Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-26
Commissioners Waiting For
Keister to Probe His Own
Department
AND HE KNOWS NOTHING
No Charges 10 Be Brought
Against Men Asleep
on Jobs
"WELCOMES CLEAN CITY"
Glief--EXeeHtive Sure Harris
burg Is as Good as
Other Towns

Members of City Council said to-
day that Mayor Keister was the
only one who had authority now to
investigate any inefficiency in the
police department. or cases of negli-
gence, since the Federal authorities
visited the city and raided about
twenty places, arresting 175 persons
The commissioners all took the
position that they could not inter
fere with the Mayor or take any ac-
tion at present, as he has full charge
over the police department. and is
the one to make an. charges against
officers for failure to perform their
duty.
Nothing to BE Done
Mayor keister, when asked what
action he intended to take, declared
he had no charges to make against
any officers on the force and knew
of no inefticiency. Il think the force
at present is as efficient as in any
other Cit. We could not have fol-
lowed tho same method as used by
the Federal authorities. | welcome
anything which can be done to make
Harrisburg a cleaner, better city, but
ueBaIlIIlGnI
had We could not have raided any
of those places. Some of them, in
fact, have never been under suspi
cion. Others We have raided and
have taken more out of them than
the Federal officers did. The Bucket
of Blood on one occasion was raided
by city-patrolmen and fifty-four were
arrested. They were fined and soon
after returned to their old haunts.
| II there is anything We can do TO
get rid of the undesirables. I want
to know what it is. We have ar
rested them over and over. fined
them. put them in jaiI-and they
just return to their old PAGES.
No Charges
Il have no charges To bring against
any of the officers on the force. II
any one has a complaint to make
about negligence or inefAciency I
will investigate it personally and act
accordingly"
Mayor Keister's statement that he
did not intend to take any action or
conduct any investigation despite the
fact that the Federal officials came
here and caught in their net many
scores of people in the big raid on
disorderly houses. aroused a storm
OF criticism against the police de-
partment.
Residents in all parts of the city
declared that the raids here furnish
conclusive evidence of negligence OF
inefficiency in the city police DEPART
ment, which should result in an Off
cial investigation by the other mem
bers of Council If the Mayor will
take no action. The other commits
sioners, however. pass the buck
and say they will not interfere with
the police department.
Commissioner w. II. Lynch said:
/ 1T is up to the Mayor to act about
affairs in his department. Speaking
for myself, ] can say that have no
authority to take any action. He has
charge of the police department and
it is for him to decide what to do"
Commissioner c, w. BURNETT ex-
pressed the same opinion. saying:
Council cannot take any action so
far as ! can see. The Mayor is tie
person to bring charges against any
Of the officers for not doing their
duty"
Commissioners S. +. Hassler and
T., u. Gross made similar statements
that Mayor Keister should make any
Investigations and prefer charges. of
negligence or inefficiency, then dis
charge the patrolmen for failure TO
do their duty in enforcing the law
and reporting any disorderly houses.