Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-06-01


officers wont back in uniform. This
! change was frequently made under
| the regime Of tho late Major Werner.
but this was the first change in the
| squad to be made by CHIEF Sowcll
| Following Sweets return to the
| street in uniform, he asked for a
| Through OF five days, which was
| granted.
The regulations OF tho Police De.
| partmont prohibit members of the
| force engaging in any other profitable
| limo of work SO long as thcy arc
connected with tho department.
MANY REPORTS AS TO AILEGED
MISCONDUCT.
Many reports have been circulated
| Tor several days in police circles over
| the alleged misconduct OF police Off.
| ccrs, which reports began some time
| ago when Ben Jacobs, who was fined
$50 and sentenced to Jail In the
! Hastings Court several days ago for
! selling liquor, was said to have made
| statements rejecting on certain pN
| lice officers. Jacobs was interviewed
by Mayor Ainslie and Chief Sowcll
| on two occasions, but denied state
l mcnts credited to him. For the past
two days certain Of these reports
! have been revived. and Chief Sowell
| has been quietly Watching develop
mcnts.
AT Police Headquarters yesterday
it was announced that Patrolman +. ;
M. Bosquet. OF the First District had
been fined 500 for INSTRUMENTATION,
tho charge being preferred against
N i'm, Inv toe
! said to have refused to ,ivulge cor
tain information to tho chief unless
it WAS taken down In writing and
! witnesses were present. Tho infor
nation is said to have boon connected
| With the Sweet incident.
Patrolman Frank j.. Waller, who
has been working for about ono year
| as an automobile officer, returned to
! street patrol duty yesterday rs a re.
| suit OF n hearing before Chief Sowcl
and Mayor Ainslic Waller was
| charged with taking Il woman out
{ riding in his automobile while on
, duty. He proved that she WAS Il
! friend OF his family, but tho officer
J was returned to street duty because
! the departments regulations prohibit
| civilians. male or female, from riding
! in the departments cars.
! ACCUSED or OPENING BAGGAGE
! WITHOUT WARRANT.
Patrolman Sweet has been Il mem
, her OF the Police Department since
! April /, 1911. Before that time he
was employed in a Broad street sa-
| loon and was elected to tho fOrco by
the Board OF Police Commissioners
! In recent years he has mado Il name
for himself, having had Il number OF
| friends among tho moro ardent pro-
nib ,ionists. who supplied him with
| tips which resulted in his making
Ia number OF arrests.
! lie has been several times accused
OF opening personal baggage without
a warrant in his search for liquor. a
practice which led to porcmptory or
dcrs from the late Major Worner for
bidding such Illegal actions on tho
part OF policemen. IIo was a wit
ness in the vico investigation several
years ago which resulted in the resig-
nations OF several members Of tho
Board OF Police Commissioners and
later in the abolition OF tho Police
Board.
! In lighting liquor traHickorS nfter
prohibition became effective In Vir-
| MIA, Chief OF Police Werner formed
| 'plalnclothcS' squads, operating from
the First and Second District Sta
tons. Patrolman Sweet was ono OF
the nrst officers selected for this
! work, and was unusually active,
working especially around the down
I town passenger stations. He cap
! turcd large quantities OF whiskey,
=, frequently without making any az
rest
Complaints against his methods
were filed with Mayor Ainslio on SOW
cral occasions. and Inquiries we're
! conducted. Special attention was
B! directed to the alleged operation OF
i! the officers without search warrants,
which caused considerable trouble
:, some months ago, and later all pa
: trolmcn were required to obtain the
proper warrants before taking any
: action. On another occasion Patrol
man Sweet was summoned to head
; quarters for accosting a young girl
on street car, but no charges
against him were filed, and the mat
: ter was later dropped.
{ The officers resignation will be
. considered this morning at tho usual
conference OF Mayor Ainslc and
/ Chief Sowell. 1t was stated last
night in official circles that the res
| ignation will be accepted. --.Richmond
! Va Times-Dispatch. May is.