The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-19
MAY SUE HIM.
Police Force Talking of Prose-
cutting DIR. Mcfarland.
Mayor Parker Advises Such a
Course Of Procedure.
ABOUT MRS. THORPE.
Facts About the Charges of
Coercion.
She. Thinks She Has Seen Po-
Iicemen Intoxicated.
ABOUT MRS. THORPE.


bringing a suit for criminal libel against
DR.. Mcfarland.
Mayor Parker is in favor of this plan.
and several councilmen have expressed
themselves as being of the opinion that
only in this way can a fair hearing be
secured.
If the suit is brought. it will have to
be brought in the name of the individual
members of the police force, as the po-
lice force has no corporate existence to
sue as body. The law is well estab-
hshed, however, that when a definite
body of men. such as the conductors of
a street railway, are nbellously attack
ed. each member of that body has the
right to sue the person guilty of the
libel, and can not only prosecute crimi-
nally, but can sue for personal damages
as we'll
No definite plans have been made By
the members of the police force, but it
Is probable that some one policeman
who was included in the alleged libel
1ous address will be selected to make a
test case.
Mrs. Laura E. Thorpe, police matron,
seems to be a little bit uncertain about
where she stands in the matter Satur-
day she gave a statement to the public
In which among other things she said:
can honestly and sincerely say that
1 have never personally seen any one
gambling or drinking, neither have
seen any of the police officers at the pO-
Today Mrs. Thorpe said in converse
lice station IN a state VI intoxication
ton with a reporter for the State Jour-
nal:
I have been thinking the matter
over carefully, and while it IS true that
for q while I was not certain whether
I had ever seen any officers intoxicated
at the station, during the present police
Administered ton, yet 1 am positive now
that the cases of iritoxication I had in
mind occurred during the present ad-
ninistratiOn. have several times been
able to detect that officers have been
drinking.
AS to gambling, 1 do not know posi-
lively that there has been any. I have
seen card playing, and of course I
don't know whether the players were
gambling or not
Mrs. Thorpe denies that she was CO.
creed in any way to sign the statement
published in Saturdays State Journal
An effort has been made to prove that
Mrs Thorpe's statement was present
ed to the public by Mayor Parker IN
garbled form. The State Journal has
copy Of the statement interlined and
corrected by Mrs. Thorpe and signed
by her own hand, which was used as
copy by the State Journal printers
last Saturday.
Mayor Parker gives the following
history of the alleged Coercion:
Up to last Thursday I had never
met Mrs Thorpe. Thursday afternoon,
in company with Chief Donovan
Sergeant Owen and Detectives Pavev
Thorpe. I told her that 1 had noticed
that she did not sign the denial affi-
davit with the other members Of the
police force, and asked her to tell Whv
IN the presence of all of US she stated
that she had never seen drinking
gambling or intoxication at the station
among the members of the force: she
said that the station was not a loafing
place for criminals: she said that the
force compared very favorably with
other administrations; and she said that
Mrs Nation was not abused so far as
she knew anything about 1t. I asked
her to embody these statements in a
written communication to the news
papers, and she promised to do so. Fri
day this written statement was brought
to my residence. I was surprised to
find that 1t dealt only in generalfties no
specific denials being given, but only q
general whitewashing for the entire
force
I then wrote out what Mrs. Thorpe
had said about each Of the Mcfarland
charges. and added it to her statement.
took it to her and asked her if she.
would be willing to sign the additional
statements She did so. I then had the
entire statement drawn up on a type
writer, and took it in this form to the
police station. I sent it up to Mrs
Thorpe. with the request that she read
it carefully. and sign it, She took half
an hour to it. read it all over, made a
few minor changes, and signed the
statement. That is all the Coercion
there has been. so far as am con-
cerned. I think if anybody has been
doing any coercing it is McFarland's
friends, for Mrs. ThOrpe's first state
ment to myself, Chief Donovan and the
rest was quite unlike the first written
statement which she sent to my
house.
Mrs. Thorpe said this morning: mo.
there was no attempt made to coerce me
to sign the typewriter statement. 1t
was all right. The only objection I have
to it is that it does not give me a
chance to tell some of the things I have
heard. I was confined to telling what
I have personally seen, and that, of
course, isn't much"
Mrs. Thorpe then proceeded to qualify
her statement concerning drinking and
gambling, as previously stated.
Councilman Griley. one of the mem
bers of the police committee said this
morning: In view Of the attitude which
Mcfarland seems to have taken, I think
that the police committee should have
nothing whatever to do with this inves-
tigation 7 don't want to mix I'D in it.
What we want is an investigation that
will satisfy Mcfarland and his crowd
that everything is fair and square,
Councilman Howe said: Personally. ]
would be willing to trust this investiga-
I ton to the police committee but if
was a member of that committee. ]
would not be willing to take the job
under any conditions. There should GER
tainly be an investiga ton. but how ii
can be arranged in satisfactory man
ner I don't exactly know. I don't like
the idea of bringing a suit against a
minister of the gospel"
Councilman Neil said: IF the inves-
tigation could be held IN the district
{ court if would give the hest SatiSfaC-
ton. I think. There ought 70 be an in
vestigation."
Mayor Parker: sI favor bringing a
suit. Haven't we put up with the
I tongue flashing of this man long
e1fough2 Isn't it about time that he
should be given a chance to prove his
assertions2 In the court we could COM
pei the attendance of witnesses, and
get the truth of the matter. The police
committee should not mix up in the
! = a.ai.. II rs haa,a alle-easta5 that we