Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-07
FRICTION BETWEEN
Continued from ps@e

"As for the department, il il making
an investigation within itself, but 40 far
nothing has been learned that would
warrant charges against anybody. ] dc
not look for any further development
before the next regular meeting Of the
! board, which will be held next Tuesday
| We may receive a further report at that
| time, and our action will depend ON that.
WHAT ,r's ALL ABOUT.
Tho statement against Captain Kc'lcher
| arose out of the alleged failure Of four
officers TO raid the home Of William p.
Mason, in the American Apartments,
where IL wns suspected game played
with dice was in progress, one night recent
". The policemen reported that when
they entered the room there WAS no
evidence of game and they could not
make an arrest.
II was also said by Detective Sergeant
Green that the policemen were offered
drinks by those in the apartment and all
refused with the exception OF Elijah
Johnson. The men were unanimous In
denying that Policeman johnson had TAX
en- any whisky. Sergeant Green intimated
that the bottle of whisky offered was part
Of that stolen from the office Of Magistrate
Harry /. ellis recently.
The most serious point OF the affairs
wns the declaration of Sergeant Green that
Captain kellcher had taken o bribe Of
some cigars from MIR Mason after re-
fusing $40. Captain kelleher denied
this, telling the police commissioners that
Mr. Nasons had offered him the money
10 be added To the police pension fund,
but he had refused To accept it or the
cigars under the circumstances.
When Sergeant Green was questioned
as to the source of his information by
President s. X Smith of the board he
admitted that some of IL had come from
Sergeant King, of his department When
further questioned as TO how he secured
more exact information on one particular
point he refused to tell the name OF his
informant President Smith instructed
the secretary To make note OF the refusal
Captain kelleher at the conclusion OF
the meeting entered a denial Of all
charges IL was thought that he might
add some counter charges but none were
mentioned.
Sergeant Green has my sympathy"
the captain declared.
According TO the testimony OF the officers
on the night III question, said to have been
January 10, Sergeant Tucker received
word from Patrolman Powell that he had
heard loud noises from the American
Apartment. Officers Ch aries Reese. Charles
Is. Vir1in and Special Officer Elijah John
son were detailed TO make an investiga-
ton. They testified th outside the door,
they heard someone in the room say Shoot
quarter" Upon enterin they saw no
money, but later found pair of dice on
the floor Their WAS no one seen playing
and no evidence of a game of chance.
When Captain keleher WAS notified
he plac q the matter Of determining
whether there WAS sufficient evidence for
an arrest in the hands of Officer Johnson.
According 10 Sergeant Green those in
the room were Mr.. Mason, his wife, and
four friends He declared that when the
patrolmcn informed one OF the men that
Captain kelleher was in charge he dis
played the button of the Knights OF Colurn-
bus, stating everything would be all
right. This was denied without qualifica-
tion by all the officers, who said that no
button or pin was displayed and the name
Of no organization mentioned.
When seen today, Sergeant Green said,
IL have made no charges against anyone.
| simply made a report to the chief of
police of matter that had been brought
TO my attention" Sergeant Green had no
other comment to make in addition to this.
Sergeant King, Of the detective bureau,
when spoken 10 this morning about the
matter, said he would not discuss it.
Chief of Police Black, when spoken TO
about the case, said "The matter is not
or me to comment upon. 1t is a matter
the Board of Police Commits
,ioners and the people involved"