The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-15
Rumored That Chief of Police
Will Be Dismissed.
Not Active Enough to Snit Law
and Order People.
MAYOR is SATISFIED.
Says That New Chief Has Done
Well.
Difference of Opinion About
Anti Joint Campaign.

There is a rumor in city political
circles that Chief of Police Golf is likely
to be let out before long. Golf has
not been making a record which is
satisfactory to the law and order or
ganizations which supported Mayor
Bergundthal. and some of Bergund-
thal's best supporters are demanding
COTS dismissal.
Mayor Bergundthal denies that he
has any intention of dismissing Goff.
Some of these people have wanted
me to let Goff OUT said the mayor to-
day. but he has been doing better so
far than any chief of police we ever
Saa.'
There are several members of the
city council who are active in the fight
on Goff. One of them said today:
L don't know what Mayor Bergund-
thai plans to do in this matter But
though 1 wouldn't dare to say it much
above a whisper, 1 know that if 1 had
been in Bergundthars place, Golf would
nave been let out long ago..
The man who made this statement is
councilman who is a law and order
man. but who does not train with the
radical Swendson-Nellis faction.
IL s to be expected that Swendson
and his friends will try to force the
wants to be mayor, and whatever he
can bring about to discomfort the Ber-
gundthal administration adds to his
chances The fight on Golf, however.
ring.
A man who holds a position under
Mayor Bergundthal by appointment,
and who will without doubt support him
for denomination, said in speaking of
the Golf matter today:
While the mayor is not saying any
thlng except to a very few of his most
intimate friends, it is becoming known
that he IS not satisfied with Golf. If
Bergunothal had his way, he would
close up every joint in town. The great
trouble is to find a man who has the
ability and willingness to do the job
Goff has too many friends in the joint
lists camp to be the kind of a man
BergundthaI needs. / believe that it is
only question of whether BergundthaI
can ind man more to his liking than
Goff- If he can find such a man-and
they are mighty scarce, let me tell you
he will put him in in place of Coff
One requisite for chief of police in
Topeka seems to be that he shall have
no property If he has property whicn
he is afraid to jeopardize by seizing ana
destroying wet goods and bars, he is to
a great extent incapacitated for an
active campaign against joints. Chier
Stahl is said to have spent about $500
of his own money settling up DANA ge
suits when he quit the office of chief
This is too expensive a game for the
average citizen to play and the jointists
know it. Chief Goff has not been quite
as fierce" as he might have been for
this reason. He has seized joint fixtures
in large quantities. but has been Obliged
to give them up because the city does
not stand back of him with a redelivery
bond He can't afford to back up his
own prosecution as Stahl did
There is some difference of opinion as
to the effectiveness of the campaign
which Chief Goff has been making
against the joints. North Topeka it is
claimed, is just about free from joints
and the credit is given to the determin-
ed attitude against saloons taken by the
policemen who have been assigned to
that part of town. On this side of the
river. there are plenty of big joints run
ming on Kansas avenue, and one or two
extensive negro dives which do not seem
to be molested much. At THE Royal
it is said, that gambling of considera BILE
magnitude is in progress behind barred
joints to take many of the extreme pre-
cautions they did during the Stahl
regime but he has not succeeded in
driving them out of business, but for
that matter neither did Stahl.
1t is claimed by those who are in
touch with the situation that the city
may secure more convictions this term
in district court liquor cases than usual.
The liquor cases will begin on Septem-
her D. and be taken up at the rate of
three or four day. The city is said to
have its evidence in better shape than
usual, and the jury which has been
drawn is looked upon as one which VIII
be inclined to do the fair thing.