The San Francisco call., 1913-07-24
Commission Seeks Some
body to Hold Responsible
for Police Corruption
Search to Cover Three
Last Administrations -
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tic Department History
FLANNERY DOES NOT
PROVE GOOD GUIDE
McCarthy's Commissioner
Tells Little-Other Wit
ness Holds Back Details
for Grand Jury-Roche
Says That Board Would
Dismiss White if He Is
Found to Be Incompetent

Is Chief of Police White responsible
for the present decentralization of the
police department, or does the respon-
sibility go back. wholly or in part, to
his predecessors, Martin and Seymour?
For the purpose Of getting at the
truth of this matter. the present inves-
tigation is being conducted by the po-
lice commissioners. according to a
statement made yesterday afternoon by
President Theodore Roche of the COM
mission
There seems to be some idea pre-
valent," said Commissioner Roche,
that I am trying to protect Clref
White. There is nothing in that. Speak
ing for the commission. l can say that
# we find that the chief is incompetent.
there is not a member of the board
hut will recommend HIS dismissal"
The police commission held an ex-
ecutive session yesterday afternoon
that lasted three hours. Three wit
nesses were examined. former Commits
sioner Harry F'Iannery. Miilard Dux-
bury and De Paoli. Former Chief of
Police John Martin had been supenaed
to appear but il was reported that he
was too i'll to be present. President
Roche said after the meeting that the
commissioners would probably go to
Martins home in San Mateo to get his
testimony, if it We're found that he is
in a condition to give it.
UNOFFICIOUS FLANNERY
Little of value was ELECTED from
Flannery. He told the commissioners
that he had absolutely nothing to do
with the appointment of any member
of the police force. with the solitary
exception of one man appointed to the
Identification bureau. He said that he
himself did not know he was to be ap-
pointed commissioner until 81 hours
before the appointment was made. He
was not consulted by Mayor Mccarthy
concerning the appointment of John
Martin as chief Of police, though Nc
Carthy did once suggest to him that
he thought Martin would make a good
chief. He disclaimed having used any
influence in the appointment of men to
the upper office. Once before his ap-
pointment he visited McCarthy's office
and found him and Martin examining
list of officers to be appointed. This
may have been the list of eight men
sent in by McDonough Brothers. Flan-
merry declared he knew nothing about
the origin of the conditions complained
of today, whether they originated in
Martins administration or since Chief
White took office.
Millard Duxbury, the convicted rob-
ber, who claims TO know of police con-
nection with the gambling scandal,
declared previous to going before the
commission that he would not tell
much.
I'll tell my story to the grand
jury" he said. Il can't see how it will
help me any to talk to the police COM
mission"
Assistant District Attorney Cotton
later asserted that Duxbury will be a
witness before the grand jury tonight.
DUxBURY Is WARY
President Roche explained after the
meeting that while Duxbury named
only one oficer-presumably Police
man Tracy-now under suspension-he
went more into detail in his story than
he had at any previous time. How
ever, 1t is not believed that he gave
the commission much information upon
which to base action, except that he
charged that a percentage game was
conducted at the Waldorf club.
The only other witness before the
commission yesterday was De Paoli
who has charged Policeman Tracy
with taking graft money. His testi-
mony was about the same as the state
ments he had previously made, that he
paid Tracy money to allow him to run
a blind pig.
For the first time since the commits
sion began it's present line of investi-
CATION, Theodore Roche yesterday out
lined the general idea of the inquisi-
ton. He declared that the commits
sioners meant to start with past admin
istrations and lead up to the present
moment 1t is their intention, he said
70 find out definitely whether response
btIitv for the present decentralization
in the police department devolves upon
chief White or whether it antedates his
administration and goes back to Martin
nd SEYMOUR He said that very prob
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