Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-19
POLICE SHAkE-UP
ON; 2LOSE STARS
SERGEANTS ATTEND PRIZE
FIGHT WHILE ON DUTY
Officers Summoned Before Head of
Department at Midnight and Sum-
mariIy suspended-case viii
Come Before Commission

What promises to develop into big
which necessarily will involve central
police headquarters, was begun a short
time before midnight last night when
| Sergeants D. l.. Adams and Augustus
Hartmeyer, both detailed from the east
| side station, were summarily stripped
of their badges by Chief Of Police Dish
| man.
The immediate cause of this sudden
act of suspending sergeants supposed
to be on duty is the result of a personal
| investigation by Chief Dishman, after
the holdup of Peter H. Riggs, Pasa-
dena produce merchant, had been re-
ported at the east side station.
Investigation by Chief Dishman re-
suited in finding the two sergeants oc-
cupying seats at the prize fight in Nc
Carey's pavilion, while they were sup
posed to be looking for clews that
might lead to the solution of the brutal
assault and robbery of Riggs.
That Captain Lehnhausen, in charge
of the east side station, will be called
before the police commission at its next
meeting seems assured after last
nights developments.
When Chief Dishman arrived at the
east side station he was not aware of
the holdup, but went to make personal
investigation OF reports that conditions
were not up to the standard and that it
had been conducted in a haphazard
manner.
According to the chiefs statement,
the only person in charge of the station
was Desk Sergeant Cahill, and then he
learned of the holdup. Efforts at first
to locate Captain Lehnhausen were in
vain, but he was later reached by tele-
phone at his home.
Find Sergeants
In the meantime the whereabouts of
Sergeants Adams and Hartmeyer had
been ascertained. Captain Lehnhausen
in response to query OF Chief DISH
man as to why the east side station
was neglected and why the two SER
geants We're absent from duty without
authority, replied he had given Ser
geant Adams permission to attend the
fight, but not Hartmeyer.
This is a direct violation of the po-
lice rules, as no captain is allowed
to give permission to any one in his
command to attend an entertainment
outside of his own district
The officers, it is said, made bluff
of patrolling their beats during the
fight by calling up at the stated inter
walls from a telephone at the prize
ring.
The sergeants were the two most sur
prised persons in Los Angeles when
they appeared before the chief at mid
night, and their stars We're taken from
them. No attempt of an explanation of
their conduct was given or asked, as
it is a matter that will be threshed out
at tine next meeting of the
police commission.
In speaking of the surprise last night,
Chief Dishman said: ut is no wonder
that such holdups are possible if Off
GERS sworn to perform their obliga-
tions, wilfully absent themselves from
duty. 1 acted personally in this mat
ter, and did not depend on reports or
rumors. 1t means a shakeup and if
the east side station is not properly |
l intend to learn the reason"
Sergeant Adams has been with the
police department for number of |
years, while Hartmeyer is still serving |
his probationary period, receiving his |
at the same time that |
Captain Lehnhausen was promoted.