The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-08-27
DETECTIVES
ARE ON TRIAL
GOT MONEY ON FICTITIOUS EX-
PENsE ACCOUNT.
DIVIDED The DOODLE
Chicago Sluths Charged with Crook.
edness on Trial Before Civil II
Service Commission.

Chicago, Aug. 26-The three officers
of the detective bureau of the city po-
lice department who were charged
with defrauding the city by means Of
fictitious expense accounts were put
upon trial today before the civil SER
vice commission. The accused officers
are Lieutenant Peter ]. Boyce, Detec-
tive Sergeant John G. Cramer and De-
tective John j. Tracey.
The charges against them were pre-
ferred by Chief of Police O'Neill, who
was recently placed at the head Of the
department. The case of Joyce was
taken up first and the board went
into the matter OF the expense &C
counts for the return of Prisoners
Lovece and Larkins at Cleveland last
May.
After w. H. Eubanks, chief clerk in
the state auditors Office at Spring
field, had introduced the requisition
papers and a check for $3.50 which
Tracey received as expenses in bring
ing back Larkins, Tracey was called
by the board. Though he proved an
unwilling witness, the corporation
counsel drew out of him considerable
incriminating testimony against Lieu
tenant Joyce and Detective Sergeant
Cramer. Tracey refused to answer q
number of questions put to him by
Assistant Corporation Counsel Fyffe
on the ground that it might incrinli-
nate him. In doing this he followed
the advice of his attorney, Simeon
Armstrong, who frequently interrupt
ed his examination with suggestions
that he refuse to answer. Finally
President Ella, of the civil service
commission, threatened to- have the
lawyer elected from the room unless
he desisted and the warning had the
desired effect.
Tracey testified that he and Cramer
had been assigned to run down the
man Larkins, who was charged with
horse stealing, and that they were
finally notified that the man was un-
der arrest in Cleveland. He admitted
that they did not go after Larkins, but
arranged with Policeman Gallagher,
who was in Cleveland after the pris-
oner Lovece, to bring both men back
Pressed further by the attorneys,
Tracey admitted that he had Signed
and presented the messengers ex-
pense account, making full charges
for Drinking Larkins to Chicago. He
explained that Lieutenant Joyce, desk
officer of the detective bereau, made
out the expense account and attached
the notary's seal. A moment later,
he said, he got the check and cashed
it.
{s'What. did you do with the money
Tracey was asked.
His attorney advised him not to
answer and the witness said: ''I do
not wish to answer because it might
lncriminate me. Continuing, Tracey
said: "Joyce told me that it was the
regular thing for an officer to bring
back another mans prisoner and to
put inNan extra expense account for
it,
Chief O,Neill has charged that the
money Illegally obtained was divided
among the accused officers. Pressed
further Tracey explained that he had
given Cramer $25. He admitted that
this amount covered the actual ex-
penses of bringing Larkins to Chicago
and that the remainder of the sum re-
ceived from the state represented the
surplus which was to be divided. He
said he had received $4S.SO and that
he still had it.
Did Joyce know that only s25 was
spent in actual expenses?" asked At
torney Fyffe.
ROT course he did. He saw the
vouchers and knew just what was
spent
This closed the examination and
hearing adjourned for the day.
lnennr% Rneeian Mines