El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-02-13

overseas trust
following the recent raid by federal
officers. When the taking Of testi-
mOny was finished, Reynolds was
called before the commission, and
the chairman, John NJ Wyatt said;
I'VE are very glad TO say to you that
we find nothing whatever in the tes-
timony reproachful to you. or indi-
eating that you were present at the
Stockmens hotel on the night ofVhe
raid, but were performing your duty,
and you are reinstated with pay"
All the Evidence adduced before the
commission was to the effect that
Reynolds was on the desk at detec-
tive HEADQUARTERS until within a few
minutes Of the time the raid was be-
gun. and was then driven to his home
in a police automobile by detective
William J. Stewart. After the testi-
mOny Of nine witnesses was heard,
the chairman announced that the
hearing would be suspended until al
ter the trial Of the cases pending in
the federal court. in order TO pro-
cure the testimony Of federal Off
GERS who, it was said, had declined
to give their testimony until after
the hearing Of the federal cases The
following witnesses were examined
before the commissioners Lieut.. Al
len @ Erskine- jr-, ". Z. Smith, G.
c. Hall, Walter Reese, C. T. smith.
William r. McStay, Capt W A. Simp-
son, Il. P. Phoenix. William J. Stew
art
Army officer TestifIes.
Lieut. Erskine. OF the military po-
lice. testified that he had worked in
connection with the police and de
tective departments in the suppress
sion OF crime, and had participated in
three raids upon hotels and rOoming
houses, among others the Stockmen's
hotel. He was asked whether he had
encountered any evidence that the po-
lice or detective departments were
protecting women or keeping women
that lived around these places. and
answered. No
Uses UElier Word.
". r. Smith stated that he had
been connected with the detective de-
partment up 10 the first OF January,
but was now engaged in confidential
employment The Stockmen's hotel.
he said, was opened along about the
first Of January.
Were you familiar, more or less
with the place after Il opened up
he was asked.
How vas it conducted. as to be-
Ing laWabidinE2"
so far as I know. Il was"
Did you see anything to arouse
your suspicion as 10 its not being
conducted in q law abiding manner"
connection. because I was not con-
nected with the department at that
time, and wasn't Interested
Somebody Lied
He testified that he never saw any
whisky dispensed there, never saw
AIRY drunken soldiers, nor any fights
there. Z might state In reference to
Elmer Reynolds suspension that ]
have been frequently in the stock
mems hotel during the night and /
nlana- 81 Ta
there but one time. I wasn't there
when the raid began I left there a
few minutes before the raid did not
see any city detectives there that
night I want to state that this com
zeal reporter told a lie-I would like
to put It another Way-When he stat
ed that 7 was sitting in the lobby
Later in the hearing testimony de-
velOped that ". F. Smith was recOg-
nized and identified by two Of the fed
eral officials who conducted the raid
on the Stockmen's hotel. as the gray
haired individual who sat in the lobby
when the raiding party arrived and
who still was present when they lett
with their prisoners
No Protection.
c T Smith, sergeant Of detectives.
testified that he had taken a room
in the Stockmen's hotel in January
a the request OF inspector Walter
Reese, and had stayed there about
10 DAYS 7 have seen people there
that believed were intoxicated; I
have seen them come into the lobby
and also the dance hall few times"
He stated that ne had never seen any
whisky dispensed there 4 have seen
women come into the dance hall and
cafe that I have thought 10 be i'm
moral. ] did not call that to the at
tention Of the management. had
suspicion that there was a lot OF
whisky drunk around the hotel.
have seen old chronic card players IN
the lobby OF the hotel. I was de-
tailed to the hotel by inspector Reese.
I was not there the night Of the raid.
I had no orders TO protect the house
or wink at violations Of the law, and
had no reason to believe that the
house was protected"
Wanted Guilty Caught.
Walter Reese testified that he Is
police inspector. and was acquainted
with a place known as the Stockmen's
hotel Il first made a visit there
myself" he said. and made certain
observations. and later decided TO
put one OF the boys in the hotel TO
see Il they could catch any whisky
passing from one person TO another.