Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-04-06
MELON MADE TO
WALK THE PLANK
PATR0LMAN FOUND GUILTY
OF OBJECTIONABLE CRIME
is DIxoNs FRIEND AND SAID TO
HAVE EXPOSED VICE
Police Commission Signalizes Its De-
parture from Office by Taking
Long and Carefully De-
ferred Action

Because he is friend of Lieutenant
Dixon, whom the Kern roadhead fac
ton hates with a whole-souled hatred,
and because he is suspected of having
secured evidence against the protec-
ton of vice, Patrolman William M.
Mellon was made to walk the plank
by the Harper police commission yes
terday. The fact that Mellon arrested
the proprietor of a wholesale liquor
house on charge of violating the
liquor laws, this same proprietor be-
ing a warm friend of Captain Broad
head, may also have had something to
do with the dismissal.
AS they dared not put this one
over" until they were ready to step
down and out the police commission
has postponed action on this case for
more than six months.
Said one of Melons friends yester-
day: "This last act of the Harper
police commission was a conspiracy
and an injustice. The commission
Mayor Alexander has appointed would
scorn to stoop to such low tricks of
revenge. l know Mayor Alexander
was not familiar with this case or he
never would have permitted the out
rage, and most assuredly would not
have voted for it. Judge Dillon was
not a member of the commission when
the case was tried and not familiar
with the facts. This case was thrown
out of court when presented to jus
tice."
Lieutenant Dixon said: ''Neelon is
one of the best officers on the force,
and to him belongs the credit for
cleaning up Chinatown of its disreput-
able characters which was given to
Sebastian"
Thrown Out of Court
After this case was thrown out of
the justice court e. P. Thorn, who was
the complaining witness, brought
charges of conduct unbecoming an Of
ficer against Mellon before the police
commission. These charges grew out
of Mellon arresting a Chinese servant
employed by Captain Thorn.
For some unexplained reason the
case was continued until December IL,
when it was finally heard in the
mayors Office and behind locked doors.
This in itself was a suspicious circum-
stance, as, although the case involves
some disgusting testimony other
cases equally as bad, but behind which
there happened to be no intrigues,
have been heard in the open commits
sioh room.
When the case was concluded it was
taken under advisement, and it has
been under advisement ever since.
Yesterday Secretary McKeag called
up the matter and said his record
would not be clear unless the case was
disposed of in one way or another.
Commissioner Woodill Immediately
moved that the charges be sustained
and Mellon ordered dismissed from the
service. This was promptly seconded
by Commissioner Lewis.
There are very serious indictments
against Mellon, in the eyes of Chief
Broadhead and his clique. In the first
place he is a friend of Lieutenant
Dixon. This is enough to condemn
him in the eyes of Broadhead and
Broadhead's adherents. How cordially
Dixon is hated is shown by the fact
that he should today be a captain of
police. There are two vacancies for
captains, but the department has been
struggling along without filling these
vacancies, solely and only because
Dixon is the first on the civil service
eligible list for such a position and,
if a captain had been appointed, it
would have had to have been Dixon.
Another indictment against Mellon
is that, by securing evidence, he aided
and abetted the fight against protected
vice. That he is an advocate of decent
government is a serious matter to the
Kern Broadhead faction. This faction
used to include former Mayor Harper,
but not any more.