The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-09-02
Police Lieutenant Charged With
Use of City's Motor Car.
Said to Have Had Pleasure Trip
With Miss Lambert.
STORY OF FIGHT is TOLD
Officer Says Merchant Cop Hit
Him With Gun.
Police Troubles Aired in Bow.
man Trial Today.


uiar DR.. Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde on
wheels
Recent developments showed that
in daytime the car was used on the
swell west side for unofficial pur-
poses.
Today, in police court. E. D. Nc
Keever. Topeka attorney. charged
that the car was used at nights by
m member of the police force in hauling
Eva Lambert, queen of the under
world" over the city.
This charge by McKeever, who to-
day defended NJ. NJ. Bowman. mer-
chant policeman, on a charge of as
sault, was the climax in the police
expose promised at the Bowman trial.
Lieut.. w. P. Long of the police de-
partment. was the man named by Nc
Keever as the officer who has been
using the police car at nights to take
Eva Lambert out riding.
McKeever claimed that prior to the
fight between Bowman and police Of
ficers ? week ago Sunday night, that
statements regarding Longs alleged
joy riding tendencies in the police car
made by Bowman, engendered hatred
against Bowman on the part of Long
and was one of the causes of the fight
on Sunday night.
Bowman is employed by wholesale
and retail merchants located on the
lower end of Kansasa avenue Eva
Lambert lives at 129 Kansas avenue,
upstairs testimony revealed.
Even Had the Dates.
McKeever read from a paper. dates
on which Bowman alleged that he saw
the police lieutenant in the police car
giving Eva Lambert a joy ride. The
dates mentioned in court were June
| 5, June Il and July 21.
McKeever also read street numbers
&c have
said, he saw Lieutenant Long either
/ load" Eva Lambert into the car, OF
UNLOAD her"
! Lieutenant Long on the witness
stand denied that these statements at.
tributed to Bowman regarding Eva
Lambert had anything to do with the
fight in front of police headquarters
This is the second time that the
name of Eva Lambert has appeared
| in police exposes. A year ago wher
charges of drunkenness and familiar
! ity of police officers with police char
acters were made public, Eva Lam
bert was mentioned as a clever woman
of the underworld. who in a small
measure, directed the activities of GER
tain members of the force and looked
after the protection of friends anc
the prosecution of enemies in hel
class
Longs Story OF Fight
| started when NJ. NJ. Bowman, the merchan
policeman, protested against the action o
| Patrolman Victor Plants in taking H.
Hess to police headquarters on a charge o
carving concealed weapons. Bowman
protested saying that he had asked Plants
| to carry a revolver and aid him in watch
ing his beat"
T was in charge that night" said Lieu
tenant Long, "and didn't even order Hes
booked. 1 told officers to take his guI
away from him as he didn't have deputl
sheriff's commission and let the chief o
police determine what to do with him
But Bowman kept arguing about it
he called me name and said 1t would tax
the whole - police force to ar
II Hit Him With Revolver.
"I started out of the car. He reached
for his revolver and struck me over tn
head l cIinched with him. He struck m
a second time and the gun broke the cart
! ridges falling out. He struck me thre
more time before Plants grabbed him."
Isn't it a fact that after Bowman, CD
year-old man, was locked up you went I
the jailer and offered him 50 to get the Ike
to the cell and finish the old -?
Mckeever asked;
Didn't you accuse Bowman Of circulat
ing reports about you and Eva Lambert:
Mckeever asked.
II did not
Then McKeever read the dates of the al
, legged joy rides taken by Long and ET
| Lambert in the police car
! Ed Rooney, special attorney employed b
the police to prosecute the case, obJecte
to this testimony
. "Such things should be a matter Of pub
, lie record" Police Judge Hugh MacFnI
, land ruled, land the objection is over
! Patrolman Plants took the stand H
? testified to finding Hess in an alley an
5 seeing a revolver flashing in his pocke
and he said no." Plants said. 80 I too
. him to police headquarters.
Bowman was there and he began to tai
-ia n
Pafk didpe e beeP Sne much Of the conversation bT
did hear Bowman give Long the hgnuh
word. .,,
bowman pulled his gun and struck him
grabbed for Bowman and finally e7ugf
his arm with which he was striking Lohi
His Head Hit Stove.
81 pushed him into the station He struc
him across the floor He struck his hea
against the stove
,, Bowman is bald headed Mekeeyer ha
him display a deep cut on his head
iJudge Mcfarland
Plants objected strenuously TO question
asked by McKeever which be said WEI
nothing more than statements which wei
: misleading the court
! I'D ike to ask you a question:" Plan
f well. you can't now" said McKeever-
t at is a question about low, retort'
: Plants angrily-
: "Oh well. III answer 1t then-at n
e office" said McKeever- Come up ~
e time but bring your money with you b
: cause such answers require money
Sam Jones. who was acting desk sergea
. on the night of the fight. testified that
!. heard loud voices and saw Bowman stri
= ing at Long with 4 revolver He also
Il mitted seeing Plants knock BoEHi
e against the stove Jones denied that {
Y police refused to call a physician
: I'VE asked him If he wanted 4 doct
i and he said no. Jones testified.
= The Jones testimony was concluded