The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-09-21
UP TO THE COUNCIL
Sergeant Jenkins Affair Invest
igated Tonight.
Has Created Considerable Fric-
tiOn in Police Department.
ANOTHER .ONELET OUT
Officer Duncan Latest to Feel
Official Axe.
An Important Witness in the
Jenkins Case.
ANOTHER .ONELET OUT

The investigation of Maurice Jenkens.
for the past Is years an officer and
sergeant on the local police force, and
suspended from service August % by
Chief Eaton and later discharged by
Acting Mayor Horn, will come up be-
fore the council in special session to-
night and the charges thoroughly
weighed and gone through.
Inc charges, counter charges and de-
NAL In this case do not make nice read
ing. Indeed, the details are not fit to
print
Briefly, ex-Sergeant Jenkins was dis
charged from service on the charge of
conduct unbecoming an officer and
gentleman. 1t is alleged that on the
night of August 81 or the early morn
ing OF August %. he entered the wom-
ems quarters of the city prison and
made improper advances to two ne
crosses detained there. According to
the af1daVits of these women Jenkens'
conduct in their quarters that night
was unspeakable. and they alleged fur
Their that he was partly intoxicated at
least, II not drunken.
The charges against Jenkens were
nrst preferred by Mrs, Thorpe, the po-
lice matron, and not by Chief Eaton,
as generally supposed. Mrs. Thorpe
state journal reporter this morning:
On the day of August %, one of these
negro women confined in the cell of the
Womens ward of the city prison, Anna
Ellis, by name, and Topeka police
character, told me she had something
important to tell me and I brought her
to my office and she told me terrible
story of Sergeant Jenkens conduct in
the women's ward the night before in
which she and Mary Bayley. the other
I1ax VT T
heard charges made by this class of
women against officers before and pay
little attention to them, and some of
them have referred to Sergeant Jen-
kens; too but in this case could not
overlook the matter. so after half
hour of thought 1 called Chief Eaton
to my office and laid the matter before
him. He appeared to be shocked and
astounded at the story, and called Mr..
JenkenS up to my Office for an inyesti-
cation. Mr.. Howard, of the councils
police committee, was also present. Mr..
JenkenS admitted enough at this inVes-
ugation to make his offense a INSIDE
meanor at least. He said he had gone
to the women's ward that night and
had acted in a familiar manner with
these two women, and he also admit
ted that. he had taken a drink that eV-
ening and had given each of the wo-
men some money The Bayley woman
was stranger here, coming to this city
from Atchison, and she was called upon
to Identify Jenkens as the man in their
apartments that night. She identified
Mr.. Jenkens and told her story with
tears running down her cheeks and
it impressed me in spite of the wom-
ans character. Mr.. Jenkens had the
jailer's bunch of keys and they would
give him access to the -woman'S de-
partment at any time. I have served
on the police department of the city
with Mr.. Jenkens, off and on, for 16
years and had nothing in the world
against him personally except this
matter of entering the women's ward
The charge is not the result of spite
work at all. Chief Eaton told me that
he especially hated to suspend Jen-
kens at this time as the latter was an
excellent officer and was badly needed
for state fair work. The chief told
Jenkens in my presence that he would
have to suspend him on his own admis-
sions alone, even If the awful story of
the women was not true in the whole. :"
Mayor Green said today: 81 have
known Maurice Jenkens for a great
| many years and l shall see to 1t that
he has a fair trial and every chance in
the world to clear himself of this ter
rible charge. However, I shall not let
my long friendship with him influence
me in his favor, but shall allow the
| case to be decided in accordance with
| the evidence. 1 have always regarded
him as a good officer and was sur
prised and panied at this charge