Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-08-04
DISCLOSURES PROMISED
IN HANDBOOK CASES
No Shake-Up of Police Depart
ment Now Contemplated,
Maj. Sylvester Says.

Maj. Sylvester, superintendent of po-
lice, said today there is no truth in the
published report of prospective gen.
eral shake-up in the local police de-
partment. Several complaints and
rumors connecting the names Of men,
bers of the department with alleged
wrongdoing, he said, have been inves-
tigated, but in no instance has any
thing serious been discovered.
Some of the members of the force
several transfers may be made for the
good Of the service. Usually at this
season, the superintendent of police
explained. a number of transfers are
made. The transfers contemplated at
this time. he added, include several Of
minor Importance and possibly one of
the higher officials.
No announcement has yet been made
of the result Of the investigation Of
rumors about police connection with
the alleged handbook men by United
States Attorney Wilson Or the officials
of the Department of Justice. 1t Is
by them until after the trials of the
several men who were recently ar
rested.
How Evidence Was Secured.
Friends of several of the men who
were arrested as a result of an investi-
cation conducted by agents of the De-
partment of Justice say that the trials
of the cases will bring out some in
teresting facts as to how the evidence
was obtained.
1T will be even worse than the stool
m ri oi hat In hc
| cases brought by the police some time
ago" said one of the friends.
Many persons have been questioned
by Assistant United States Attorney
Ralph Given in an effort to get testi-
mony against one of the defendants in
| asked some of the witnesses. it is
stated. also indicated that the official
was making an effort to connect one
of the higher police officials with the
alleged handbook operations.
1t is said that a number of mes
senger boys were among those who
were questioned. They were employed
| about a branch office Of the Western
Union Telegraph Company, it is stated
and they were asked If they could give
information tending to connect the
police official with the handbook de-
PENDANTS. None of them, it is said, was
able to do so.
So far as could be ascertained to-
day nothing discriminating was found
by the assistant United States at
torney.
No Time Set for Trials.
No definite time has been fixed for the
trials of the cases in the Police Court,
and 1t is likely that they will not be
called until after next month Several
! handbook cases that were filed by the
police many months ago, it is stated.
| have not yet been disposed of. The po-
| lice say they have been ready to pro-
coed with them, but they have not been
called upon to appear in court.
The arrest Wednesday afternoon of
William Sisson. alleged handbook oper-
ator. revived interest in that particular
branch of gambling. Sergt. Lake and
Precinct Detective Kleindienst made the
| arrest. 1t has been reported that MOTH
| ing has been doing in the handbook bust
| ness since the arrest of the eight men by
Detectives Helan and Grant as a result
| of the investigation made by the Depart
| ment of Justice. and the arrest Of Sisson
| was a surprise.
| Yesterday Sisson who had given bond
| in the sum of $1,000 for his appearance,
was at the Police Court to answer the
charge. He was not arraigned, however
| and no action was taken in the case other
| than to continue II indefinitely. II is
thought he will be arraigned early next
week.