The Washington herald., 1915-08-05
Scandal In the Police Department.

- S.e~
Charges of bribery and graft have been made
against certain members of the Washington police
| force, in formal declaration before the United
States attorney for the District of Columbia. The
investigation which was Immediately begun by
this department of the law has not yet progressed
far enough to justify making public the names of
the accused officers, but so seriously were the
charges regarded that numerous witnesses were
summoned and examined and mass of tcsti-
mony recorded with view of bringing the case
to the attention of the grand jury. The charges
grow out of the jealous crusade which the police
department has been making against vice in
Washington, a crusade which, it must be regret
fully admitted, has demonstrated the fact once
more that few reforms and reformers seem able
to progress very far without developing scandal
in their own ranks. In this moral in Wash
ington policeman has already been trapped
and sentenced to three years in the penitentiary
And now woman acquaintance with whom led
to this policcmans downfall and the severe pen
atty imposed upon him, comes forward and for
may accuses other members of the force of &C
cepting money from her in payment for protec
ton for her unlawful calling.
The revelation of this unsavory secret of the
police department will shock and surprise the
people OF the Capital, though they will not be
disposed TO pass judgment upon the who
have been accused in advance OF the action of the
District attorneys Office the grand jury. APP
parcntly, however, the existence of the scandal
was we'll known to the authorities of the District
government 1t is announced that the Supcrin-
tendcnt OF Police has been for some time famil-
lar with the details, which have been the subject
OF conferences between himself and one OF the
District Commissioners and also with the Dis
trict attorney. The head OF the police department
is also quoted as stating that in the event of in
dictmenls by the grand jury the accused officers
would be dismissed from the force.
That the Superintendent of Police has been
cognizant OF the accusations against his subordi
mates is a circumstance which, in the natural order
OF things, might to a certain extent justify pre-
sumption OF their innocence 1t is not to be pre-
sumed for a moment that the head of the police !
department, having shadow OF reason for
believing that members OF his force were guilty /
of accepting brbes and graft or of other offenses
against the community the rights OF citizens, !
would permit the suspects remain active !
duty while he complaccntly waited for higher Of !
icers OF the law the courts to determine their
guilt innocence. The people of this city should
have, and doubtless they have, sufficient conf !
icncc in the Superintendent of Police to justify !
belief that in every in which suspicion OF
Is directed toward member OF the /
orcc, the head of the department makes prompt
ind thorough investigation, and if the result war
ants the accused is summoned before the
rial board. Presumably, too, such cases are
,ot disposed OF by the simple process OF accept
ng the word of the accused as against that of
he accuscrs.
If this proper and necessary course has been
oilowcd in the case OF the men now formally
.ccused before the District attorney, the Super
ntendent of Police is in position to materially
ssst in that officials investigation. He should
IL fact, be able to convince him OF the innocence
II the accused, or he should be able to contribute
Information practically completing the case for
to the grand jury. The fact that the
ncn have not been summoned before the trial
oard, however, would to preclude the latter
The public view of the peculiar situa-
ion must be that the Superintendent OF Police
as far not been satisfied in his own mind as
o whether the scandal was sufficiently we'll
oundcd to justify trial board proceedings. Other
Use he would scarcely be found in the position
+ waiting for word from the District attorneys
ffice the grand jury room to guide him in his {
administration OF the police department.
At any rate the has reached a point and
proportions that have directed keen pub {
c attention to it, and the citizens OF Washing
on will be satisfied with nothing less than in
cstigation that will reach from top to bottom.