The San Francisco call., 1905-02-16
ACCUSATION FOLLOWS
JUDGMENT OF GUILTY
IN THE ELLIS CASE
| Head Of Department
Held to Share Re-
sponsibiIity.
HAS CHARGE

George w. Whitman, Chief of Police
of San Francisco, was charged hast
night by the commission with neglect
of duty and incompetency and at once
suspended from duty pending DISPOSE
ton of the case.
The sensational action of the Poli':e
Board came as the denouement of the
trial of Sergeant Thomas p. Ellis, and
the accusation against the Chief is
based on testimony that was developed
as to the prevalence of gambling in
Chinatown and the failure of the de-
partment to stamp 1t out.
Ellis was found guilty, but sentence
was deferred one week Then Commits
sioner Ragan began making the mo-
tions that brought Whitman down from
his high station, and the wind-up was
the promotion of the senior captain OF
the force, Captain John Spillane, who
commands the Southern district. to be
temporary head of the department.
1t was made plain why the Commits
sioners have been so Searching and
their inquiries so far-reaching in the
hearing of the charges against Ellis.
The attempt was made again last night
to gain from the grand jurors what the
sergeant confessed to them of bribery
and corruption in Chinatown. Wit
nesses innuh.erable had been called in
an effort to establish that fantan ran
riot. At every opportunity the fact was
emphasized that a diligent sergeant
Ike Cook at the head of the squad now
has all the games suppressed
SOUGHT CASE AGAINST CHIEF.
1t looked very much throughout the
protracted hearings as if the board was
straining itself beyond necessity to
make out a case against Ellis. 1t went
into things that seemed entirely irrele-
want to the charges against him. But
the glare was turned on last night, and
clear as holy script was it that the
Commissioners had been chiefly en-
gagged in gathering evidence on which
to found charges against Chief Witt
man.
How far the commission was justified
in it's course remains to be determined
The Chief must have an opportunity
for a fair trial and he will avail him
self of 1t with vigor Some say that
the move was deliberate to Oust him
and that IT is programmed that San
Francisco shall have new head for
the Police Department. Others explain
that the members of the board were
provoked to the step because Of pique
engendered by the Grand Jury's re-
port.
But it cannot be gainsaid that there
was a stealthiness in the manner or
the board in approaching their move
that had an unpleasant SAVIOR. Under
the guise of trying Sergeant Ellis be-
cause he neglected his duty in allow
ing the fantan games to run, there was
energetic reaching out for evidence to
condemn Whitman. In the light of the
Grand Jury report that Ellis had ac-
cepted bribes to the amount of $1,000
dallying with him. But the scheme
was deep, we'll hidden, and the oppor-
tunity excellent for digging out an ac-
cusation against Whitman.
That the case of the sergeant was
much overshadowed was forcibly dem
onstrated in the wide difference in the
courses pursued in regard to him and
the Chief. Whitman was suspended di-
rectly the charges were made. Ellis
accusation was filed against him, and
he is still on duty Notwithstanding that
he has been found guilty or neglect OF
duty in falling to stop fantan-
DID NOT STOP GAMBLING.
The burden of the charges against
Chief Whitman is that he is account
able for the failure of the various
squads that have taken their turns in
Chinatown duty to prevent gambling
The commission holds him directly
responsible. II has always been the
purpose of the board to place the re-
sponsibility of this work on the shoul-
ders of the Chief. To this end the
sergeant in command of the SQUAD
has reported directly to the Chief and
not to his captain, as is the usual
course.
That the fantan and lottery games
were never cleared out thoroughly
was unquestionably proved during the
Ellis hearings But there is a grave
question, say those disposed to defend
the police, whether it is possible to do
so. 1t looks as if the case can be
made out against Whitman. however,
if there is plan afoot to have a new
Chief Of Police. 1t cannot be denied
that the department. has never been