Informed her husband or
Rinkers conduct. and shortly after the
time the information OF the womans asso-
citation with Rinker came to the knowledge
of her husband, she was taken sick and
died, and Rinker informed several OF MS
fellow-patrolmen that it was lucky for him
that the woman died, as, IL she had lived,
he would have been compelled to leave the
police force account of his conduct in
associating with her; that upon the after
noon OF the sixth day of December. 1899,
the said Rinker was patroling district IN
the southern portion OF the city, and ne
left his district and went to a private room
in the rear of a saloon for the purpose Of
meeting a woman"
CRITICISED SUPERIORS.
Ira Leet and Frederick Gonsaulus are
both charged with having been members of
the clique and with criticizing their SUI
perior officers. Also of being guilty of con-
duct tending to disorganize the force. 1t
is charged that Gonsaulus, in speaking of
a sergeant in command over him. referred
to him as that id fool and frequently
rafarrad m tho c1narintandapt of nolice &
being a man unfit for the place. 1t is
charged that Elmer Stoddard referred to
Superintendent Quigley in a most disre-
spectful way and made threats against the
superintendent. saying that he intended to
get him out of his position.
AS TO Terrence Moore, he is charged with
having been one OF the active members of
the ''clique" and was a man that continu-
ously drank intoxicating liquors, and for
months prior TO his discharge from the
police force he was constantly associating
with women of immoral character: that, on
one occasion, he took a woman OF immoral
character to house on West Michigan
street, that he demanded of the woman
who kept the house that she furnish them
with beer to drink while they remained
there, which the woman refused to do. He
thereupon removed the coat and vest of
his uniform and, taking pitcher from the
room, went TO nearby saloon, wearing
the regulation trousers of his uniform.
upon which were the stripes, and at said
saloon, in the presence Of the people gath
cred therein. secured a pitcher of beer and
took IL back TO the room occupied by him
self and the woman; that on two occasions
he took the woman of immoral character,
that had been in the habit of meeting him
on his districts, to the breweries of the
city. where he would introduce her to the
employees of the brewery as his wife; and
that he introduced this woman to several
patrolman as his wife. when in fact she
was not his WIFE.
SERIOUS CHARGES.
Serious charges are also made against
William Cox and Thomas Stout. 1t is
claimed that Cox went among the patrol
men and solicited them to join the organ
ization which was opposing the police de-
partment, and that he was a continuous
Pathfinder.
The charge is made that Thomas Stout
INDUCED In the use Of intoxicating drink.
THAT he was I'm the habit each morning
of visiting a number of saloons from the
time he left his home until he would reach
the station house, so that by the time he
reported for duty he was In an intoxicated
condition. that he constantly associated
with John +. Kurtz and they were con-
tinuously visiting saloons and drinking to-
gether; that they were both in the habit
OF going to the police station together and
were usually half drunk when reporting
for duty"
The answer denies that any of these men
were removed for political reasons. 1t says
that after discovering all the said facts
and being satisfied of the truth Of the same
the board believed that to allow said re-
lators to remain members of said police
force would result in the utter demorali-
Zation thereof, and that public trials of
so many members of said force and the
exposure of the facts above referred to
would result in great harm to the efficiency
of said police force" 1t is urged that the
Irifx rhor FOR he av1 fHov -er1f So
move any member of the police and fire
force, after an investigation by the board
upon its own motion and without notice to
such member and without any hearing as
to him.
FORMER ADMINISTRATION.
The answer then goes back to the adj
ministration of Caleb S. Denny and re-
cites various acts Of the Board of Safety
appointed by Mayor Denny. The answer
alleges that in March, 1884, the Denny
board dismissed fourteen members of the
police force without notice or hearing,
making an entry on the records showing
that the dismissals were made and assert
ing that those dismissed were inefficient
officers. Afterward, on July 30, the answer
| AYERS, the same board dismissed fourteen
members of the fire force without notice or
hearing. The answer refers furJner to other
4
| in the last three or four years. One OF the
concluding paragraphs of the answer says:
1.-The said REALTORS cannot now be re-
| instated without the removal of their said
successors, the appropriation for said de-
partment not being sufficient to permit
| the appointment of any additional members
| Of said police force at this time"
The attorneys for the plaintiffs or re-
lators, at once filed demurrer to this an
| swer and the case was argued on the de-
| murrer. Charles w. Smith and III. A.
| Hornbrook spoke for the discharged men
and John w. Kern appeared for the Board
of Safety. Before the argument began the
city attorney said that Jonn F. Kurtz had
withdrawn from the case and ne sug-
gested that Kurtz's name be withdrawn
| from the list of REALTORS. The chief con-
| tention Of the attorneys for the REALTORS
was that the board had no right to dis
| charge these men without trial On this
point Mr.. Smith said 1.-The board acted
| arbitrarily These men were dismissed
| simply to make room for others. Our prop
| osition is that the board, under the charter
| could not either upon formal or informal
| charges preferred against patrolmen re-
| move them without first giving notice OF
! the accusation made, and then giving them
| a FULL fair and ample opportunity to be
\ heard on that accusation" The attorney
| held that II an officer holds his position
| during good behavior and shows capacity
| to perform his duties he can only be re-
| moved for cause, and before he can be re.
| moved for cause he must be given notice
| of the cause alleged and be afforded full
A - Ii. A.