The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1916-04-11
0verht.Ser Refuses to Declare
Anyone Guilty With
out Trial.
CRITIClzES HEARING
HELD BY COMMISSIONER
CITY Executive Resents Ad-
mission Of Evidence He
ESteemS Unreliable.

Mayor ~ Ovorhoser forwarded to
DAY his official response 10 Commits
alonsr ~ Chnrtieb and Corrections
y Matthew regarding the mtter'E tni
mai report ~ hearing conducted ~ MN
into alleged 'thlrd dcgr'". m"lhohT
empio, ed b. tho rtiy police
II wns u somewhat critical letter cen
surIng IN, state official for admi"i'n
Of certain evidence. for accused Officers
Iark uf opportunity tn rctutc the tcHu
mon,. Tor M, alleged character ~ We
tious Witnesses
The ma,or declared he would dis
charge ANY officer found guilty ~ hu''
sr,s as pfc alleged aeo-l e"Vefhl "
the state officials probe of conditohs
but that under no circumstances "oult
he ~ act until tho accused had peer
found guilty b tnlr trial and ihe yer
d,t ofra iur
Ma,nr Oyorhnlscrs letter was con
ct.rcd IN b, all the city commissioners
u rotd zee follows
hereby nrknuNlrdg" receipt NJ
,nui r,pnt tglldIug HIIis'l cru'I
Tics ami Irregularities. commonly
known p- third degree said to
have born ptacr,'d .u the police l"-
unftm'nt ~ this ciu
While / thoroughl, agree with your
recommendation thnt such prhcurr
hg abni,d mud hnN" discharged IN"
Hne man convicted and have iaken
stept tu render tho iutur" rractlc"
Impossible. pt tho same time ihhH
issue with you ~ to tho extent of
this practice claimed hy You ana
firmly believe that wholly without
intent on your pntt. the cvd"nc" In
,roduced by some ~ the witnesses
In your Investigation WAS an organ
tied n'temp' NJ criminals, semi
criminals and their friends 10 dsof
ganigs the polite force NJ this city
ana mpk. u possible Tor these Grim
inRlS tu un their u'fhtlous trades;
that many n thee" witnesses were
people who's. testimony would not be
accepted hN any court ot Jury and
who thoroughly Understood TINT they
could no, he prosecuted for perjury
TO- the ,.s,imony given before YOU
| further understand that these ".
ficets whom YOU ATTEMPT io accuse
were never granted their constitu.
,ionRl rights. inasmuch ns they w"r"
not notified uf their nccus'rs nor
faced hv them. they were denied
representation hy counsel md had No
opportunity to Introduce evidence w
their own d'fcu.' ur impr,h their
sCCusofs
Final Opinion.
And. believing ihpi ru cour, or
Jury on earth would convict man
With tho evidence Offered In your
lnvcS cation. have decided Rs fol.
lows
That any man guilty NJ these NJ.
fenscs shall he discharged from fur.
thet connection with the police force
but, I will consider him guilty only
after h. has been charged of the Of
fense by an officer NJ an authorized
court. has been tried by n cour, of
competent jurisdiction and found
suiliy hy u Jury NJ hi pcers
Prosecution by me II my own em.
rlov"H would smack " an official
"whitowash." have, therefore. de
cidcd that since Nou offered 10 prose
cute, IN case ! failed tn do "a, To
legyc the matter ~ prosecution en-.
tifek with you
And I am further influenced To do
this by my firm belief that the eyi.
dcncc given before YOU aud tho mo.
tiNcs which caused " tn he given
are not. In my opinion sufflcirnt
reason tn warrant me IN ins,i,utins
tCon'lnusf .. rses Two,