South Bend news-times., 1921-05-28
FLAYS ROBERTS
FOR RAIDS ON
GAMBLING DENS
Police Chief Issues Orders,
Then Kicks" Because
They are Fulfilled.

ulHntt neither dAQ ne Worh lAeB-
DAY. Wednesday when he reported
for roll call at police headquarters
ne was presented with a letter tel
Ing him 20 raid houses Inhabited
by prostitutes. nothing being men
toned about gambling halls.
The sergeant Immediately follow
ing the roll call called a squad OF
officers and proceeded TO make the
POUNDS specified IN the original
order from the chief The officers
visited the gambling halls. where
big games were IN progress. carry
INK out Kline's orders. and merely
told the operators OF the various
games that they must cease work
for the evening They had no or
ders 20 make arrests.
The houses OF ill repute were like
wise visited and the officers. again
aGlng under Kllnes orders re-
quested the women conducting The
"houses' 70 close up for the night.
After the officers had made nearly
every gambling den and house OF
lI fame in Roberts district. the
word was sent 10 Roberts and his
detail 20 report 20 police headquar-
ters Immediately.
Roberts was called "up on the
carpet" by Asst. Chief Cassidy and
asked under whose orders he was
acting. Roberts responded by show
ing Cassidy the written order from
Kline.
Kline Gets "Hot."
Cassidy then proceeded to get
Kline on the phone and read him
his own instructions 20 Roberts.
This was too much for the chief
and he asked Cassidy 20 let him talk
to Roberts. Cassidy did. and Rob
erts' letter 70 the board was written
10 minutes later.
1T is said that Roberts raids on
the gambling dens were not sched-
uled for wednesday night, but
should have been made on the night
stated I'm the original orders, which
was Monday. The operators of the
gambling dens it was said. becom-
fng peeved az the police for cross
ing them up" and conducting raids
when they were not "set," imme-
dlately got IN touch with the
@higher-ups" in the administration.
These "higher-ups' passed the
buck along TO Kline and hoped
AL over him" for sending his officers
out 20 raid when the supposed vic
tilns had not had the proper warn
Ing. Kline, becoming enraged,
phoned headquarters 10 find out
from Cassidy who was raiding and
why.
Cassidy then issued orders to
Roberts and his detail TO cease work.
and Roberts reported TO the station
only TO find that as a result of his
evenings labor a stiff carpet ses-
sion" facing him.
The sergeant, when interviewed
By newspaper men last evening, de-
clared that he was merely attempt
ing 20 carry out the orders of his
superior officer and that he had be-
cu1ne tired of working his head off
ana then receiving a ''bawling-out
KHne's Error.
He further stated that he was
not a mind reader and was working
to carry out the orders as he had
received them. The Monday order
he said. was the one he received
first. and naturally il was the one
he carried out first. He said Kline
knew he was off Monday and Tues
dav NIGHTS and that if he did not
want the order carried out he could
have said so I'm the instructions IS
sued Wednesday.
Tt will be remembered that IL was
Just a week ago tonight that Nelson
B. Kevser. member Of the board OF
public safety. and Chief Kline, In
addresses TO the members of the
department. urged them 10 'go forth
and clean up gambling bootleggine
and houses of ill repute.
Now II Serst. Roberts did not have
specifc orders from the chief to rait
both tho assiEna.iou houses and the
gambling ders Wednesday night, h'
did have the general orders ISSUED
Saturday night. ard the written or
aers issued by the chief Monda'
night.
can Sergt Roberts be blamed 70
his part IN carrying out orders tina
we're both written and oral Law
abiding citizens declare NO
should Dust Kline.
Vow the question is. will tn
board OF safety accept the reques
Of the sergeant and denote him. O
wiu they oust Chief Kline for issuini
such Instructions
In any event. Roberts should no
b. made the goat" 20 protect tn
chief in making the error of allow
irE raids TO he made on gamhlin
dens ON the uieht when he preferre
the raids made only ON the house
asaG aAuu SrW u7fuN 'euUJ IU :
prepared fo~ the raids.
Tie action of the board in thi
case will probably be taken at Fri
DAYS meeting il no action is take
The members of Tho board viii or
and iron out the differences be
tween the chief and the serEean
and see I'm the future that all or
ders are verified at least five min
n-re before they are carried out