The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1919-02-01
AGAIN ST. LOUIS IS IN THE GRIP OF ROME
St Louis Romazed Police Board Fires Poesats and reemasons
and Suppants Them With Knights Of Columbus Testimony
Of Catholics and Criminals Used to Do the Job

against the defendants because Of
police interference with their un-
lawful business. In fact, it was
openly charged and made basis
Of the prosecution that officers Of
the police under orders from the
chief had raided vice dens. One
M. r. Bevington, a local subordi-
nate in the department Of justice,
and a Roman Catholic, appeared to
testify to this fact. While the
Of patriotic citizens have
been under the impression that
such action was in line with the
duties of the police officers under
their oaths, the papalized police
commission apparently considered
it grave breach Of public trust.
COnspired With Criminals
Witnesses also testified that keep
ers of the lowest dives and broth
els in the city had been promised
police protection, from the COM
mission and immunity from prose-
cution in return for their contri-
buttons of 500 each to the demo-
cratic campaign fund in the last
election. Refusal Of the chief and
his subordinates to pay this politi-
cal debt reused the ire of the Grim
inals and inspired them to make
common cause with the commits
sioners against the suspended Of
iicers. !
The president Of the commission
admitted that the secretary Of the
board had been active in soliciting
funds for the democratic Golfers.
AS an illustration of the charac-
ter and credibility Of the witnesses
produced by the board and the ex-
tremity to which they were put in
their efforts to make a showing
against their victims-one woman,
testifying against Chief Young,
swore that she had seen the chief
accept money from a well-knowr
gambler in consideration Of the
chiefs having transferred an Of
fcer from one district to another
at the request of the gambler. The
records of the department were pro-
duced to show that the transfer in
question was made more than O
year before Young was made chief
and that he had nothing to do with
the matter.
Others who testified against the
suspended chief were Roman Cath.
olic Detective Chief Hannegan and
Night Chief of Police Gillaspy
Both charged him with failing to
cooperate with them in the work
of the department, and Gillaspy, in
his zeal to convict his Masonic
chief, testified to specified acts oi
misfeasance and malfeasance or
the part of the chief. The record,
of the department were invoked Il
confound this witness, likewise
They showed that his testimony wa!
absolutely devoid Of truth.
Officers Were True Blue
After the board had trotted on
all of the prostitutes and perjurer
available, a number Of business mel
of high standing in the community
including the secretary Of the Y
M. G. A., testified to the persona
integrity Of the officers and the ef
ficiency Of their service. The Y
M. O. A. secretary testified that il
the district Of one Of the suspende,
captains, where the Y. NJ. G. A
is located, conditions with respec
to- immortality and crime have BE
come infinitely worse since the cap
tain's removal.
] Upon such a showing Of fact tn
}. commissioners found the officer
guilty as charged. With the e1
, ception of Chief Young, they wer
summarily fred. Young was dt
NOTED to the rank Of captain, leay
J, ing knight Of Columbus Marti
!. 0'Brien in the position Of chief.
In the melting out Of punishment
Chief Young was treated NOR
, leniently than the other officer
simply because he was the last
be tried, and the indignant ech
that was beginning to roll bac
from the people as a result Of tn
: high-handed treatment Of the car
: tains frightened the commissions
into taking new counsel in dispo
. ing of the chief. He was permitte
) to remain on the force, filling or
! of the vacancies left by Hess an
Pickel. Roman Catholic Lieu
e William ]. Doyle was at once pr
t NOTED to the other captaincy. c,
E elincidental with this announcement
t the board announced promotion (
| four other members Of the fore