Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-20
WILL INVESTIGATE
BAGGAGE SEEING
Mayor Ainslie Calls on Chief
Werner to Explain Re-
cent Complaints.
SEARCHED AT STATIONS
Mayors Orders as to Transfer of
Purity Squad" Disobeyed
by Chief of Police.
SEARCHED AT STATIONS

caused storm of protest to break
about the Offices OF Chief of Police
Werner and Mayor Ainslie. When asked
Tor particulars on the subject last
night. Mayor Ainslie said that his EN-.
phatic instructions to Chief OF Police
Werner were to allow no promiscuous
and illegal searching Of baggage in
the quest for liquor.
The Mayor said that several months
ago no had been told that Policeman
Sweet had opened baggage and
searched for liquor without the formal
ity Of 4 search warrant. and that he
had on that occasion told Chief Wcr-
ner that IL such was the case the pu-
lceman had committed a graver crime
than the person who had possibly VIC.
lated tho Mapp law. The Mayor said
that on the strength of those earlier
reports he had told the Chief Of Po-
lice to switch police officers on the
beat embracing the stations. and that
such changes in the personnel OF Of
ficers had been made.
MAYOR WILL INVESTIGATE
COMPLAINT OF SEARCH
He had not been advised. the Mayor
said. when Policeman Sweet and others
had been returned to the so-called
Purity Squad" but he had noted that
they were again on duty at the rail
road stations from reports Of seizures
In the public press. The Mayor was
told that G. Herbert French. of S West
Grace street. AN associate In the office
OF w. Duncan Lee. architect. had In
formed The Times Dispatch that a
steamer trunk belonging to wo-
man OF Richmond had been held at
local railroad station for Two hv.,.
following her return from the North.
broken open. and the contents upset,
Mr.. French said the lock was forced
and ruined. and that the transfer men
reported that the holding of the trunk
was in order that 'onicer Sweet might
take a crack at t." Mr.. French said
the trunk was properly labeled and the
Soman's name was plainly marked
on 1t,
81 shall look into this report" said
tho Mayor III any police officer OF
the city OF Richmond is seizing and
searching baggage without due process
OF law. or II ne is going counter to
the plain language of the Mapp statute.
he Is violating my specific orders to the
!
shall find out II that is being DONE"
MAYOR ADMITS RECEIVING
FORMER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS
Speaking directly of the complain
and protest of Mr.. French. which the
Mayor was Informed was just one
among many protests OF similar ma
ture. the Mayor said that several weeks
ago lie had had a letter from some man.
written In about the same language as
the French letter. and that he had
summoned the Chief of Police and told
him to make an investigation and an
swer the letter of the correspondent.
The chief had reported. the Mayor said.
that he investigated and found that the
officers who opened the trunk In ques-
tion had gotten a search warrant first.
Tho Mayor said he did not know II tho
correspondent had been informed of
the facts as he directed
Chief Werner placed himself on re-
cord In tho seize search affair
some months ago. when he gave The
Times Dispatch the following signed
statement:
Numerous reports have reached me
that officers of this department have
searched personal baggage. There has
not been an instance in which a COM
plaint has been made at this Office or
to captains at stations. The men have
been instructed fully along this line Of
duty. that they have no rig.t to search
a mans baggage unless such man Is
arrested and taken to the station
house.
(signed) LOUIS WERNER"
POLICE CHIEFS KILLED SEARCH
AND-SEIZURE RESOLUTION
Although the chief says that is his
instruction. baggage belonging to men
and women. too, in many cases. accord
/ Ing to current report at the police
stations and railroad baggage-rooms.
has been broken open, sometimes in
public places, and searched Whether
warrants have been procured in each
instance Is not known. nor is 1t known
on what information, II any. such war
rants are based. No remuneration or
apology is given those whose property
is so mutllated.
In the light o. the repor: brought
back from the convention of Virginia
police chiefs. at Newport News. week
ago by Chief Of Police Werner that
the convention had killed a resolution
asking the General Assembly to enact
a earch-and-selzure law. the reports
of practically working under that
method. when 1t is against the law,
caused considerable comment at the
stations yesterday.
Major Werner said last night that
he had not heard Of the complaint OF
Mr.. French. and did not know what
tho facts werc In tho case referred
10 by Mayor Ainslie. he said he had
Investigated and found that Officer
Sweet had sworn out search war
rant before breaking into the baggage
suspected OF containing liquor. He
said he did not know on what infor-
nation such a warrant was sworn out
or what grounds the officer had for
his suspicion. The; citizen was not re-
{ccntln,ed on Second 7Pase,) 5s
~ flts.s