The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-04-14
WORKMAN
SAYSPOLICE.
ARE UNFAIR
f. G. Houghten, Drag
ged From Bed, Fined
AS a Speeder
SUMMONS WAS
NEVER SERVED
In Meantime Warrant
for Horace Dodge
Gathers Dust

r. c. Houghten. OF No. tT7 Phil
lip-ave., paid a fine OF SIS in police
court. Friday. following his convic.
ton on April on a charge OF spec l.
ing In an automobile.
Behind the conviction OF Hough.
ten. "A workingman. ls n story which
sets forth strikingly the discrim'
mating methods in force in Detroit
methods which throw a poor man
IN Jail while wealthy citizen with
Ilenty OF political backing con
tlnues 20 ignore the same sort OF
warrant which brought about the
arrest OF the workingman.
Houghten paid his fine after he
had been taken from his home late
at night by a police oficer and
lodged in the county jail. He de-
nles that be was speeding: he says
his automobile isn't capable OF de-
velopinE enough speed to attract
the attention OF the sleepiest oficer
on the police force.
Yet. while Houghten In thrown
into jail for an offense that usually
Is answerable in the FIRST place by
the voluntary appearance OF the de-
PENDANT. the police court files still
hold the aging warrant against Hor
ace Dodge. multi-millionaire. who
has never appeared In court 10 an
swer the complaint against him. tho
the police department. from Com.
missioner Couzens down. knows full
well that the warrant r. stu IN OF.
istence and that the case has not
been disposed OF, even tho columns
OF publicity have been given the NJ.
fair by various Detroit newspapers
when The Times published a
story concerning the Dodge case.
holding II up az an instance ~
Couzens' efficiency. the police com.
missioner declared the statements
q be untrue
Patrolman Mccormick who made
the complaint against Dodge. said
re was censgrcd by the police com.
issioner for not treating a civil m
with respect when cumplatri1F
against him Mccormick says ~
was abused by Dodge He says
Isldge told him he would get" his
Job. He tried to serve a summons
on Dodge personally, but finally
lcft u In the once OF Dodge Bros
automobile factory. on the promise
Of a clerk that II would be pre-
scented 10 Mr.. Dodge. Mccormick
was called before the COMMISSIONS
and sharply criticised. He believed
be was being criticised because Mr.
Dodge wrote q letter 10 the cont
missioner.
The commissioner. as has been
said. denies this Records which
ne produced to The Times. he says
show that Mccormick was brought
on the carpet because OF a com.
plant made by a person other than
Dodge.
Mccormick will not say in my
presence that he knew ! was re
ferring 10 the Dodge case when |
censured him" said the commits
fioner to The Times, when he vol
unteered 10 give what he said were
the facts in the case.
Was anything said about the
Dodge complaint at all!" the com
missioner was asked AZ that time.
Perhaps there was. At the end
OF the conversation" said Mr..
Couzens II will not deny that We
discussed the Dodge complaint
However. the police department did
its duty In that case The sum
mons was left At the Dodge factory
! am told That ended our con.
psction with the case. The rest OF
Il II mp to Justice Sellers. who Is
sued the warrant"
Justice Sellers At the time said:
That's up 20 the police depart
ment issued the warrant at the
request OF one OF its oficers. Let
them go ahead with H."
But the fact remains that the
Dodge warrant is still gathering
dust .---
Mr.. Houghton can't write a check
for million and still obey the
laws. He has modest home-a
very modest automobile. too
He was driving on Jefrerson-ave.
March 81 At the boulevard he was
stopped by sergt Bleser. Of the
motorcycle squad. and asked why
he was speeding.
Il thought II was a joke" said
Houghton. because didn't think
my crippled machine could make
moro than eight miles an hour. ]
passed a joking remark because J
believed the officer was not IN earn.
est.
"A few days later an oficer came
CHANGE ~ TIME