New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1921-09-21
MAYOR DENIES He HAS DEMANDED ANY
CLEANUP IN POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR
FAILURE To SOLVE MURDER MYSTERY
Chief Rawlings Declares He
Will Welcome Any In
vestigation Relative to
Hinted Shielding of Rum
Runners.

Concerning a published report in a
morning newspaper that he had de-
manded n cleanup In the local police
department as a result of n lack of
progress I'm running down the culprits
In the Wrinkle murder. Mayor Orson
r.. Curtis stated this morning that he
had never demanded such n cleanup
nor had he intimated that one was
necessary.
Are You Satisfied Mr.. Mayor?
Asked IL he was satisfied that the
detective force was conducting an
honest drive to bring the guilty party
or parties to justice, the mayor stated
that no knew nothing that would in
dicate that the cont. ary was true. This
statement OF tho mayor refutes certain
statements and intimations of the
morning papers accounts which brand
ed one of the detective sergeants as
being under suspicion for a lack OF
sincerity in the investigation.
RcnaIdino Case
As regards the allegation that GER
tain evidence in the EMO Renaldino
case was obscured or destroyed and
as n result the verdict was
suicide. whereas the mayors
belief was that Renaldino was muir
not feel that there was anything GRIM
inal in the act. II the evidence had
been obscured IL was because OF care
lessncss on thepart OF the officials, he
explained.
Evidence obscurcd
IL was explained that the original
state OF the body. after death. was not
preserved sufficiently long to
allow of the taking of necessary de-
scriptions of the condition and on that
account the evidence might be said
to have been obscured. II was also
explained that several persons were
allowed TO pick up and handle the gun
with which tho deed is supposed to
have been committed.
Liquor Review
The mayor stated that numerous re-
ports had come to him concerning the
connections OF member of the depart
ent with liquor trafficking and that he
had asked his informants to bring
evidence before the commission II
there was such evidence. This, he
said, had never been done and con-
seaucntly, tho claims were never YER
ihed.
u such claims were proved, the
mayor said he would ask that who
ever was guilty bo dropped from the
force but I'm the absence OF proof he
had made no demand for such a clean
up.
Chiefs Statement
All have to say is that If there is
any ono guilty OF shielding rum hun
ncra want to know H. l want to
sen him or them run down and / am
willing TO assist i'm bringing this about
In thero are any such persons" said
VpaIa tnV - tVRgy
this morning in n statement to The
Herald. II am not shielding anybody
and " anyone elso Is. want It ferret
cd out and cleaned up. II there are
any such persons I hope they are
found. would welcome an investi-
CATION"
Referring to the Wrinkle murder.
Chief Rawlings said. we are leaving
no stone unturned. We are combing
tho ground over thoroughly and are
running down every clue. / don't
think IL possible for anyone to do any
moro than we are"
Nobody In working any harder on
this case than Sergeant Richardson"
saiG Captain Grace. Every clua that
comes in here is investigated at once"
Attorney Smiths Statement.
United States Attorney 1. Smith.
arenklnE from hartford tn1s morning.
said that he had no authority to say
that the government officials would in
vestfgate the Wrinkle murder case. He
did make the statement that the
United states authorities would inves-
tigate II conditions warranted such ac-
tion, however.
Confers With Mayor.
Chairman r. F. King of the board
OF police commissioners was in con-
ference with the mayor this morning
relative to the published report. The
true facts were explained to the COM
mission chairman.
MIR. King expressed surprise when
he read the newspaper account of
what was purported to be the mayors
intention. lie stated that ho had never
heard the mayor make any statement
that would indiate that he felt clean
up in the department was necessary.
Asked how the commission felt in the
matter, the chairman admitted that
many reports. none OF which had been
proved, had come TO the commissioners
but that he did not think the facts
presented warranted n statement that
n cleanup was needed.
Compliments Richardson.
He complimented Sergeant A. j.
Richardson for his work in running
down criminals OF various sorts and
Sergeant w. c. Hart for his activi-