The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-01-07
CHIEF HANNAH


Continued from Pare 0ne.)
Santa Fe and elsewhere,' he said,
asking my protection in this investi-
cation. There are even attorneys who
have asked me to investigate Judge
Mcfarland, but 1 refused to do it,
81 do not ask to be present at the
private hearing" MacFarland said.
81 want to be there and defend my
SELF" said the chief. 81 thought the
purpose of this investigation was to
find out why Alba was discharged and
to investigate myself. Instead of this
every one on the department is being
investigated
Ed Rooney, a local attorney, was
called to the stand.
IT guess you don't need any intro
duction to this audience. Mr.. Rooney
said MacFarland.
Don't want any," said Rooney.
| (Laughter.)
Rooney on Stand
Questioned concerning Alba, Rooney
said his own opinion of the Mexican
was that he is a very good officer. He
Explained two circumstances in which
Alba is charged with taking money
from Mexicans by saying one was a
divorce suit, in which Alba received
$40 and paid it to him as part of the
court costs and attorneys fees, and
that another was a case in which a
Mexican. being prosecuted in the court
| of Topeka when he was acting as judge
pro tenn. He said it was the conten-
ton of Elisha Scott, the Mexican's at
Itorney, that Alba had collected 800
from the defendant by coercion. AS
it turned out, Rooney said, the 500
was for fine and court costs and that
everything Alba had done had been
with the approval and knowledge of
Tinkham Veale, assistant county at
torney.
Rooney said he had many Mexican
clients, among them Thomas Alonzo.
whom he considered q good man. He
said he handled much business for
Alonzo but that he never allowed one
friend to talk improperly about an
other in his office.
At this juncture Alonzo himself
stepped forward and asked Rooney:
Haven't been in your office many
! times and haven't 1 talked to you
about Alba and what he has been 90
ing? Haven't I counseled with you
about it %
You may have asked me about
him." said Rooney, land naturally, in
such a case. I probably told you to
wait until you got the goods on him
: before you tried to start anything
Your conversation has been such as to
: lead me to think that there is little
} love between you and Alba
!, Payne Makes Complaint.
Roy Payne told of his special Of
T ficer and himself finding a car with
out license tag and reporting it to
the police. Two men in the car were
arrested for being drunk, and one was
also charged with carrying concealed
weapons, Payne said. He declared
that one man was turned loose abou,
< two hours later and the other the
next morning. The chief explained
> that 1t was no crime for a taxi drive,
nd hat
9 turned loose early in the night wa.
+ not very drunk and also that he knew
4 where he could get him if Payne
/. wanted to advance any charges OF
: tearing down his telephone boxes
: One of the men returned next da,
$ and put up SIS bond, he said. L
+ was also proper and right for him tt
/ change the charge to Investigation
the chief said.
q Hannah accused Payne of "roxup
, | ing on the prisoners.
Payne denied the charge, saying h,
h merely asked one of the men, in tn,
- presence of the lieutenant and ser
e geant, how long he had been driving
Il q taxicab.
Il gave you every opportunity in tn,
world to come up and make charges
, against these men," said the chief.
You released a drunk man. coun
tered Payne
Your ideas of a police force ar,
lfar-fetched,' retorted the chief. Ism
it a fact that you think you and you
company shouldn't be under polic'
supervision 90
Not at all. But 1 object to bein,
supervised by a police who is my com
ipetitor in business
Hannah denied that Lee Coberly. tn
Imam referred to. any longer drove al
independent taxi while not on polio
lduty. Sturm said he saw Coberly un
Iload four passengers at the Union Pa
Icifc depot shortly before Christmas.
"Coberly works for me eight hour
IA day." said Hannah. HHow can tel
him what to do the other sixteen ?'
Pasne's Private Officer.
Payne said he had q private office
lin his employ who was instructed Il
twatch his men and arrest them for al
violations of law.
"You have never asked my permits
sion to do this" said Hannah. "B
what authority have you appoints
this man"
"By abe written permission of H. J
tCorwine, mayor of Topeka" respond
ed Payne. Isn't that enough?'
Does the mayor have to get you
permission to appoint man, chief
Iasked MacFarland.
II didn't know the mayor had don