The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-09-09
Editor of Idea Charges Po-
lice Commissioner With IN
terfereing With Policeman
ADON YODER WISHES
TO lest THE LAW
Complaint Says Board of Com
missioners Has no Executive =.
Authority-Quotes Accused
and Chief Werner.

Police Commissioner Chris" Man
ming arrested on charge ~ inter
fering with polite officer IN the per-
torrance ot his duty. was taken to
the First precinct station an the
patrol wagon and put through the
regular procedure and was finally ad-
mitted TO bail in t.t~ sum OF 500
pending his appearance in the police
court SATURDAY, The, arrest was made
shortly before noon Fri lay, at the
instance ~ Adon A. Yoder. editor of
the Idea.
The warrant was taken To the City
Hall shortly after 10 O'Clock TO Ice
served on Mr.. Manning. who was one
of the complainants against Mr..
Yoder in criminal libel suit last Feb
ruary
Mr., Yoder had previously visited
the Offices of two other magistrates
1t because II might in1ure them.
Merely Specific.
Although the warrant charges the
violation of law on January L. MIR
Yoder said that he merely named this
date TO fix the alleged ofTense within
the present year.
Mr.. 1oder's accusation against MI
Manning Is that the latter issued in
structions TO the police force not "a
enforce the law against alleged ques-
tionabie resorts. He charges that on
January !. and at other times. Mr.
Manning has, by his instructions to
the police, restrained the minions OF
the law from making arrests that the
best moral welfare of Richmond de-
mands.
81 procured this warrant mainly TO
test the law" said Mr. Yoder be
cause / do not believe the law gives
the police commissioner any execu-
tive authority. The legislature alone
has the power to govern the police
force in its enforcement of the Law
AS written upon the statute book.
My contention is that neither Mr..
Manning nor any other of the poiics
commissioners has any more right IN
instruct the police TO disregard a laH
relative to questionable resorts than
TO prohibit them from arresting s.
murderer.
What Manning Said.
Mr.. Manning testified at my rial
for criminal iihel that he had issued
instructions to the police not 10 en-
force section 1899 of the Code, which
relates To the arresteof brothels The
records do not show that the board
Of commissioners issued such instruc-
tons
al my trial for circulating 'litera-
ture calculated to ruin the morals OF
the young Chief Of Police Werner
admitted that he had been given In
structions not to enforce section 1870
which. singuiarly enough. appeared
Immediately above the section l was
accused of violating These state
ments from Mr.. Manning and Chief
Werner seem to establish the facts
which | contend TO the violation OF
the law"
Absurd, Says Chief.
Major Werner when Informed al
the arrest, at first expressed surprise
and then declared the charges TO pe
absurd"
MT. Manning has never interfsred
with me or the workings of my de-
partner. by word or deed" he de-
clared. Neither has any other IN
dividuai commissioner. / pay no at
tention to any police commissioner as
an individual Concerning any orders
l may have received from the board
as whole, i have nothing to say
Emphaticaliy, however, the charge
against Mr.. Manning is absolutely
unwarranted."