Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-10-07
POLICE SCANDAL
IS PURE bunk
Sensational Sheets Print
Lurid Nightmares of
Thieving Officers.
PICTURES OF COLD CHlSELS
Impassioned Writer Sheds
Tears Over Fate of
Augustus.

"Blackie" Helmar, patrol
driver on the Tulsa police
force, was caught in a suspic-
ious looking affair in connec-
tion with the recovery Of a
lost automobile.
He was promptly dismissed
from the force by Chief Lucas,
Eugene Augustus, a Greek,
charged with the theft of an
automobile and from whose
garage" at his home, 1912
Admiral boulevard, Chief Lu-
cas- says he found more stolen
cars than in any other place
in Tulsa, was taken from the
city Jail last Thursday and
sent to the army training camp
at Camp Travis, Texas. He
was drafted man. The police
department had no right to
hold him, even had it wished
to do so, against the call of
the government.
Forthwith local scandal pub
lications famed forth under
glaring headlines and shed lu-
gubrious tears over many of
their more or less valuable
columns at poor Augustus
fate.
Wholesale insinuations were
made against the integrity of
the entire police department
of the city and libelous ques-
tions were asked if the de-
partment or many members of
the force without naming any
of them) were in league with
the automobile thieves.
Pictures Of Chiscls.
Pictures of various tools, dies anu
chisels were printed and underneath
was printed statement that they
were formerly owned by q member
OF the police force" Again no name
was mentioned.
I.abyrinthian slush was printed by
these publications in their insInuat-
ing attacks upon Chief Lucas and
every member Of his force.
There was not scintilla of evil
dence that justified the publications
and the only purpose served wds TO
try. for some sinister reason, to i'm
pugn the honesty Of Chief Lucas and
his men.
The publications apparently made
no effort to get facts and were evil
IDENTIFY not seeking the truth. 1n-y
seized upon stories from disgruntled
men who had been fired from the po-
lice force to arouse suspicion In the
popular mind against the city's peace
officers
The Spasm that attacked the Page
publications having somewhat SUD
sided and feeble reason having partly
returned, to the extent at least that
apologized to Chief Lucas, after be-
ing threatened with libel suit. ac-
cording to reliable rumor, The World
detailed representative to go forth
yesterday and find out the facts--tv
uncover the "automobile thieving
graft" II any existed and expose
whomsoever II might implicate; ana,
L nODOuy was liipiCdtcu, thSiC WaS
no substantiation Of the wild, reckless
outburst of the antayonistic publica-
tions. to give the public the truth.
Here II Isl
The Facts.
"Blackie" Helmar was appointed a
patrol driver by Chief Lucas sometime
ago when the department was short
Of help and had lost its patrol driver.
Chief Lucas did not know him >-~
never saw him until he named him.
The patrol wagon was without n
driver and Helmar was recommended
az an efficient man.
There was no breath OF suspicion
against him until the episode OF the
stolen automobile came up, which
prompted the chief to discharge him.
"Blackie" is gone. So much for
"Blackie."
Now as to Augustus. His case might
be dismissed with a few words from
his own attorney, ID. M. Martindale,
whom Augustus retained to get the
Chandler automobile back for which
ne was later arrested on charge OF
stealing.
There is not a bit Of doubt In my
mind that the car was O stolen car"
said he, to The World representative
when called upon. And there was
no reason in the world for the articles
that appeared In the press. They must
have been written by some young man
who was afflicted with bad dreams.
or who let his Imagination run away
with him.
Augustus came to me and wanted
me to get the automobile for him.
CONTINUED ON PAGE NINE