The San Francisco call., 1908-11-25
BIGGY ACCUSES MEN
UNDFRHISCOMMAMD
Chief of Police Tries TO Shift Re-
spOnsibiIity for Negligence
in Haas Case
Prefers Charges Against Duke,
Burke and Policeman
Dennis BOIL

Chief Of Police Biggy. in an effort L
save himself from the charge of incom
potency in allowing Morris Haas {,
commit suicide in his cell at the count,
jail. fled charges yesterday Afternoon
OF neglect OF duty against Captain
Thomas :. Duke. Detective Sergean
Thomas T. Burke and Policeman Den
mis- Bohle
Captain Duke was served with a cop,
Of the charge against him late yester
day afternoon. The charge is as fol
lows:
That on November Is, 1908. at or
about the hour of 4:30 o'clock p. m,
While IN the courtroom of depart
ment IL of the superior court of
the said city and county, situated at
lS4 Fulton street in the said city
and county. Assistant District At
Iorney Francis J. Heney of the said
city and county was assaulted and
shot with revolver by one Norris
Haas.
That the said Morris Haas was
Immediately arrested thereafter
and delivered into the custody of
the said Thomas s. Duke for com
mitting the said assault with the
intent TO murder the said Francis
J. Heney.
That the said Duke Immediately
searched the person OF the said
Haas, and failed TO take from the
person of said Haas all property
and weapons to be delivered to the
property clerk OF the said depart
ment 10 be kept by him until dis
position be made thereof accord
ing TO law, as provided for in sec
tion ?. chapter 8. article VIII of
the charter Of the said city and
county.
That the said Duke failed to dis
cover and take from the person of
the said Haas. at the time of the
said search. one derringer pistol,
one pair of eye glasses, one watch
and chain and one pin badge, which
were on the person OF the said Haas
at the time Of the said search
mat after being searched by the
said Duke the said Haas was given
into the custody of other police
officers and taken to the county jail
OF the said city and county. where
the said Haas committed suicide by
shooting himself in the head with
the said derringer pistol
That the said Duke is guilty OF
neglect of duty in falling to dis
cover and take from the person Of
the said Haas the above described
property, as provided for In section
,. chapter VI. article VIII of the
charter Of the said city and county.
CSigned) W J. BIGGY.
Chief of Police.
When Chief Biggy was asked yester
day morning about the charges agains
Captain Duke. Detective Burke an
Policeman Bohle he replied that when
ever any member of the department
was guilty of an error of judgmen
that member would be held respon
sible for such error before the com
miSsioners. Further than that h
would not say. After the charges ha,
been filed yesterday afternoon he wa
again asked to make a statement. bu
declined to discuss the nature of tn,
charges or his reasons for maxim,
them.
When asked for a copy Of the charge
he declined 10 furnish it. nor would h.
permit Clerk Skelly OF the commission
10 show the originals. He said he ha,
been waiting for an official copy OF tn
verdict Of the jury at the Haas fnques
before formulating any charges H
had received * yesterday afternoon an,
at once prepared and fled the charges
When asked If he did not consider him
self responsible for the neglect in no
finding the derringer in Haas posses
sion he replied that he was directin,
the police after the shooting of Heney
but he could not be expected to do tn
searching of Haas himself, that befn,
the duty Of the arresting officer or tn
officer in charge of that particular duty