Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-08
POLICE HEADS
DODGE AT NAME
OF BROADHEAD
REINSTATEMENT TAKEN UNDER
AMUSEMENT
COMM lsSloN MAY YET DECIDE
TO TRY CAPTAIN
Court Ruling No Hamper to Men in
Control if He Is Believed to
Be Unfit for Ser
vice

There was a long silence, almost
thick enough to cut, when Chief of Po-
lice Dishman reported to the police
commission last night that he had re-
stored Thomas H. Broadhead. captain
in the police department and former
chief, to duty.
Attached to the chiefs report was a
supplementary payroll with one item
of 1857 in favor of Broadhead. This
represents back pay due Captain
Broadhead for the time he was under
suspension when he did not draw any
salary.
The commission was expected to take
some action, but all that was done was
to take the report of the chief under
advisement. This action was equiva-
lent to a broad declaration that the
commission does not want to restore
Broadhead to command and that it will
not do so if there is any way of avoid
ing it.
1t was no bombshel the chief sprung
on the commission when he made his
report last night. The commission had
been worried over it all day. Early
yesterday morning, the police commits
sioners began calling on Mayor Alex
ander and there We're severel interviews
behind closed doors while, it was well
known, Broadhead was under discus
sion.
Chance for Dismissal
While Broadhead was acquitted by
| the jury of the direct charge of ac-
| cepting a bribe for the protection of
| the redlight district it is said there
was enough evidence brought out dur
| ing the trial to show Broadhead's con-
nection with this district and its in
habitants to prevent his ever holding a
police offide again under self-respect-
ing administration.
| The jury had no jurisdiction over this
matter. Its sole object was to deter
mine if the accused was guilty of hav-
ing accepted a bribe as charged in the
! indictment and whether or not he was
a fit person to hold a high office in the
police department of Los Angeles did
not enter It's calculations. The evidence
| showing Broadheads connection with
| the redlight district was brought out
to support the contention that he ac-
cepted bribe. But it is not necessary
for a police officer to commit a felony
punishable by term in states prison
to give the police commission an op-
portunity of dismissing him from the
force.
Doubts Not All Gone
This acquittal has not removed al
doubts of his guilt from the minds OF
| the commissioners, and one of them
stated yesterday that he never would
vote to restore Broadhead to his for
mer position.
While the other members of the COM
mission were not so open in their dec
larations, it was evident they felt the
same way.
1t is believed the matter has been
turned over to City Attorney Hewitt
| for his personal care, and that the
| commission will take no direct action
until Mr.. Hewitt has advised them in
the legal premises
He admitted yesterday there were
several knotty tangles in the matter
and that he was not prepared to give
an offhand decision, whic' confirms the
impression that he has been asked tC
give it his personal consideration.
May Review Evidence
Although a jury found Broadhead not
guilty, it is possible for the police com
mission to find him guilty, for the same
evidence that a court accepts is not
necessarily the evidence that guides
the commission, and this has been
proved several times in liquor cases.
Should the commission decide that il
wants to investigate the matter more
fully and order Broadhead to appear
before it for trial, the commission has
! the mower if convinced of his guilt, to
remove him from Office. 1t is probable
that the matter will result in trial
before the commission if Broadhead
chooses to make the test, and as far as
his position on the force is concerned
he will have to abide by the decision
| of the commission