Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-12-03
POLICE PROBE AT MUscATiNE
ENDS WITHOUT
ACTION.
COUNCIL IN TIE VOTE
ON GUSHING CHIEF
Hearing a. to Mayor Kern Results in
Acouittal Of Chief Executive-6reaks
Down When He 10 Told Of Vote Of
Observation-Disclosures Conducted
in Open Meeting.

Muscatine, Dec. Custer proceed
ings against Chief of Police Fred w.
Hoffman failed, when after trial
which continued for several hours, the
council returned tie vote as to the
guilt of the accused police head.
When the ballot was tailed four to
four vote was recorded and according
tn the section of the ordinance under
which the hearing was conducted
two thirds vote was necessary to re-
move the official.
Earlier in the evening the city coun-
ell, with Alderman Watson presiding,
hastily conducted formal hearing ot
Mayor Kern and it was with sratih- :
cation that his friends who thronged
the council chamber heard the result OF
the ballot. The mayor received
complete vindication, the vote being
seven not guilty and one guilty. Ihat
one ballot would be cast against MI"
was generally conceded. Mayor Kern
was visibly affected with the display
of confidence voted by his colleagues
and gave way to his feelings as he re-
sumed the chair amid the applause OF
the assembled audience. Mayor Kern
friends. while recognizing the institu-
ton of the investigation Of his office
as being but a subterfuge. feared that
the vote against him might be such as
to direct suspicion toward MIN. Out
they view the action Of the council last
evening as q complete Vindlcatioh.
visibly Affected.
Muscatine people took the mayoraisy
investigation lightly, but with the
mayor 1t was grave concern. only
those who were Intimately associated
with him realize the weight OF the
suspicion. Last evening he was near
a state of collapse and his agitation
gave evidence of the strain under
which he has been laboring for some
time. II am indeed gratlfied with the
result of the vote. If the ballot had
been clear, If that one accusing vote
had not been cast I would have been
able to forgive and forget everything.
Was a Fiasco.
That the investigation of the mayor
was but sdbterfuge resorted to by
those who sought to Illustrate the po-
lice probe was clearly indicated by the
weakness Of the case submitted last
night. The accusation which was
voiced in council by Alderman Sulli-
van at the time the mayors investiga-
ton was ordered was but suggested
by the evidence presented. Chief OF
Police HOFFMAN was the only witness
to present evidence which even sug-
zested that the mayor shared the
slightest responsibility thru failure
Of the police to apprehend George Sir
pic within twenty-four hours after the
alleges rape case which gave rise to
the present municipal upheavel.
Chief Hoffman while testifying stated
that on the afternoon Of the alleged
rape that the mayor rang him up at
the police station and asked him about
the Sirpis case. HE wanted to know
if. I had arrested the Greek" testified
Hoffman. and I told him that l did
not know If the woman wanted tc
prosecute as she was talking about
settling the affair and the mayor said
All right and hung up. That was all
1 heard from the mayor until the mex,
morning when he called me up on the
phone at my home and told me to come