The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-29
Ward, Weatherly and Lane Deny Issuing Orders to
 Withhold Reports
PAGAN ALSO KNOWS
 NOTHING OF MATTER
Darnell Admits There Is a Secret File"-Says It Was by Commits missioners' Orders, But As-
 sertion Is Not Borne Out
By RICHARD F. LussIER

By RICHARD F. LUSsIER
 A Mrs. Lacey, living at BIT South Twen- tieth street, was roughly shaken up by a negro about 5:3o o'clock yesterday as she was passing the mouth of a dark alley on South Twentieth street and hor purse. containing $50, stolen The negro escaped.
 This purse snatching was reported at police headquarters. It did not attract any attention as purse snatchings are so frequent that they fail even to excite robbery of Mrs. Lacey was not placed on the regular police file. This fact excited some comment.
 Entering the private office of Chief Eagan and Sergeant Darnell. it was mo- ticed that one of the drawers in the of flee desk was open and a regular office file filled with police reports was in plain sight. At least three reports of burglaries and the Lacey incident were noted.
 Sergeant Darnell. how about looking at the secret file?' was the question. No Secret File, He Says "There is no secret fie,' answered Dar- nell, smiling.
 The reporter then reached Into the desk drawer and picked up the file and started
 to peruse the reports when interrupted by Sergeant Darnell. who was not smiling any more.
 Put that file down." he said
 But you said it was not secret" was
 the surprised answer as the file was
 again placed within the desk.
 Secret or not, you can't see it."
 snapped Darnell. Have you any instructions to that ef- fect?" was the question.
 "Yes, the commissioners have instructed | me not to let you see it." was Darnelrs l answer
 (Which commissioner? said the re-
 porter.
 "Pick out the one you think did it."
 answered Darnell, smiling again, "and
 let 1t go at that. Understand, however
 that you are not to see these burglary
 and purse snatching reports as there are
 definite instructions to that effect" l Following the episode in Chief | Eagan's office, Commissioner of Pub
 lie Justice was immediately queried on | the matter Judge Lane answered: | T have never issued any instruc- l ticns that anything be withheld from the newspapers. I do not know of tho l existence of secret file for burglary and other reports of lawlessness and
 if investigation discloses the existence of such it will be immediately abol- 1 ished. I desire to be quoted that, at
 no time has there been any instruc-
 ton issued to the police to keep the | public in ignorance of burglaries and l , My instructions are to keep every
 th,ng open and above board at head 1 quarters"
 | President of the City Commission l George Ward was then called on the telephone at the Southern club and asked the question whether he had or oered Sergeant Darnell to keep from reporters all reports of burglaries and l purse snatchings. Tho answer was u l brusque No"
 l Commissioner Weatherly when asked | similar question replied that he had | issued no such instructions. If any such file exists 1t is without my knowl- edge. 1 have issued no such orders
 and know nothing whatever of the mat | ter"
 The interviewer then turned to Chief of Police Martin Eagan with his ques- l ti-ns regarding the mysterious "secret" | file.
 T have never issued any irstruc- | t.ons to obstruct the newspaper mon
 in any manner in getting the news" said Chief Eagan, "and everything In ] this office is open for inspection at any hour of the day or night" Chief, do you know of the existence of secret file?" was the next ques- | ton.
 q do not" was the answer. land there isn't any secret file in this office"
 Was Austin Right | The answers of Chief Eagan only make the affair moro mysterious. Ser geant Darnell admits the secret file and stated vehemently that he received his instructions from the "commissionors." Commissioners Ward, Weathorly and Lane deny giving any such instruc- tions and Chief Eagan, who surely
 should know what Is going on in his office, denies the existence of such e receptacle for the reports of crime in the city. It Is puzzling to say tho least It recalls the words of Conrad w. Austin, former chief of police, at the Orpheum theatre last Sunday aft ernoon:
 -Four men control the police depart mert They are Sergeant DarnelI, Ser.- geant Donelson and Detectives Warren and Daly."
 Was MT. Austin correct in his de- nunciation? Are the "commisioncrs" re- fesred to by Sergeant Darnell as the source of his orders in reality the "hoss" trio: Donelson, Warren and Daily?
 In the meantime persons whose homes are burglarized should report
 their losses to the newspapers as the censorship at the city hall is very rigid.
 It makes little difference whose or der is responsible for the existence of secret" file; the fact remains that there is one.