The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-16
M'COLLUM DIDN'T KNOW
Shows WoefuI Ignorance About the
Royal"

Chief of Police McConum knows
nothing about the connecting link be-
tween Mike Thompson, Wood Fowler
ST Hurst and lobe Tobias, sometimes
alluded to as the Royal Flush" or
Big 4, and the Royal point and gam
bling establishment at 40 Kansas ave-
nue..
While under oath as a witness in po-
lice court, where he was supposed to
assist in the conviction of the Big A.
and the Justification of the two COM
plants against them, which he had
sworn to personally, McCollum made
the statement that he didn't know
anything which would be of any use as
testimony against them.
The police judge and prosecuting at
torney have experienced considerable
difficulty in getting McCollum into
court when they wanted him, and last
evening was no exception to the rule.
McCollum seems to dislike the job of
being a police court witness, and IN
like all former chiefs, does not attend
court and assist in the prosecution On
this occasion, however, the court and
prosecuting attorney thought they
We're going to get some information
out of McCollum, as he had sworn TO
the complaints, and by SO doing had
sworn that he had information which
warranted the action.
While McCOllum was on the stand
Judge Hamilton took hand and ask
ed him some questions concerning the
case Tie asked AlCGOlluIn ne n1Q
not been in the Royal and seen the de-
PENDANTS there prior to the day of the
first raid McCOllum admitted that he
had, and that he was sent there by
the mayor to tell Mike Thompson that
he would have to close the place. On
the occasion which McCollum admit
ted having been there. which was the
day before the raid, he sat in the bill
lard room. about 20 feet from the thin
partition between the billiard room
and joint, but business was not sus-
pended. A string of customers passed
and repassed the chief of police and the
chief of gamblers while they conferred,
and the door in the partition was not
even fastened. McCollum did not go
into these details while telling of the
visit. Re also failed to explain whv
none of the names of witnesses found
in the place the day it was aired We're
turned over to the prosecuting attor-
ney so they might have been subDoe-
naed. While he was on the stand Nc
Collum had all the appearance of an
unwilling witness, and what he knew
ants. The two sergeants, McElroy and
Darby, and three policemen, Ross,
Bundy and Asher who made the raid.
together with McCOllum, followed his
it when they testified.
The four defendants were each tried
on two counts, resulting from the two
raids Out of the eight cases Mike
count and the evidence was no
stronger against him than against the
others. He was practically convicted
on the same evidence which discharg-
ed the others. His case was appealed.
The cases were the results of the two
farcical, noisy and spectacular raids
made by the police on the afternoon Of
April and the night of April g. whan
a lot of chopping was done and nothing
of value. as evidence found after the
police got inside. Some old gambling
paraphernalia. consisting of poker chip
and dismantled tables, We're seized
at the time, but the plumber did not
have any appearance of having been in
recent use