The San Francisco call., 1904-12-20

patrolmen must face trial before the
Police Commission tomorrow evening
as a result of the investigation into the
charge that corruption has long stalked
through Chinatown. Thomas P. Ellis.
William F. Brophy and Philip z.
FRAZIER are the accused wearers of the
chevrons and Henry Heinz. William
Doran, Henry T. McGrath, Charles z.
Mum and r. R. O'Brien the men of
the ranks that have been placed on
the defensive.
These men, with the exception OF
Ellis, are charged with plain neglect
of duty. Ellis. on top Of this charge.
is accused of willful violation of duty,
the result of Commissioners Hutton's
charge that through the manipulation
of some mysterious high sign by that
officer every Chinese in the city was
made aware one night that Hutton
was abroad and that it was time to
take to cover.
The fling Of these charges was the
result Of the finding of the Police Com
mission in what it terms the matter
OF the investigation Of matters in
Chinatown" Though all the Commits
sioners participated in the findings, 1t
was Hutton who filed the charges and
on whom the burden of proof rests.
1t was Hutton's original plan to
charge every policeman serving in
Chinatown since raising Of the injunc-
ton IN september with neglect Of duty.
but this act would have placed even
Patrolman Minihan. HuttOn's aid on
the night of his memorable raid. on
the defensive. After thinking the mat
ter over Hutton decided to let the
weight Of the investigation fall on Ser
geant Ellis and his squad OF police and
Sergeants Brophy and FRAZIER. whose
only connection with Chinatown Is that
it is included in their district north OF
Market street. Ellis and his SQUAD
were on duty in Chinatown the night
Hutton invaded $40 and s2O1k Washing
ton street and they must explain first.
Later, Hutton says, he may call upon
the others to save their stars II they
can.
FILE THREE REPORTS.
The Commissioners fled three re-
ports. The ffrst-a majority report.
bearing the signatures of Commits
sioners Hutton, Reagan and Drink
house-exOnerates Mayor Schnitz and
Attorney A. Ruef from any participa-
tion in any corruption that may exist
in the MongOlian quarter. but is not
so kind with the police. These Com
missioners find that though hampered
by the courts and the difficulty Of
gaining entrance to the gaming places
the police have never, except in rare
instances used proper efforts to in
T,.@sv-
missioners also find that the evidence
produced in the investigation shows
that funds are raised by the gamblers
and believe that some portion Of these
funds is used for corrupt purposes.
but the final resting place Of the
money is not at this time susceptible
of legal proof"
Commissioner Howell. though shar-
ing these views in the main. holds that
though he believes gambling could be
permanently suppressed in Chinatown.
he seriously questions the advisabflity
Of stripping the beats OF the city in
order to throw a great force into
Chinatown to effect this purpose. there
by increasing the danger Of other
crimes, probably Of more serious i'm
port to the whole community than the
While the Commissioners that signed
the majority report exonerate Mayor
! Schmitz and Attorney A Ruef. they
make no specific mention OF Chief OF
Police Whitman or other members OF
the department, leaving the report
open to any construction the reader
may see it to place en- it In this re-
gard. but Commissioners Howell cor
rects this innuendo in the following
/ language:
IT desire to say in conclusion that in
asmuch as a great deal has been said
tending to implicate many officials and
others in the corruption believed to ex-
1 ist that no evidence Of any kind OF na-
ture whatsoever has been introduced
before this commission tending in any
manner to directly implicate any Of
/ ficial of this city and county or Of the
I Police Department, or any citizen OF
this city, in any participation in the
! corruption fund"
/ FXONERATE COMMISSIONERS.
The third report is signed by Com
/ mfssiOners Hutton and Howell, and in
positive terms they find that no evil
/ dence was produced tending IN any
, way to implicate either Commissioner
/ Drfnkhouse or Commissioner Reagan in
the Chinatown scandal.
The majority report, signed by Hut
ton, Drinkhouse and Reagan, is as fol-
lows:
"Our conclusions from the testimony
introduced in the informal investiga-
| tion held by the Board OF Police Com
Continued on Page 2, Column 4.