Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1920-02-14
INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN
TO STOP GAMBLING.
PROSTITUTION
SHEEHAN IS CAPTAIN
VETERAN OF FORCE PROMOTED
TO PLACE LEFT VACANT BY
Ex.CApTAiN HART'S RESIGNh-
TON AT SPECIAL MEETING OF
DEPARTMENT.

With the elevation of PatrOlmah
James Sheehan TO the captaincy OF
the Ottawa police force last night.
members Of the department. at spc'
cial meeting called by Commissioner
Palmer, in the station house, were
commanded to practice rigid enforce
ment OF the state and city laws with
ont regard To friend or foe. Reatllrm'
ing his announced stand at the time
he assumed office, commissioner Pal
mer insisted that his men use every
means to clean up Ottawa, ridding the
city OF all forms OF vice. He placed
particular stress upon prostitution
and gambling in a tiye-minute lectur"
TO the assembled coppers
The meeting. called specifcally by
the commissioner Of public health ani
safety 20 name a successor TO eX-Cap-
tain Maurice Hart, whose star was
demanded "Wednesday night III heat
I'd session with the boss at his home
on the South Side. resolved itself into
a general get-together which presagrS
reorganization OF the department
upon an effective and result-get.!ng
basis.
Sheehan Gets Surprise.
The promotion OF Patrolman ,,nee-
nan came as no surprise 10 his col
leagues, who had singled him out as
the one man among them fitted to
take hold of the force and weld It to
the policy Of law enforcement de
manded by Mayor Weeks and other
members of the administrations, Cap
rain Sheehan, who Is noted as faith'
iul adherent to the rules OF duty, IS
respected for his quiet, unassumlns
manner and his consideration Tor
others, yet withal an unialtering de
yolion to his work which in his case
is enforcement of the law. Ii was be
cause OF these attributes that Com
missioner Palmer singled him out for
promotion When the appointment
was made Sheehan, among the police,
was the greatest surprised of the
bunch When the captains star was
turned over to him the patrolman
muttered his thanks and iumbled the
insignia Of rank, trying to pin 1t on
his coat. II was evident that he hah
gotten some hing he didn't expect,
and was Dlt mustered
"Play No Favorites.'
After disposing CT the captMncy
problem Commissioner Palmer ad'
dressed the bluecoats, giving them
strict orders to play no iavorltes ana
treat them all alike.
Il reatiirm what told you men
when took over office. You are now
reinstructed to suppress all vice in
Ottawa. The laws are plain ana
point the way to your duty Enforce
them without fear or favor. want
you to be particularly vigiIant in re-
CARDS to houses of ill-fame and gam
bling. / don't want TO hear any more
reports of prostitution or gambling
in Ottawa without something from
you to show steps have been taken
10 abate 1t,
Addressing the chief, he said:
Chief Grove, | understand there
is house on the West Side of ques-
tionable repute. You are ordered to
send men down to that place and find
out II it is place of questionable re-
pute. If it is | want results. Arrest
the occupants, close up the house, and
see that the law breakers are severely
death. with. You can be assured that
| and The administration will back
you up in everything that you do. II
there Is Il doubt in your mind as TO
your duty the city employees compe'
tent legal department, which will ad
wise with and instruct you as to your
legal limits in the matter.
Turning to the newly appointed cap
tain, he said:
'Sheehan, | have promoted you to
captain because | believe YOU will
carry out the orders Of your super
iors. ! give the same instructions to
you that ! have Just given Chiei
Grove. ! want you 20 do everythlnS
within your power to see that there
Is no more law violation in Ottawa
without someone being punished for
it,"
Then to the patrolmen
You men are instructed to help
your superiors in every way that you
can. ] am sworn to see that law vio-
latiOn ceases in Ottawa. We can clean
up the city. and will with your arrest.
ing every person caught infractnG
the ordinances of the city. or the stat
utes OF the state. II would please mo
lContinuso on page 3, col, 81