Indiana daily times., 1921-01-29

from all chance Of becoming postmaster
Of Indianapolis after March l.
So. for some time, the mayor and
Fleining's two personal enemies have
been watching for a chance to kick him,
bag and baggage. out Of his job. First
they looked 70 his work and found il is
said no cause for plausible criticism
there because Henry and his department
certainly were collecting ashes and had
been most Of the time since he had been
In charge.
Political gossip supplied some grounds
for criticism but the mayor did not con-
slider himself sufficiently armed with am
munition with which TO blow Henry out
OF his job until yesterday, when the op-
portunity he had been waiting for
pumped right into his hands.
NEGRO EMPLOYEES
Go on RAMPAGE.
Lee George and $. c. Whitley, negro
employees Of the ash collection depart
ment. went on n rampage which resulted
In Patrolman Patrick Shea having his
revolver, badge and club taken away from
him in the dry beer saloon and poOlroom
OF Noah Fritz, 9O3 TT Wayne avenue
Thursday evening. George and whitley
are great, brawuy negroes who
tough" Most OF the negroes who
worked under Fleming were necessarily
husky men because Of the strenuous
physical demands of their Jobs.
Patrolman Shea. according to the pO-
lice. walked into the Fritz place ana
found several negroes. When he began
questioning Whitley and George the lat
ter picked him up bodily and crashed
him through a cigar case. Shea, it is
said, reached for his revolver and George
took 1t away from him, then forced him
to turn over his badge and club. George
left and Shea hiked for help from police
headquarters.
The police learned that George was
hidden In a house in the northeastern
part of the city with several other men,
ull said to be slightly under the inhu-
ence of liquor. heavily armed and aching
for trouble. Not a man at police head
quarters hankered for the job Of going
into that house.
The police version of the final arrest
Is different from what actually happened.
Ia was given out at police headquarters
that the emergency squad brought In
Whitley and that Sergeant Tooley and
u squad brought in Big George" The
truthful account Of what happened is
this:
POLICE LEAVE 1T
TO HENRY FLEMING.
None of the police officers caring to
risk his neck, 1t was decided to send for
Henry Fleming. Since George worked
under him 1t was thought Henry had
more chance of getting him TO police
headquarters without being shot than
anybody else. SO Henry was called from
his home to headquarters.
Cant Edwin Rail pxpiaiDad what was
desired. Fleming inquired what charges
were to be placed against George and
was told, 1T is said, that Just some minor
charges, resisting an officer and vag-
rancy, or something like that" With
this assurance Fleming set out alone to
the house where the negro was holding
forth. He explained to George that he
had better go to police headquarters with
him since only minor counts were 10 be
placed against him. George consented
and gave Fleming PatrOlman Shea's gun,
badge and club. After they had left the
house George discovered that he had
given Fleming the wrong gun and Flem-
ing induced him to go back and get the
right one.
Fleming brought George to headquar-
ters and delivered Shea's impediments. 1t
was not until then that he learned that
oner on more serious charges than he had
promised George was charged with rob-
berry. Angered because he had been
tricked into promising George light
charges If he would come with him with
out a fight, Fleming accused Ball of
'double-crossing" him.
HOT ALTERCATION,
But NO BLOWS.
Hot words followed and Ball doubled
up his fist as If to strike Fleming. Flem-
ing dared him to land the blow. Ball
did not make the move. Then Fleming
left police headquarters and early Friday
morning was back on the ash hauling job.
Then the board of works ordered
George and Whitley suspended, pending
their trial, and the mayor heard about
Fleming's connection with the case. He
lost no time In seizing the opportunity.
Captain Ball, Chief of Police Jerry p.
Kinney and other police officers together
with the members of the board of works,
were called to the mayors chambers.
There the policemen told their tale. Flem-