Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-07-06
Cit Y HALL
RINGS Wit H
STATEMENT IS
Anticipating Investigation
By Attorney General
Havner, Officials Deny
Declarations Made BY
City Solicitor Duke.
Il AM MAYOR" SAYS
LEENY; -CITY'S CLEAN

LLEN I; ClTY'S CLEAN
ottumwa's city hall is In a furry Of
excitement
Warned OF the coming Of Attornev
General Havner with a stronx force
OF scouts. city officials issued state.
ments today disclaiming knowledge OF
law violations In Ottumwa or DENYING
responsibility for violations II they do
exist.
The declarations were formal or In
formal, according to the temper Of tia
men making them Some of them. had
they been transferred to cold type.
would have been sprinkled with little
stars to indicate that extravaxant Ian.
guage had been delcted.
DUKE STANDS PAT.
TO the program of disclaimer there
was one notable exception. City So
ncltor Duke, whose statement Of yes
terday stirred up veritable tempest
among Ottumwa ofice holders. He
stands pat on his assertion OF yester-
day that gambling houses are being
conducted and that members Of the
gaming fraternity who were here in
the days of the wide open town. ara
to be found about their old ha,rnts
again
WHAT THEY SAY.
Here is the lineup:
Chief Of Police Meany declares
there are no gambling houses, no
disorderly houses and no boot
Logging In Ottumwa, according to
9. statement made by his superior.
Commissioner Phillips, following a
conference today between the
commissioners and thu chief, whichan.
~ ysArnded niso by curSn1iss j. II ~
Y er Menefee.
! Commissioner Phillips announc-
ed his intention to make an inves-
tigation on his own account, say
ing he never has done so since
turning the police department
over to Meany
Mayor Leeny declared Ottum-
wa is cleaner and better than 1t
has been in years, announced re-
peatedly that he is mayor and said
some very bitter things about peo-
pie who call In the state officials
instead Of bringing their COM
plants to HIM. He did not men-
tion Mr. Duke.
City Solicitor Duke declared to-
day in the council chamber that
gambling is in progress and re-
peated statements which were IN
cluded in his announcement Of yes
terday
HAvNER PROMISES ACTION.
The Courier's Des Moines cofrea.
pondent asked Attorney General Hav-
ner today about his course with regard
10 the request made by Mr.. Duke yes
.erday for an Official Investigation OF
ottumwa's police administration. Mr..
Dukes message was delivered to the
general today by an assistant
who received it yesterday while Mr..
Havner was absent from his ONCE
I'VE have received the request and
will lose no time in making an inves-
.igation," the attorney general said. but
he declined to say whether he intends
% visit Ottumwa in person and just
when the inquiry Is to be inaugurated.
TENsENESs SPREADS.
Meanwhile the tenseness evident
about the city hall Is reflected in some
downtown quarters and among the vet
eran gamblers to whom Mr.. Duke re-
'erred in HIS declarations that an at
.empted revival Of the "wide open"
lays-and nights-which OtNmwa
knew in years gone by is indicated.
Seconding Chief Meany's attitude is
Mayor Leeny. who proclaimed We
today that "Ottumwa is
cleaner and better than It has been in
years."
MAYOR Is REsENTFuL.
"I have been around town at night
myself, and haven't seen anything
wrong going on he said. and added:
IF I am mayor Of ottumwa only
three days, am going to be mayor. N
anybody has a kick to make let him
come to me and not call the state ON
Gals"
Then he paid his respects to un-
named persons who. he opined. are
trying to stir up things" and though
he did not mention Mr.. Duke. who
was his campaign manager during the
recent campaign. he voiced unmeasur-
I'd resentment against the summoning
,f Attorney General Havner to the
scene.
MR.. MEANY's CHALLENGE.
Chief Meany brought a typewriter
document to The Courier office today.
with a request that II be published.
Here 1t Is.
Ottumwa, Iowa, July 5th, 1917.
To the Citizens of Ottumwa
I Michael F. Meany. Chief Of Po-
lice. Ottumwa, Iowa. do hereby
challenge the Ottumwa Courier
and L. L. Duke. to suhstantiate the
falsehood that they claimed In
the Ottumwa. Courier July 4th, re-
garding. lawlessness, gamblers and
other law violators plying their
trades with impunity and without
fear Of molestation by the police