The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-23
MUST STAHL PAY.
City Attorney Holds Against the
SpOtter Allowance.
May Bring Suit to Collect
Amounts Already Paid.

Chief stahl will lose on his bill of
$1115O paid out for ''spotter'' evil
dence last month. City Attorney
Spencer who has had the matter un-
der Amusement from its legal stand
point viii rot speak but it is definitely
known that he holds against it
A meeting of the judiciary commit
tee of the council will be held some
time today to act upon Chief Stahl's
bill of s111.5O presented to the city
council on the 9Th of this month for
expenses incurred in the hire of secret
service men and spoilers for the
month of January. 1t Will be remem-
bered that on the presentation of such
q bill on the Gate named the council
at the instigation of Councilman HOlH-
day were led to the opinion that after
all probably there was some laxity in
the hire of extra men in the police
service in the fight against the jOintists
and the question Immediately present
ed itself whether the chief or police
had any legal right to present a bill
for such a service when the city cOun-
Gil had not authorized the employ
ment of any such additional meen as
named in the bill for services rem
dered.
1t has been the custom of the head
of the police department for years to
employ Spoilers on his own author
ity without first securing the sanction
of the city council The city council
heretofore has paid the bills which
have been presented for this addi-
tional hire without protest or thought
of protest. The size of the bills was
one factor which acted in their favor,
as they were about $50 to SIS per
month. But on the presentation of
the January bill the size, almost
double that of former amounts, drew
the attention of the members of the
council The matter was referred to
the judiciary committee which is COM
posed of S. 7. Howe, c. K. Holiday
and Vim. Greene and City Attorney
Spencer who acted in an advisory ca
The question which Immediately
suggests itself is whether the city will
endeavor to collect the amounts which
have been paid out in the past for
like purposes and in a similar man
ner. The amounts which have been
paid aggregate about $500 and the
eide to endeavor to make q. collection
would be to bring suit against Chief
StahI for this amount.
This is also a question which the
city attorney refuses to discuss A
number of the councilmen would be in
favor of endeavoring to make an eff
fort to collect this back amount when
the report of the judiciary committee
is returned to the city council. Others
of the council would be against such
an effort and it can safely be pro-
phesied that merry tilt will occur in
that city body when the matter will
be presented 1t is probable, how
ever, from the present complexion of
the council that the collection of the
back claims will be dropped
In any event the committees report
will prove a serious handicap upon
the procurement of evidence through
the ''spotter'' source in future. 1t is
not thought that the council will
countenance the hiring of additional
police service for the special effort of
closing the joints of the town and the
procurement of that class of evidence
And though the fact that the head of
the police is an administration man
will have great weight it will have
scarcely SUFFICIENT weight to overcome
the feeling that the administration is
to be conducted upon economical
lines.