The Savannah morning news., 1902-04-19
TOO MUCH PUBLICITY
ACTING MAYOR WANTS LESS TALK
ABOUT HOLD-UPS.
CHARGES AGAINST POLICE.
MADE BY r.. w. ELLIS AND HEARD
BY ACTING MAYOR.

fore the Acting Mayor With His
Story-Acting Mayor Dixon Told
Him CandidIy That He Did Not Be-
Ifeve the Robbery Was Committed
as RepOrted-EIIs Said Police
Were Trying TO Shield Some one.
Detective Murphy Told Him After
the Hearing That He Took Advan-
tage of His Age to Charge That.
Ellis Says He Would About as
soon BE in the Hands of the High
waymen as in Those of the Police.
The Acting Mayor Discredits
stories of RObberies.
r. w. Ellis, travelling representative
of the Hibbard- Rodman-Ely Safe
Company of New York. called at the
City Exchange yesterday to have
talk with Acting Mayor Dixon relative
to the robbery that was committed last
Wednesday night. as reported in the
Morning News, whereby he lost $3.50.
The acting mayor had remarked that
he did not credit all the stories of the
hold-ups that have been reported, and
Mr.. Ellis wanted to see him about the
statement.
At the exchange were SUI
perintendent of Police owen F. Reilly
and City Detectives Frank Wall and
John Murphy. They accompanied Mr.
Ellis into the Mayors office, where the
complainant related the story of how
at the corner of Congress lane
and Abercorn street, about 1890
O'Clock at night, he had been set upon
by two negroes, strangled and relieved
of $3.50. When he had concluded his
statement and the detectives had made
their report relative to the robbery,
Mr.. Ellis turned to the acting mayor
and said:
Don't Believe 1t.
81 should now like to have your can
did opinion. sir, as to whether or not
the robbery was committed"
VERY WELL sir" replied Mr.. Dixon.
81 will tell you that l do not believe
that the robbery was committed as re-
ported"
81 am very much obliged to you, sir"
said Mr.. Ellis.
You are welcome, sir" replied the
acting Mayor, you asked for my candid
opinion, and that is it
The party then retired from the
Mayors office. In the outer room De-
tective Murphy walked UP to Mr.. FL
lis and made some statement to him.
The detectives face was white with
anger, and Mr.. Ellis also showed some
excitement.
''I am an old man, Mr.. Murphy, and
you think you can talk to me like that
without my resenting it," said Mr.
Ellis.
yes" the detective replied, "you
are an old man. and it is because you
are an old man that you dare to make
charges that we are trying to shield
anyone"
well, / have been around the coun-
try a good deal and have seen a good
many things" said Mr., Ellis, land
guess I know pretty well what am
talking about"
In his statement to the Mayor Mr..
Ellis told him that he believed that
the police were trying to shield some
one. Mr.. Dixon told him that, If this
were true, and he could furnish any
SNiucItt 10 prove IL ne WOULD
any who might be guilty of trying to
cover up the crime: he would punish
them, he said. within twenty-four
hours after receiving the proof. To
this Mr.. Ellis said that he had no
proof, but that he was yet convinced
of the fact.
Thinks There's Too Much Talk
After the hearing Mr.. Dixon said
that he does not credit the reports of
the Ellis and the Ammons robberies
because of circumstances and the evil
dence he has secured by Investigations
tending to disprove them. Regarding
the other reports, he said, he was not
able to say as to whether or not the
robberies or attempts had occurred. II
think the newspapers, however" said
Mr.. Dixon, ARE giving the affairs de-
cidedly more publicity than is warrant
ed or needed"
Mr.. Dixon said to Mr. Ellis during
the hearing that he did not see how
the robbery could have taken place
within so short a distance, about ITO
feet, as the locality was described, of
the police alarm box, without Police
man Kearney, who was at the box at
the time of the reported robbery, hav-
ing heard the struggle or an cutlery
The evidence, Mr.. Dixon said, was that
the officer had been there at that time
Mr.. Ellis seemed to be a perfect
gentleman" said Mr.. Dixon to a rep
resentative of the Morning News, land
the police have not dropped the case.
They will continue upon it,"
MIR. Ellis Statement
Mr.. Ellis was seen. 1T am in Savan-
nah," he said, representing my house.
the Hibbard- Rodman- Ely Safe Com
pany. of New York, and l expect to
place one of our safes on exhibition at
the De Soto during the convention of
the bankers. 1t is for this purpose
that l am here, as it was necessary
for me to make some arrangements.
II consider that 1 have been SLAM
dered, outraged and libeled by having
my report to the police of a robbery
that has befallen me treated as il has
been, with aspersions cast upon my
honesty. / do not know that I have
any recourse left, but, if I have, 1 shall
avail myself of it. I purpose consult
ing an attorney.
These police are the sworn officers
of the law, and it is their duty to
ferret out crime. AS soon. however
as l report a robbery that was COM
mitted right in the heart of the city
/ am assailed with the accusation that
/ am not telling the truth. Instead
of accepting my story and seeking to
discover the guilty men. the police
seem satisfied to discredit what | tell
them and let the matter rest at that.
This is not right.
II have heard and 1 have read a
great deal of police, but this is my
first experience with them l am now
prepared, however, to believe all that
I have hoard or road This