The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-07-24
Mayor Gives Out Statement
Late This Afternoon.
Duncan and Hill Were Charged
With Drunkenness.
GORWINE QUESTIONS EVASIVE
Officers Believe Little InfOrma-
tiOn Is Coming.
Policeman Shakes Fist in Face
of His Chief.

Late this afternoon Mayor Herbert
J. Corwine announced that Officers
Dan Duncan and Jesse Hill had turned
In their designations. Officer Pat
Brennan has been SUSPENDED, pending
an investigation. the mayor stated.
Il can't say at this time whether
or not other changes will be made, -
said Mayor Corwine.
All three Of the men were named in
charges Of drunkenness and drinking
preferred against five members Of the
police department. including Chief oL
l'oiice George G. Hannah.
The police department is still
Co.ng around like a chicken with its
head off Latest developments in the
last twenty-four hours are summar-
lied as follows:
Entrv Of women as well wine into
the tgng!e IN the person Of Eva Lambert,
n womau o3 the underworld. said to be
influential in governing the actions Oh
certain members Of TIE department
officer j.. L. Ford shakes fist In face
OF chief Of Police George g. Hannah.
Gf'iccr Ford stands suspended.
officer Ford has demanded that the chlet
he suspended. a.. .,...
ordinance states specifically only four men
shall be designated rs city detectives, eleven
men are drawing pay OF detecuNes WhlCn
cNrceds that Of patrolmen. Ihree OF these
men were named ns members of the quin-
trt charged with drinking.
owing 20 one incident the wife OF nj
lenst one member Of the Topeka police
force Is on the verge Of nervous prostra-
tion. - -. ...,,.,,
mud wild. wild women with m equal
amount Of knowledge In their heads are
reported to be enjoying vacations In Kan
Ni9yor Herbert i. Corwine interviewed
nearly every member Of the police de-
'''F F"iiowing ,Ii these interviews. he held a
mass meeting of policemen ut headquar-
ters and asked them to write yes or
police force say would be Impossible 10
answcr In the manner demanded;
Scrgt. Hiram Sturw, who made charges
Of drunkenness and drinking against mem
hers Of the department. refused to sign
the paper presented to him. or answer the
NV statements are in black and white
right now he told Mayor Corwine, and
I'll stand right behind them.
Questions Not Convincing?
A member of the Topeka police
force today said that in his opinion
the investigation conducted by Mayor
Corwine Wednesday afternoon in an
effort to get at the bottom of the
police scandal was favorable to the
members of the force who have been
drunk as the questions asked were
worded in such a way as to give them
the benefit Of all doubt. He said thai
the mayors Interpretation of being
drunk" is being in a helpless state
He said he did not know how the other
men answered the questions asked
them. but that he considered a mar
drunk when he was in such n condi-
tion that he would wave his hands
wildly and when his face was flushed
as a result Of drinking.
Following the mayors investigation
Chief Hannah and officer w. p. Ford
engaged In word duel over state
ments made by Ford relative to drink.
ing on the part OF the chief. Fore
this morning made the following
statement about the affair:
Ford Calls Chief.
II was sitting at the station on 8
douhle-se3ted bench. talking to a Mr.
Goshorn who lives at Tenth and
buchanan. We were not talking
about police matters at all. The chic
came in and sat down in a chair {
little in front Of US. He reared back
put his fingers under his arms anC
looking at me said:
"'Any man who says he ever saw
me drunk here or says that he smelleC
liquor on my breath is a - -
liar!"
II got up and walked over to tn,
chief 1 think 1 had my hand on m!
hip. but l had nothing in my pocke