The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-01
POLICE JOTTINCS.
Shake Up in "the Force" Takes
Place.
Jailer Carl Lawson Is Made a
Detective.
NEW MEN ARE NAMED.
Two Will Wear Uniforms OF
PatrOlmen.
AL Hopkins Takes LawsOn's
Place as Jailer.
VIEW MEN ARE NAMED.

Place as Jailer.
The police department has been
given a vigorous shakeup and shake |
down, reassigning officers and taking |
on two new ones to replace two re-
signed. The regeneration Of the police |
force is the result of careful study OF
the men and conditions prevailing by
the strenuous chief and the changes
to go into effect today are calculated
to increase the efficiency and enl1ven
the department, he says.
No police force in the world, prob
ably, with the same limited number
of officers is as energetic and success
full as the Topeka force has been,
but Chief Eaton believes that few
changes, the result of years OF exper-
fence with his men, will serve to
strengthen the department.
With this idea of an even more eff
cient department in mind, the chief
has taken several men from the ranks
and raised them to rank of city de-
tectives, changed patrol driver and pa
trolmen and uniformed two new men
who, however, have had experience.
One of the men to be given an ad-
vancement is Jailer Carl Lawson.
Lawson, is a man of much experience
in handling criminals having seen sew
en- years service as guard at the peni-
Tertiary and nine years as jailer at the
county Jail. During this time has has
learned the criminals and near Grim
inals of this section of the country,
knows all the local crooks from any
angle and carries a complete rogue's
gallery in his mind. With these quail
| ificatfons he is expected to make a
very successful detective. Patrolman
| Joe Wonderly is another to be raised
| from the ranks to the office of de-
tective. Wonderly is fearless and OBJ
serving. No crook ever in Topeka got
away without leaving a record and a
| photograph in his mind, there was
never a jungle row where Joe did not
rush in throwing his club broadcast.
and not a suspicious stranger walked
| the streets without his eyes following
| to detect misstep. Patrolman Frank
Leach has been elected to drive the
patrol wagon while the present driver,
| Bob Palmer, takes up a stick and
trods a beat. Al Hopkins has been
appointed first jailer to succeed Law
son and Frank Summers will be as
signed a regular beat.
To fill the full quote of officers les
sened by the resignation of Detective
Sauls and that of J. E. Douglas, a col
| ored patrolman, Frank Penny, who
has formerly served five months on the
force will again take up the role of
patrolman and Andrew Wetherby,
| colored man Of North Topeka who
comes highly recommended and with
some service will fill the place vacated
| by Douglas
Other officers will continue in their
duties as before
A curious use has fallen to one of
| the policy wheels captured from the
negro operators some time ago. Up
| in the chiefs private office, two police
men are today turning the wheel and
drawing out numbers and names. The
wheel whirrs, stops and b1indfolded
officer picks out a slip OF paper. This
gambling, conducted right in the po-
lice station, is to determine who of the
men get the first vacations The men
are all allowed a ten days vacation
during the year and the season has
| just begun. Jailer Hopkins was the
first of the names drawn and he will
be given the first vacation.
The blackbird which flew the night
of the Jube Jorden raid, VIM. Token
ton by name, lately arrested and also
charged with assault upon the person
Of Coochee Brown, was tried in police
court last evening on that charge. He
pleaded altogether not guilty of the
charge and had a half dozen witnesses
to prove that he was not near the place
when it happened. but at the show
down they beat him.
Coochee testified that Tockenton liy-
ing at the Porter home on Monroe street
had borrowed some money from her
long ago and had not paid it back to
which thoughtlessness she having OBJ
jected he chased her through the house
and reaching the back yard of the Por-
ter house, hit her somewhere on the
body in proof of which assertion a
red calico waist with sun, moon and
stars and hole in the back was shown
in court. The witnesses for the de-
Tense failed in their intended mission
by testifying that they saw Tockenton
in the neighborhood and go through the
house with Coochee that fateful night
instead of telling that he was some
where in Sunderland.
At the conclusion of the testimony
the judge pronounced SIS benediction
upon the defendant who appealed the
case.
F1fteen-year-old Alice Reed, for a
time under the guardianship of the
probate judge, was caught last night
by the police breaking the rules of her
parole by walking away from the trans
fer station with disreputable man.
The man, however, saw the officer COM
ing and threw on the high gear, MAX
ing his escape but leaving the young
thing to the mercy of the cop.
Freda Reed, no relation but a pal,
at the transfer station at the same
time while awaiting a meeting. The
Johnson girl was arrested at the Hotel
Purviance some time ago where she had
been stealing lodging with friend of
hers. Since that time she has fire.
quented the Central hotel. now in ashes.
She insisted upon calling on Alice Reed
in spite OF the mothers protest. and
when she was finally forced to stay
away the two girls met up town.
Alice will be tried today In probate
court. She is considered almost too
good to be sent to Beloit by the police
natron but that seems to be the only
thing left to do.
Quite another case that of Mabel