The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-03
CLEARED UP NOW
Mystery of Police Departments
New Car Is No More.
Mayor Saved Money by Going
Into Market Early.

Following a request by Mayor Her
bert ]. Corwine for permission from
the city commissioners to expend
$1,000 from his 1920 budget for a
Dodge car for. the police department,
a mystery" which has puzzled the
city hall for months was cleared up
today. No explanation of the ''mys-
terry" was offered the commissioners
by the mayor, but later the city's chief
executive told reporter the inside"
of the Dodge car deal.
For the $1,000, be it known, is not
for new car to be bought for the
police department. but for a car
bought last spring and used steadily
and none too gently-since then.
For months the question has been
buzzing around the city hall, Where
did the police department get the new
carr? There was no record of one
having been paid for on the auditors
books, no request had been made of
the commissioners for sanction of it's
purchase. and, in fact, Mayor Corwine
had spoken to no one in the building,
SO far as has been learned, concerning
the deal.
Outside the hall, there was much
talk among persons in close touch with
city affairs about the car. Here also
was found ignorance of the exact
transaction There was dissatisfaction
expressed. tho, about the affair. If
ZIG may VI -AdO DOuSilt the car without
funds in his 1919 budget to pay for it
and without the consent of the COM
mission, expecting the pay for it out
OF his 1920 budget, these persons
agreed that the mayor was violating a
section OF Kansas statutes of 1915, pro-
hibtting any city official, under the
commission form of government, from
contracting debt without sufficient
funds in his budget to meet it
ReCentlV tho i
about the car. but said he did not
! care to discuss the matter" Police
Chlef G. G. Hannah was equally reti-
cent about discussing the matter, al
tho he did admit, before he learned
that he was talking to a State journal
reporter, that the police department
| had bought such a car last spring.
Then he tilted back his chair and
guessed that the commissioners
would be informed of the purchase in
due time"
When the reporter made an investi-
CATION, he found that the mayor had
| obtained the car from the w. HI. lines
Motor Co. at $500 Kansas Ave, had
| had it insured with the Clarence B
Jordan Insurance Co., and had bough,
\ tires for it from the Mauney Tire Co
The lines people were secretive
about the affair. but denied they had
sold the car to the police department
| DOuCe
had obtained such a car from them or
April Ia. 1919. The insurance com.
pany was more open, saying that the
| insurance had been written on the cal
in May. to be paid for after the frs
of the year.
Today the clouds of mystery cleared
away. The little car that caused Sc
much speculation was merely RENT
| ED to the city by the lines company
with the understanding-bu with M
contract drawn up-that it would, BIZ
paid for when the 1920 budget becam,
effective. This was the mayors be
lated explanation of the case today
He added that he had saved the cit,
money thru the transaction and tina
the car, rental included, would no
cost the city what a new one woult
cost now.
In the meanwhile, the little Dodg,
has rambled right along. 1t shows TIL
effects of rough knocks, but all mem
bers of the police department voucl
for its sea-worthiness. The mayor say
it's one of the best he ever saw ans
Mitchell Bundy, driver for the mayor
and Chief Hannah, says in a singl,
week he made three trips to Leaven
worth and nearly as many to Kansa
Civ