The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-09
Row Between County and City
Breaks Out AfreSh.
Wilson Overstepped Rights and
Spoiled Raid, Says Larimer.
ISSUE BAN ON 26 DEPUTIES
Entire Department Must Stop
at the City Limits.
Place Az Miles From City Was
Under Sheriff's Eye.

Hugh Larimer sheriff. today re-
voked twenty-siX deputy sherins
commissions issued to the Topeka po-
lice department, including the com
mission issued to Chief Jim" Wilson.
The commissions were issued by
Larimer at the request of the police
department in order that Wilson and
his men might go over the edge of the
city's boundaries after law violators IN
case it appeared to be necessary.
Without them the police department
can operate only inside the city lfmlts.
When the commissions were issued
Chief Wilson and each of his twenty
five men became deputies subject to
the orders of the sheriff and respon-
sibIe to him or his bondsmen While
acting under the commissions outside
of the city.
Everyone who knew of the issuance
of the commissions has predlcted
"bIowup' sooner or later and 1T came
Saturday afternoon. 1t followed
hurry-up raid made by Chief Wilson
and his men upon vacant house four
and one-half miles south of Topeka
on the Topeka avenue road, without
notice to the sheriff's office, when the
chief rushed into the weed-grown
yard, arrested $3.50 worth OF whisky
and not a man.
Stumbled Over Whisky.
Saturday afternoon a man strolling
thru the fields south of town came up
to the vacant house on what is known
as the Ham place" The house
stands west of the Topeka avenue
road, up a lane. 1t is a deserted look
ing place and little attention has been
paid to it for months. The man
walked thru the weeds and stumbled
over a sack of bottles. Investigation
disclosed the fact that the bottles were
full of whisky. He called up the po-
lice station and told of his find. Z
Chief Wilson loaded his men hftr a.
car and rushed out to the Ham pl;Ace.
The yard and house were scar cf3ed
and sack after sack was found, each
containing whisky. The total value,
at retail prices, is in the neighborhood
of $3.50. The whisky was loaded into
the police car and brought back to
the police station with flourish No
attempt was made 70 capture the
owner and the bait was removed.
Most everyone knew of the raid two
hours after the whisky was brought
to town and altho Sheriff Larirner
and others remained around the place
until after midnight Saturday. no one
appeared.
The sheriff's office is satisfied the
Ham place has been used as a big
distributing point for liquor. The
theory is that the whisky has been
hidden around the place until people
called for it. The sheriffs plan was
20 leave the whisky undisturbed and
watch the place at night, arresting
everyone who appeared up the lane
at the deserted house.
Following the spectacular raid Sat-
urday afternoon and the removal of
the whisky there is no chance to cap
ture any law violator connected with
its storage there nor anyone who
might call there for his supply.
He Must Stay within
The sheriff's office looks upon it
as good raid spoiled by Chief Wilson
and his men, deputy sheriffs, and for
that reason the deputy commissions
We're revoked today. Deputy skeriffs
are responsible to the sheriff and he
is responsible for their acts. The in
iications are that during the remain
der of the Wilson administration the
chiefs activities will be confined to
what is within the city limits. Sher-
iff Larimer stated today that any in
dividual policeman wanting a COM
mission as deputy sheriff, would be
given it, but that the department
would be cut off and that none would
he issued TO Chief Wilson