Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-08
CHIEF NOT HAMPERED IN
CLOSING VICIOUS HOUSES
Boykin Absolves Police Board From
Blame for Resorts Outside
District
NOT GUILTY OF DERELICTIoN
Take Vice Commission to Task for
Indicting Police Board Without n
Hearing-Werner Takes RESPONSE
bility for Order OF April =.

Chief OF Police Werner has not been
m'ssioners, but has received specific
instructions from the board to take
action against houses OF common re-
sort located outside the segregated
district, on several occasions since Jan
uary 4. 1911
such was the unequivocal statement
made last night by Police Commits
sioncr Fl. NJ. Boykin. The statement
was vonchsafed by Colonel Boykin as
n defense OF the Board of Police Com
missioners. which, he says, is held re-
sponsibie for conditions in Richmond
by the Vice Commission. without hav-
ing been given the opportunity to tes-
tify before that body.
In its report to the Mayor, the Vice
Commission made absolutely no men
tion of the Board of Police Commits
sioners. However the report com
mended the Chief OF Police for his
work and recommended that he be
given sole authority to deal with the
situation. This failure of the commits
sion to mention the police board has
been construed by members OF the
board and their friends as an insinua-
ton that the board has not performed
It's duty. and these men feel that each
individual member OF the board has
been personally attacked by the gen
eral insinua;ion
OTHER COMMISSIONERS
ASKED FOR STATEMENTS
commissioners Gordon, Thomas and
Parker expressed themselves on the
subject Saturday night, Commissioner
Well refused pointblank to discuss the
situation or any phase of il. Commits
sioner Goode said he knew nothing OF
the report, and was glad that he did
not. He said further that he would
wait until personally attacked before
saying anything. Commissioners Boy
kin. Mccarthy and Bradley could not
readily he located Saturday night
Chief of Police Werner last night as
sumed all responsibility for the order
which was sent out to the force on
April Z, 1914. and the one which directed
policemen to report tho existence Of
gambling houses and those OF common
resort to their precinct captains before
raidng. The chief said that the order
was based on section of the Police
Manual, and was issued by him as one
of those which he periodically sends
~
the police regulations He gave out
copy OF tho report. which read as
follows:
Your attention is invited to page
As, section 8. OF tho manual. relative to
disorderly houses. Patrolmen shall
carefully watch all disorderly houses
and houses of ill-rcpute on their rosts
and report their observations to his
captain The excuse made by some
that they were ignorant OF the exist
cnce OF such places will not he toll
Grated"
ORDER WAS ADOPTED
As PHECAUTIONARY RULE
Chief Werner saiG last night that
the order did not prevent patrolman
raiding a place against which he had
specific evidence He said IL was for
tho purpose OF telling IL the patrol
mans suspicious were sufficiently we'll
founded TO warrant n raid with reason
able grounds for conviction "I would
report any member of the force to the
board In the winkinE of an eye. whom
learned had failed to raid n disor-
derly house against which he had SC
Continued on Second Page)