The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-04-12
NOT POLICY MAN
A. II. Henderson, Preacher
Policeman, La Aroused.
Says He Vas Discharged on
False Stories.
RECORD.
Had Arrested Him for Wife
Beating.
A. W. Hopkins Resigns From
Police Force.
SUCCESSORS RECORD.

A. H Henderson, one of the negro
/ policemen who were discharged TO
make room fer some one else, is not
exactly satisfied with the excuse for
| his removal or the way his place was
filed HendersGn's place was filled by
the appointment of Walter Bryant
Second ward negro barber, with no
police experience, except that OF a
prisoner in the clutches of the police.
Henderson has been known as good
policeman, and bears the distinction
of being the only negro policeman
ever made a detective on his merits.
Henderson served one year as de-
tectives doing good work in that line
Among his feats as detective was the
CA tUre of VI. Ortray, who had robbed
the Capland pawnshop- He not only
captured Ortray in Lawrence, but re-
covered nearly all of the stolen goods,
finding some of it in Kansas City and
some in Skiddy. Kansas Henderson
also did good work in capturing Santa
F'e brass thieves and recovering the
stolen goods.
The excuse which was given for dis
charging Henderson was that he was
accused OF running a policy game
Henderson has the following to say
about it:
They would not tell me where the
fool story came from, but I think 1
know OF course il is all nonsense I
am preacher, and know nothing
about policy games or any other
gambling scile mes- This man Bryant,
who was given my job, is responsible
Perhaps he thinks it a good way to
get even with me, and admit that I
have been something of a nuisance to
Mr. Bryant in the past
To begin L have served years, s
months and IL days on the Topeka
police force. and in that time I
learned something about the crooks,
particularly among my own race. This
man crossed my official path a long
time ago In 1901, am pretty sure it
was, Sam Bosley. an Indian from
Mayetta. came into Brvaut's barber
shop 10 get shaved He climbed into
the chair with his hat on, and Bryant
took it off As he did 50. SIS dropped
out Of the hat, and Bryant stuffed it in
mis- pocket. He was safe in taking the
money until Dudley, another coIored
man working in the shop, who had
seen the entire transaction, got mad
at Bryant and told me- The next time
1 saw the Indian. Bosley. I took him
to Bryant's barber shop. and told
Bryant we knew he took the money.
and that he must give it up Indians
are poor witnesses. and I knew this
Indian might be on the reservation
mitted them to compromise by giving
the Indian his money. Bryant did not
have the amount, but his father paid
the SIS.
TT was during the smallpox scare
that Bryant was caught and quaran-
tined in the hOm of a negro woman
about a block from his own home Rry-
ant and his wife had frequent quarreIs
over this incident, and later. when Mrs
Bryant found the woman in her hus-
bands barber shop, she started row.
and hit the other woman with an UNI
brella- Bryant then took the part of
the other woman, knocked his wife
down with his fist, and was standing
over her cursing her when I ran in and
arrested him I was standing across the
street and saw the whole show Bryant
was fined S25 in police court for this
ofeuse-and now he is an officer in my
place.
7 shall return TO the ministry. and
let the police business alone hereafter |
but I greatly dislike the idea Of being
fired on such foolish and untrue state
ments from a. man who is better fitted |
for the place or prisoner than that Of 4
officer
A. W Hopkins. the veteran police |
officer and detective who was kindly |
permitted to stay on the force when the |
recent radical changes were made. de- [
cided last night that the company was |
not congeniaI. and resigned
On account Of his experience and fit |
ness for the position, Hopkins expected |
TO be rendered one of the vacancies in /
the detective force, but the new man
agement kept him on a beat. and kept /
the place open for some other man.
Morris Jenkins has been named tenn
porary second sergeant
Bob Miller who was let out with ten I
other patroImen will probably go to /
Leotf, Kansas, where he has been ten {
dered the position of city marshal at /
salary slightly better than Topeka po-
FcHr7aU is Maid