The San Francisco call., 1908-10-03
DUKE ASSURED OF
CHIEFS CONFIDENCE
Buggy Requires More Than Tier
ney's Uncorroborated Word
to Discredit Captain

"Tf anything further comes OF the
charges made against Captain Duke 1t
will be after Matt Tierney has pre-
ferred formal complaint with the po-
lice commissioners doubt if he will
do this. Meanwhile the accused cap
tain enjoys the confidence Of the COM
missioners and myself. Something bet
ter than the uncorroborated statement
OF man like Tierney is required 20
destroy the reputation OF man or
Captain Dukes standing in this depart
ment."
This statement was made by Chief
Biggy last night while discussing the
days developments IN the previous
nights sensational accusations made Dy
Tierney that Captain Duke had at
tempted to extort 81 900 from him in
exchange for an indorsement of petit
tion for a saloon license. As matter
OF fact there were few Developments
in the case yesterday. Tferney, al
though somewhat clustering, 1aIled 10
come forward with any further evil
dence in support OF his charges and he
gave no assurance that he would ME
a formal complaint with the police
commission.
BURROWS ABANDONs CHARGE
Early yesterday morning Henry Bur
rows. proprietor Of a lodging house at
i24 Turk street, who, the previous
night. had asserted several times that
he was prepared TO make serious
charges against Duke in connection
with a petition for a liquor license,
went TO police headquarters with his
attorney, f. T. Barrett, and denied his
statements of the night before. Mean
10 cd from
several sources that Burrows had been
threatening to make some expose. but
it was apparent yesterday that If he
ever had any such intentions he had
hastily abandoned them.
1t was stated by all the police COM
missioners that no further action would
be taken on Tierney's charges unless
Tierney fled them in writing with the
board. Among Dukes friends the
charge was made openly yesterday that
Tierney's accusations were part OF a
plot to attack the standing OF the po-
lice captain in the department For
months politics have been creating a
breach between the heads OF the differ
ent police commands.
ENMITY is CHARGED
Some OF Dukes friends imagined
they saw the hand of Detective Ed
Wren and former Chief Jerry Dtnan
in the apparent attempt to undo Duke.
Dinan and Duke never were friends.
Notwithstanding that they were at one
time supposed to be performing police
duties under the direction of Abe Ruef.
Wren has not forgotten the time when
Duke succeeded him as chief of detec-
tives and relegated him TO the most
ordinary duties in that department. He
hates Duke and does not deny 1t. Fur
thermore, argue the friends of Duke
Wren is a brother in law of Tierney
whom Duke has so relentleSsly pursued
in cleaning out the tenderloin since the
fire, and 1t is no secret that TieTney
seeks the advice of his detective rela-
tive whenever his interests in the ten
derloin are involved.
If Captain of Detectives Kelly is SUI
perseded by Duke, as planned by Chief
Biggy,. Wren probably viii be again
disrated. which will mean that Dinan's
influence and what little Tierney may
think he has in the detective depart
ment will count for naught- All these
facts, coupled with the undisguised en-
nifty that Captain Kelly shows for hi!
possible successor, has caused Captain
Dukes friends TO believe that polite!
alone was behind Tierney's charges
and that Dinan and Wren. and possibly
others in the department who are quiet
ly opposing Duke. knew about Tierney',
plans before the dive keeper attempted
to carry them out.