Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-27
COPS ACCUSE
SUPT. ROBINSON
Say He Tried Bribe to Get
Smith Administration
Indorsed
EASIER JOBS THE BAIT

A final effort to crush among the police
their opposition to assessment gouges and
their objection TO being used IN other po-
ticHl work has been attempted by the
heads OF the Police Department, who, ac-
cording to Harry +. Johns head OF the
Patromen's Beneficial and Protective Asso-
citation. tried to m Ike him railroad through
his organization resolutions indorsing Mayor
Smith and the present administration.
Johns said that as n bribe for this action
he was TO be transferred from Tacony.
where he went because of his Beneficial
activities. back to his old district in West
Philadelphia, when he was successful In
jamming the resolution through.
Johns said that the proposition broached
to him would work both ways. Now that
they have found that they can't brbe me
to put the resolution through he said,
they may try to discredit me in the eyes
Of the association by pointing 10 the fact
that held secret negotiations with him.
call you to witness that the negotiations
were not secret and that I am telling you
the whole thing today before II comes to
you by any other means.
"On Friday, October TO-" said Johns, II
was called from Tacony to the Office of our
attorney. William A. Gray. together with
Harry NJ. Dickerson secretary of our assO-
citation. Superintendent Robinson was there.
He said TO us. I would advise you fellows
10 pay your DDlltlCdl assessments lot your
own good You know the assessment money
is used to elect Councilmen, and Councils
raise and lower the wages of policemen
81 told him. said Johns that II the
wages went any lower half of the men
would resign from the force. I then told
him our grievances. There were many
transfers to which wanted to call his at
tention, but two Of them we wanted espe-
cialy to bring to his notice"
81 claimed said Johns, that l was
transferred to Tacony for no other reason
than that I was the head of the beneficial
association and to accommodate Harry
Mackey.
81 told them of the case of Diclerson
tried on trumped-up charges of disobedience
Of orders and shifted from an acting house
sergeant in the Thrty-eighth District to the
street i'm the Sixteenth District
"As | was leaving, Superintendent of Po-
lice Robinson made the remark to me that
he thought both the Police Pension Fund
and the Beneficiary Association were being
conducted crookedly He asked us to send
the same men from the districts 10 these
associations, and told him that neither Of
us could go back and ask our districts to
do this, as we were not stationed there
any more. Robinson said he would take
the matter up at City Hall
ION last Wednesday afternoon" said
Johns II was telephoned to by Superin-
tendent Robinson's clerk and requested TO
come again ana see MN lhe next uaN' 1
went"
well said Robinson. you are. to be
transferred back again to your own dis
trict. This will take effect right away.
And the charges are to be dropped against
Dickerson. But he can't be put back to
his Old district right away"
Johns said that as he was going out Of
the room a piece of paper was thrust into
his hand, with the injunction for him to
read 1t and think about ii. He says that
Superintendent Robinson gave him to un-
derstand that If the thing" meaning the
paper, worked out all right. n committee Of
the Beneficial Association would be received
by the Director of Public Safety and the
Mayor. Johns showed the typewritten
paper which read
Whereas, camp rign of vlifcaton
has been inaugurated for the obvious
purpose of besmirChinE the honesty and
character Of the Hon, Thomas Smith
and his administration. and whereas we
have every confidence in the high pur-
pose of his Honor. the Mavnr and his
official family and believe that there Is no
foundation in fact for sucl n campaign.
BE il resolved that we. the members of
the Patrolmen's Beneficial and Protective
Association. desire to take tns oppor-
tnnity to express our faith in the integ-
rity and honesty Of Thomas b. smith
and hereby pledge our undivided sup
port to him and his administration,
As | was leaving the office" said Johns
II saw a police captain, and am sure that
he was there to tell the association of my
presence clOseted with the superintendent
in order to weaken my standing in the assoc
citation
But Immediately ] sent out word To the
men of the association TO meet me and
hear about the proposal | was afraid TO
call meeting Of all the men of our or
ganization, and so / called merely dele
gate from each district as well as from
the harbor and motorcycle and the traffic
squad.
IF the police had indOrsed the methods
Of the present administration and then sent
delegates secretly to complain about those
same methods they would have looked very
foolish. Superintendent Robinson wanted
them to do this"