The San Francisco call., 1913-07-30
IF CHIEF WHITE
IS GUILTY, FL
Be TRIED -kUH[
Commissioner Says Purpose
of Present Investigation
Is to Determine This
Very Point
HAS JEROME BASSITY
BLANK RESERVATIONS
Kuhl Says He'll Ask About
This Report on Cross
Examination

If it shall appear at the conclusion
of the investigation of Chief White
that he is responsible for the un-
doubted ineTlciency of the police de-
partment. charges certainly will be
preferred against hi mand he will have
10 stand trial on them
The above statement was made yes
terdav afternoon by Police Commis-
sioner Max Kuhl. Kuhl. of course,
refuses at this time to say whether
or not he believes Chief White TO be
responsible for existing conditions, but
lie does not hesitate to say that he
believes the police department to be
far from what it ought to be and that
a radical change of some sort Is needed.
He added that after the investigation
is concluded he will be entirely willing
TO express his opinion publicly, and
that he will speak and act in accord
ance with his convictions as formed
after considering all the evidence ad-
duced.
This morning at 10 o'clock the police
commission will resume its inveStiga-
tion of Chief White, and it is proba BILE
that the inquisition will be concluded
before the day is over. President
Roche states that a public statement
will be made as to the findings of
the commission.
Chief White himself is expected to
make a statement in his own defense
today If he does he WILL says Com
missioner Kuhl, undoubtedly be sub
jected to a searching cross examina-
tion at the hands of some of the
commissioners. He will be treated ex
actly as if he were on the witness
stand in a criminal case, and any
statements he may make will be sub
ject to thorough investigation.
ASKED ABOUT RESERVATIONS
President Roche, however, stated
yesterday that he had no intention of
asking White whether or not it is true
that, Immediately following his ap-
pointment as chief of police, he wrote
out two designations in the house of
his friend. Jerome Bassity, who is pop
ularly credited with being responsible
for Whites appointment. What diff
ference does it make whether he did or
not?" asked Roche when he was asked
concerning the purported written and
undated designations
1t is probable. however. that White
will be asked that question. Commits
sioner Kuhl apparently attaching more
Importance to it than does the pres
ident of the board
Aside from Chief White himself, the
principal witness before the commits
sion this morning viii be former Chief
Seymour. Seymour stated yesterday
that he was entirely ready and will
ing, even anxious, to appear and tell
all he knows. 1t is anticipated that
his testimony will be TO the effect that
when he turned the department over
to Chief White, it was in perfectly
good condition and that the demoral-
ization that exists at present has come
about since he relinquished the reins
of control.
WILL FILE CHARGES
IF the commission finds that Chief
White is inefficient-and 1 do not hes
itate to say that the purpose of the
present investigation is to ascertain
whether he is or not" stated Com
missioner Kuhl yesterday. "it will un-
doubtedly be the duty of the commits
sion to file charges against him and
make him stand trial on them.
Regarding the trials of subordinate
members of the department before the
police commission, Kuhl said that he
did not think that under ordinary cir
cumstanees, it is the duty of the board
TO file charges or to conduct such in
Nestigations. But after the bunk
scandal he said, and after eight men
mad been found guilty of conspirine
with the bunko men, we thought it our
ter
President Roche stated yesterday
that whether or not charges of inef-
ficiency are preferred against Chief
White, he thought it extremely prob
able that charges would be filed against
some of Whites subordinates Mem
bers of the commission, including
Roche and Kuhl. have heretofore ex-
pressed the opinion that it would be a
practical impossibility for patrolmen
and detectives to be SO long connected
with the bunko men without some of
their superior officers knowing it, One
commissioner said that if they didn't
know it, that was proof positive of
their unfitness for the department.
Another echo of the bunko scandal
was heard yesterday morning in Judge
Dunnes court, when the cases of Dro-
lette, Sullivan, McHugh and Josephs.
charged with grand larceny in con-
nection with the Italian bunko ring.
were called up. They were put over
to August Ia TO be set for trial. The
four defendants are now serving nine
month terms In the county jail. having
confessed to criminal conspiracy with
the bunko men.