The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1914-08-22
G ii l E +
RAPS
MAYOR
LOOMS DECLARES FAwCErr
NOT ACTING IN GOOD FAITH
DENIES WOE STORIES.

Declaring that Mayor Fawcett's
charges of graft In the police de-
and protection of crini-
inals In Tacoma by the police
were "sheer nonsense and '.rot~"
and that the graft investigation
will result An q faiiure for the
mayor and ultimate ehaerin" to
him, Chief of Police A. r. LOOM
Is today gave out his first de
tated statement regarding the af-
fair.
Mayor Fawcett recently chars-
cd that graft and vice were ram
pant. and his charges we're at
tackled by Commissioner Mills
and Chief Loomis. A formal
probe by the city council of the
charges is set for next Saturday.
Chief Loomis' interview. die
tated to a Times reporter today,
follows:
There is absolutely no
foundation for it, Ian my
Judgment. don't under
stand what the motive Is he
hind the mayors conduct,
bsIt 1 am absolutely certain
that as far as / am ooneeru-
"a nc is wrong and ' believe
that he Is wrong abost any
member Of the police de-
partment.
THE fact of the. business is
thai there IL no Opportunity for
erafting IL one was disposed to.
There is nothing to graft from
II public gambling of any char
acter was permitted and prosti-
tuition was permitted to run open
and rampant, or II slot machines
and gambling of that character
were permitted, that, In itself. in
my Judgment, would be prina
facie evidence OF graft.
sBut I don't believe that any
man occupying the position OF
chief of police would let those
things go or tolerate them at all
unless he were receiving pay for
it. None of these things have
ever been carried on In the city
of Tacoma since l have been chief
of the police department, and I
openly defy the mayor or anyone
oIse to bring proof that they
have. and I stand ready 60 defend
my position:
''When the mayor first took
office, I had a conversation with
him in the presence of Commits
sioner Mills in Mr.. Mills office,
and I said to him then that I mad
nothing TO cover up and would
have nothing to cover up, and
that II at any time he saw or
the public in my department, IL
he would come to me and tell me
about il | would do my best to
correct It. whatever IL was.
He has never, except on one
occasion, ever come to me with
any complaint whatever. That
was the occasion referred to by
him as having occurred on the
Fourth of July when he sent for
me to come to Commissioner
Mills office.
~ went there and he had
there with him a man who
owns a honse and Hives on ID
street. The mayor said TO
me. This man complains Of
conditions on ID street and
says they are so bad that he
cannot raise his family there
and wants them cleaned up
81 said to the man: You are
not making your real complaint,
arc you? What you really want
20 complain of is that I will not
permit you to rent your house on
ID street to prostitutes. to be run
IS a house of prostitution. Yo1
had your house rented for that
purpose and I drove the women
ont and cleaned IL up on two diff
ferent occasions, and you came
10 me at that time and complain
ed because I would not let them
remain there. stated to me that
You received 500 per month rent
and You wanted ft continued.
And he admitted in the presence
of the mayor that IL was true as
II was stated.
He and the mayor then left
me and that ended the interview.
There never was a time since
Mayor Fawcett took office or he
fore. for that matter, that the
police department has not Leen
ready and willing at all times to
respond TO any calls OF fnvesff-
gate any information furnished
OF crime in the city of Tacoma
and DO al in its power to bring
violators to justice.
The attempt of the may
or to build himself m az the
expense Of the police depart
Tnent, or the heads Of IL
ought and In my iu<Eenent-
win result in absolute fab
are and ut<fnaafe ehaRrza 20
the Mayor