The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1920-08-04
SKUFAkfSS
MAKES FRESH
ACCUSATIONS
Declares That East Hammond
Needs Police Activity and
That 1t Is Wide Open

liIdl IL Is WluG Upell
Salaries Of Hammond police were
not raised by the city council last
night, but the aldermen took a long
step in that direction
After some unpleasant details had
been aired by aldermen and interested
citizens the city days acting on the
suggestion Of Mayor Brown, who was
in attendance, decided TO wait untii
next meeting night and then raise the
wages Of all city employees at one time.
HECKLEMAN FAVORS 1T
Inc discussion started when the or
dinance drawn BY Alderman Bruce was
read Heckleman, who has in one wav
or another opposed former salary in
creases, was the first man 10 speak
and he surprised everybody by favor
ing the raise without qualifications.
II seems he had learned how many
members Of the force had left for Jobs
paying more money and how Others
are experimenting their city ray ~
working elsewhere spare hours and
on vacation days He accused the po-
lice commissioners OF ineticiency Ma
yor Brown was asked to state how
many men the department lack IL
having the regular quota
FEW MEN SHORT
we are a few short" explaineA tN.
mayor Alderman Bruce said the rec
ords showed seventeen men to be work
ing but he was not sure whether that
meant patrolmen only or included the
higher officers. Ordina riIy, seven
teen patrolmen, two motorcycle men
two detectives, a Bertillion man.
matron. a merchant police and two
chauffeurs have been employed in ad-
dition to the officers. Accz-ding to
the last census the city is entitled 70
thirty-six patrolmen alone
DELAYED TOO LONG
Alderman Frank Martin expressed
regret that the proposition of rails
ing pay had been delayed so long 4
think that we made a serious mistake
the last time this matter was up" he
said. Our delay has lost the city sew
eral of the best men on the force
1T is an insult to ask men to work
for the salary which We are paying
our policemen said Alderman Bruce
who followed Martin we are ex
pecting these men to protect our lives
and property but we are unwilling 20
pay them adequate wage. am
in favor of fair living wage for all
city employees"
sKUFAKIs TELLS SOME THINGS
1t remained for Sam Skufakis. al
derman from East Hammond to tear
of the lid and throw the real scare
into the assemblage we have the
worst bunch out there we have ever
had" ne said. You seldom see
policeman there and things are run
ming wide open We have houses of
Ill fame: girls. sixteen. seventeen and
eighteen years old. walk the streets
until after midnight. The young men
get drunk early in the evening am
march single file from one drinking
place to another. There are thirty or
forty blind pigs running right now.
Something must be done to stop this
SAYS THEY WORK OUTSIDE
Skufakis said that it was well
known fact that members Of the po-
lice force. after spending twelve hours
on duty for the city. work six more
hours as special police for different
corporations and at the end Of the
month they receive more pay for the
outside work than they do for their
regular duties.
similar appeal came from Rev
Freeman head of the East Hammond
coIored congregation. He says that
a dangerous element OF his race is
moving into the part of the city which
will cause much trouble unless a halt
is called He graphically described
conditions as he sees them and told OF
finding a young woman lying in the
gutter in front of his house in
drunken stupor.
MUST HOLD FORCE TOGETHER
Attorney l.. T. Meyer as an inter
ested citizen gave his views on the
matter "The city is not bapkrupt in
spite OF statements which have been
made 70 the contrary. Something
must be done to hold the old police
force together. 1t takes a long tim-
70 make good patrolman. Many Of
our best men have gone. Others are
holding on simply because they wiz
60 on the retired list on pensions
sDon. There are stil some az tie
best remaining because they have the
morale Of the force at heart. They
are true patriots and their faithful
ness should be recognized"
NO POLICEMEN SEEN
Mrs. Meyer was also there and told
Of three Instances which she knew ct
In which women had been insulted
by roughs on the street In the first
case which happened when there were
plenty of policemen, she was able to
have the man arrested at once. In
the second instance a girl was chased
all the way home and in the eight or
nine squares never encountered an Of
ffcer, of the law. In the third affair
which concerned Mrs. Meyer herself
her only protection was hat pin Her
words made marked impression on
the council
TAX SYSTEM TO BLAME
city Attorney w W. NIc31ahon
then made a speech against the pres
ent tax system which takes from rna
municipalities the power of fixing their
own tax levy. If We could raise the
levy so as to make some Of these rich
people who are kicking pay more mo-
ney we would be able to pay the po-
lice an adequate salary" he said.
e Mayor Brown. who had said little
hitherto. announced that he was op-
posed TO raising the policemans pay
If other city employees were not con
sidered at the same time.
PLAYS NO FAyORITEs
He told how hard it was to borrow
money 10 keep the city going and ex-
pressed doubts as to the possibility Of
getting local banks to loan money TO