The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-06-14
HAS RESIGNED AFTER THREE
YEARS OF SERVICE.
THE PUBLIC SURPRISED
The Reason Assigned Is That He Did
Not Propose to Go Up Against a
Stacked Deck" and Be Hurrahed
Around

Chief of Police E o. Allen has re-
signed after three years of duty.
The announcement of Chief Aliens
resignation was surprise to the people.
1t came as fash of lightning from a
cloudless summer sky.
Monday afternoon Chief Allen was
informed by Mayor Dickson that the
Police Committee would meet at s
o'clock and would entertain charges
against him. The committee is COM
posed of three councilmen, ]. Dandy,
chairman, Henry Bodenheimer and Ben
S. White
Councilman Dambly was not in the
city yesterday afternoon and therefore
it would seem singular that the chief
should have been cited to appear before
two of the committee, and when the
chairman was absent.
Instead of appearing before the COM
mittee Chief Allen wrote his resignation
which he handed to Auditor Thurmond
with the request that he give it to the
Mayor with his compliments.
1t may be recalled stat Chief Allen
had stated that he would never submit
TO being called before the committee for
any investigation, should there ever be
charges preferred against him, especial
ly when he was conscious that he had
done no wrong, and would not expose
himself to be hurrahed around, nor
would he go against stacked deck"
Having resigned, the Police Commit
tee can hold no inquiry or examina
ton, but the charges against Chief AZ
len being public may be considered in
a fair and unbiased spirit
The complainant in this instance is
Mrs. Rochell, who keeps boarding
house at $40 Crockett street. Forum
Hateiy the charge against Chief Allen is
not serious, and not as ahsumed by
some Of those who are not his friends
Two negro boys had fight and one
had broken nose, and one of the pa
trolmer arrested them As said Chief
Allen: Mrs. Rochell rang me up on
the telephone and proceeded to give me
general roundup, regular 'bawling
out She raked me and the police de-
partment and declared that instead of
arresting poor children we should give
our attention to blind tigers and drunken
men that were running all over town.
The chief said he tried to stop her, but
she was SO excited that she would not
listen to him, "and finally when | got
hold of the wire I fold her it was none
of her--business.'
It may be conceded that this answer
was not strictly in line with etiquette,
but the chief was wrought upon and
there was no recall for what had been
said in haste over the telephone
Chief Allen expressed himself as be-
ing thoroughly disgusted with the po-
lice service. He was confident that it
was intended to dismiss him and that
the episode over the telephone with Mrs
RocheH was simply pretense to dis
credit him, and he would not stand it
The offending, he said, is that he has
been assisting the district attorney in
obtaining evidence to convict law-break
ers, the men who were violating the pro-
hibition law. He had simply been doing
his duty, and was trying to Conform to
his oath of Office in the enforcement of
the law. He remarked with emphasis:
I'm done with political jobs"
E. o. ALLEN AS CHIEF OF PO-
LICE.
E. o. Allen has been in Office about
three years. When he assumed charge
of the police there was an apparent lack
of discipline. Having been in the rail
way service for years. he had become
thorough in discipline, which he applied
to the police force effectively. Under
his management the. police was noted
for its efficiency, but when the law Of
prohibition became effective ii was soon
apparent that this law was disregarded
with irnpunity in many quarters. Chief
Allen did all he colAd but ii became
necessary for private citizens to raise
funds and employ private detectives to
catch the law-breaxers. In this work
Chief Allen rendered al the assistance
in his power. Trised has been long
patent to close Observers that Chief Al
len was obnoxious to ; certain class Of
the community who do not favor the
strict enforcement Of the law, and he
therefore had incurred their displeasure,
and these being strong factors in local
politics have been silently active in Sc
curing his removal. Possibly this view
Of the situation may provoke some crit
icism in denials, but straws. as 4 rule in