The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-20
Will, HEAR
TH.ECH.A|.R'C.E|.S',
Police Board Fixes Saturday for
1loward.Wyatt 1nvcs-
tigatiol1. $
10 SIT WITH CLOSED DOORS.
Evidence to- bc. Heard Ii, Secret,
Bit May be Made Public.
How The Case Came Up.

But May be Made Public.
How The Case Came Up.
At tho conclusion Of MI executive SEES
s,on of nearly three hours duration, the
Police Board announced to u lonely o.
porter outside the door Inst night that
the wyatt investigation would be hel.i
/ at g o'clock Saturday afternoon.
The matter will DO gono into at tho re.
quest Of both Chief Howard and Officer
1vyutt, both OF whom submitted written
requests for such action.
Tho investigation will DO held behind
i closed doors. The evidence will be taken
down By stenographer, and VIII 90
givon to tho papers In completo shnpe.
3 No ono will DO premltted inside the boai q
room, except the principals an d WI illnesses
%hesidex +tho members OF tho board them
selves.
IN The Investigation will be tho culminu-
ton OF! a long controversy between per
sons occupying differe,,t sides Of a ques-
ton OF public opinion and sentiment. Mr..
Wyatt has boon praised and criticised
harshly, Most Of the crit cisms have
come from fellow officers on the police
force He has beer charged with resort
Ing to questionable methods \ IN prose-
cutting the cases II which he has figured.
In almost every instance OF which, how
ever, the results have been salts t ilts
to the general public M
Matter of Long Standing.
The controversy began about eighteen
months ago, when the charge WIS made
BY Policeman Wyatt that Captain Angle
had not done his duty in closing the
!. gambling dens OF the city. AS a result
-. ~ In, rs1n heard
before the commissioners ana eXSllohesr-
[satcds TIA 1881 80.
Thon the Chief Of Police detailed MI
Wyatt to work up the gambling cases.
with the result that within a,short while
there were none, and each of the keepers
OF the dens were fined md imprison cd.
while most or this work WAS done by
wyatt. the Chief contends that 1t was
done at his direction. At any rate the
end was achieved. and Wyatt got the
applause Of the community.
worked up to! high pitch, charges and
counter charges We're made and evsry
officer In the gambling-infestcd Second
|. District was summoned to appear before
the board. -
InE tho hearing 1t was shown that the
existence Of the gambling places was
generally known, and that various et-3
forts had been made to c.ose them by
Captain Angle and his mon without
success. Ell 5 . 81
4 general crusade was started, how
| ever. and Wyatt came out ION top IN
| public CRITICISM EIc did q great amount
| OF the work, but large part Of It was
also done by detectives from headaunr-
| tiers and Officers from tho various dis
tritts. The largest haul was made n
I the First District when over 1000 worth
| OF paraphernalia was taken from q house
| Mt Fourteenth and Franklin Streets by
| Captain Whltlock's men.
When WAITS sta tement that gambling
| was In existence and could be stopped
was proven, the young officer At once
became the subject Of general commen-
datlon. and 1t was said about town that
| Ii. would soon be promoted. fle was at
/ the time acting sergeant.
| 1t was upon this question of promotion
that Wyatt's enemies made point. He
| was a candidate for n vacant serEeancy
In the Second District. So was Officer
.Bai::y Captain Angle favored Bailey,
giving as his reason that he was a ca
1 pablo man and a more experienced Off
!. Ger than Wyatt, who had been on the
force n comparatively short time.
Wyatt Popular Favorite.
| Bailey was elected by the board, and
| 1t was said that WAITS chagrin led
MN lHlO Stch4i6 Su6ot N1th
l.tAngle MS his subject. M
! BE this as it may the gambling houses
were closed and Wyatt. was popular
/ favorte.
For nearly a year tho department. had
been going along normally Wyntt's
name occasionally appeared In the Police
Court records In policy cases. and Skin"
cases and Sunday liquor cases, Indicating
| that no was. hewing to the limo he had
| laid out.
Finally, the Anti-saloon League and
private citizens, aided by private detec-
tives, worked up two alleged Sunday u.
auor cases The gentlemen who were
| plotting tho cases waited on tho Chief OF
4 Police stated their cases, and asked him
to detail Wyatt to help them out They
said they mentioned Wyatt because he
had boon identified with such casos and
could aid them materially.
The Chief was convinced that the cas-"
had been worked out already, and re-
fused to detail Wyatt, as ho could not see
! why Ills assistance was REQUIRED. In the
conversation Ito made some uncomplt-
mentary remarks about Wyatt, and upon
this charges were preferred against him,
heard. by the board and dismissed
Then the public hogan to call upon the
hoard TO cause the Chief tn substanti ate
his remarks or give Wyatt q chance 70
be heard
And that is why the board has fixed
,,pon Saturday afternoon to hear both
the Chief OF Police and Policeman Wye1t.
with tic hope Of setting at rest forever.
j tho public crlt!clsms against department.
4 and Individual officers.
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