The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-14
Former Chief of Police Files
Against Capitol B. & L.
Charges Newspaper Ads Were
of SIanderous Nature.
SAYS HIS GOOD NAME is HURT
George Hannah objects to
Methods of Advertising.
Asks $4,000 Actual and $4,000
Exemplary Damages.

A suit to. collect s35.oOo damages
from the Capitol Building & Loan as
soeiation because of alleged slander-
Gus remarks he claims were made
against him in advertisements pub
lished in The State journal last July,
was filed in the Shawnee county dis
trict court today by George G. Ham
nan, former chief of police.
In the three advertise ements quoted
by Hannah in his petition, reference
was made to the Topeka police force
Hannah claims they were published
for the purpose of injuring and de-
stroying the good name of this plain-
tiff and that they were false, MALI
ciols and lbelous." He declares that
he always conducted himself in an
honorable manner and has never been
guilty or suspected of being guilty of
dishonesty in office and has never
been guilty of misappropriation OF
funds. graft or converting money coll
/ 1ected by the police department for
his own use and benefit"
The first advertisement to which
Hannah makes reference was publish
ed in The State Journal July 10. 1920.
and read, according to the petition. as
follows:
Topeka police Traffic ordinance
| just passed prohibits spot lights, bright
lights, but insists on & red light - dis
| triet - Portland. oregon, encourages
spot lights on each auto; Other large
| cities do not prohibit. Our police de-
| partment and chief and pop-pop men
| Therefore be careful - save the
$40 or 50 for yourself and open a sys-
| tematic savings account 1t builds for
} Get our booklet"
Hannah Defines Ad.
| Hannah declares this advertisement
meant that the police department
and chief of police appropriated
money to their own use collected as
hxyf fIa orfr af1f fa
statement, he alleges, was false and
malicious and was made for the pur-
| pose of damaging, inJuring apd de-
| stroying the good name and reputa-
ton of this plaintiff" and for causing
him to be held up by his friends and
| neighbors and the people generally
and hatred
! This advertisement. he claims, dam
aged him $4,000.
seraking of Police F'unds.1
The next advertisement, which Han
nan says was false, malicious and
/ Hbelous" appeared in The State Jour-
nal on July IL. 1920, and read:
"why"-Judge MacFarland should
| take n motor cops word any more than
! a taxpayers. Motor cop says 35 miles
| so does his speedometer. But he goes
three blocks and catches up with a car.
while the car goes two blocks and the
citizen denies going 30 miles, or speed
ing, and his speedometer says about 20.
have no say, and the citizens word Is
Nil
/ what are times coming to. A cop's
word is law?
/ well, Mr. Citizen, cut off Mr. Cops
4 fee of one-half fine. also the chiefs
| department-play safe-save this money
and put it in a savings account at SO 2
interest Get booklet"
'SIake No Efforts"
This advertisement, Hannah alleges.
meant that he and the police were
taking for themselves one-half of the
for speeding, The third advertisemeat
was published july 13, 1920, and read:
Topeka police. Our chief of poliee
must De an advocate of law and order.
by the order he has issued to drag-net
the city of the best citizens-auto
have tail light go out on them. un-
beinown, 50 please. while police char
acters. etc, are busy. Why don't he
get the fellow who holds up unarmed
citizens, fine and lock them up-instead
of spending all hfs time lookingAfor
bright lights. red lights. etc.
''Eyidence-the force doesn't like dark
places. The man VINO Is careful can
put that $5-hereafter $15- fine in a
savings account and get SO interest on
it, 1t will work for him instead OF
for the chief of police.
: "Open a systematic savings account.
1t will be for your cwn good
Hannah claims that by this adver-
/ tisement was meant that he was
, making no efforts to enforce the or
dinances of the said city of Topeka
against police characters and that he
would permit citizens to be held up
without making any efforts to appre-
| hend the criminals.
: He asks for $4,000 actual and
$4,000 exemplary damages. j. ].
tSchenck is his attorney.