The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-06-30
MAYOR ADMITS
he DID NOT TRY
TO CONTROL POLICE
Believes His Own Duty
Ends With Appoint
ment of the Chief.
HE ASSAILS SOWELL
Says He Is Not a Fly
Cop to Go Around
Finding Whether
Law Is Obeyed.
HE ASSAILS SOWELL

Mayor Ainslie, in a formal state
ment issued yesterday, attempting 10
Justify himself for the failure OF the
police department TO give enecuve
service In the suppression OF boot
Logging gambling and commerciaHAeo
vice. admitted that he did nothing but
appoint the chief of the department
and issue general directions as 10 what
should be done.
He made no effort, so far as his
statement shows. 20 learn whether his
appointee. absolutely dependent upon
him for continuance in Office, carried
out those orders or enforced the law
In any particular When making pro-
motions so far as his statement goes,
he knew nothing OF the men advanced
except what the official and formal
records showed.
The statement IN full follows:
"Report OF the grand jury recently
made contains comment upon me 70
the effect that: In the opinion OF the
Jury Mayor Ainslie has not shown dis
Greet judgment in the management
OF the police department nor in the
appointment Of the present chief.
Navor Ainsiie lacks those qualities
requisite for the proper management
OF the department
so far as have been able 10
gather firm the report. or otherwise
this sons ew hat sweeping criticism was
based upon the removal OF Chief
sowell and the appointment of Chief
sherry. afv iniirmitv. In the opinion
OF the grand Jury, which went far
s6eld in making its comment upon
me was shown by those single acts.
nniess II il 10 he inferred from the
retention Of CAPTAIN Pollock. II does
rot often happen that Richmond edf-
tors agree. but they -all expressed APP
rrovai 81 the removal OF SoweN.
Grand jurors characterized his Of
Tense as q com rarattNely slight inets-
erection and his removal as drastic
fhe Jury recommend his reinstatement
~ chiefs The slight indlscretion.
Which he AtynIftes. ronsisted In I'M
mediateiy telling a suspected police
man Of thu statements made about
Nina. that he had hauled wh!skey in a
city car. together with the name OF
: the man who made them and also in
warning hin, that he was going TO be
watched If that is slight indis-
cretJon in chief : OF ponce wna'
would be a grave ones
sherry and His Record
AS 20 the appointment of Sherry.
II has been asked why / didn't know
what was told the grand Jury about
Z him My answer is that the persons
who enlightened the jury about Sherry
had never given me the benefit OF
their statements and opinions More
over, Sherry was police CAPTAIN from
June !. 1915. to May "a, 1918. During
that period Major Werner was chief
ps police until his death, January Is,
1918, and Chief Sowen from that date
. In !.
mediate charge and control of all cap
ta.ns and ether police They met the
captains IN frequent conferences.
yTssSNSk-EE--ss..ss'l
offcers and men, to see that their
duties were performed and TO denote
or dismiss them for the good OF the
service IL they were not given salts
factory service. The chief OF police
has no other duties. Hs Is the omcer
who is by law responsible to the
mayor for the discipline and efficiency
Or the force. Neither Chief Werner
nor Chief Sowell ever SO much "a
hlated 10 me that they ever suspected
Sherry OF being dereNct or hesjtant. in
the performance OF his duties. or that
Ne was under any improper influence
Certainly, they both kept him as cap
tain OF his district when either could
have reduced him in rank at any mo-
ment.
Pollock's Work
Captain Pollock has been clerk
and secretary of the department for
nearly sixteen years. His duties are
wholly clerical. Two years ago he
WAS made purchasing agent by char
! ter amendment. He had to be made
4 member of the force to obtain his
1 services. there being no other way in
which he could be employed. but he
never did days police duty to my
knowledge. I never saw him in uni
form, and doubt II he has one. He
u m expert stenographer. clerk and
bookkeeper. and is the paymaster OF
the force. He has handled millions
81 dollars Of public funds without the
j loss or displacement OF penny, He
was repeatedly elected to his posi-
1 tion without opposition because OF his
efYiciency. ! have been in his ONCE
practically every day, and I never saw
film there or elsewhere when he APP
reared to he under the influence OF
LIQUOR. nor has any chief OF police or
othSr policeman ever made report Of
statement to me to that effect.
AS was very familiar with the
1 Arguments made against the old char
Ger provisions under which the board
4 az police commissioners managed the
department in detail. not only in Its
ASCAl affairs. but In the appofntm en-,
49,