The San Francisco call., 1904-11-16
Prosecuting Attorney Says
There Is No Case Against
the Disgraced Policemen
NO COMPLAINTS ISSUE
Officials Efforts Go Only
to Force Alleged Pill
ferers Out of Department
Oakland ONCE San Francisco Call
1915 Broadway, Nov. 10.


Prosecuting Attorney A p. Leach
made an official statement to-day con-
corning the failure TO prosecute former
Sergeant Of Police Charles E Clark
and dismissed Policemen c. W. Ham
erton. J. f. Stahl and Lee E. Andrews
on charges Of theft, growing out OF lhe
exposure OF pilfering among merchahts
stores Leach declares fatty that Will
out more evidence he cannot issue CON-
plants. In explanation the prosecuting
attorney points out that no attenlpt
was made by the police authoIlOies -
get evidence against the men lidI % uiU
be used IN court ...
Leach said:
A. - M evidence has been obtained which
VIII warrant the issuance q com plallieS p.lS
against any police ofncer Inc me- p s.. ,,-s
element in any criminal prosecull4n = ~ ~
The commission Of Al onense, the lSltei "a
proving the offender being only secohoaI. y. .
In these cases I have as yet peeh ul.aNls .
70 locate one merchant who can say thAl ma, ol
o. about any particular time any article snch
a. has been mentioned By any olnceI, IL ~ Us ils
statement 70 the chief, was tsKsn l ~ thess
officers were so Insignificant ana SO slllsIL ~
value that they were not missed % ln7 ~ ~
ers The consequence is tnat Win i.1 80 =
tor of one instance we have aDsolule4s 10
evidence aEainst rhese officers, OUTSIDE o. INC
stRfernsats made by themselves as TO their
1-sese ststezneuts were obtained BY the
chief and the CAPTAINS without thought OF
c-fr,inal prosecution but with the sole purpose
OF getting at the bottom OF the mater ,i aLI
WITH q view Of Riding the department OF al
6ishoreet officers. Having nc knoWle1ge as
- s,lrt what they had done, and having re
csived no reports from merchants as 10 any
srtioles stolen they were cofnpeliea 20 Ies'l @
20 promises. as well IS 20 threats IN oroeI 10
irsilce The suspected men 10 tell the truth
The exception 10 which have JUST relerIeo
"a he case os the pot OF paint, which Il IS al
iere6 vas taken from the Buswell Paint COM
many But even IN that case have been IN
formed that Mr.. Buswell cannot swear that
the Dot of paint was taken IRON MS pace OF
business at that time
F3y the way the taking O that paint led 10
the discovery of the peculations OF the oinoeIs
The Dot of paint was taken on the night OF
October ls The officer who Is supposed 10
have taken II was seen 70 place some article
sr the doorway Of the Blake MOfhu build
ing After he had left the premises investl-
re+io, 6eveloped the fact that the paint
n fhe doorway where he had been seen lhls
matter was reported 10 Sergeant Lynch who,
a. turn reported II 70 Chief Hodgktns, result
INK N the Investigations and the confessions
OF the officers
II is not apparent now that Attorney
I.each's demand for further evidence
VIII be met.
The Police and Fire Commissioners at
their meeting Friday are expected to
take steps looking toward a reorganiza-
ton Of the department. President Nc
Flrov said to-day that he had plans in
hand which he would probably present
20 the board in an official way.