Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-09-19
COMMISSIONER ORDERS
DEPARTMENT HEAD
REMOVED
BLAME |NEFF|C|ENCY
ACTION COMES IN WAKE OF
BOOTLEG SCANDAL, IN WHICH
RUMORS WERE CIRCULATED
ALLEGING MooNsHINE RING
OPERATED IN UNIFORMS OF
CITY.

Charged with gross incfficiency AMI
with being derelct in his duties as
head Of the police force Chief James
+. Grove this morning was formally
dismissed as n member Of the depart
ment by Commissioner OF Public
Health and Safety Dana Palmer.
While coming in the wake Of forty.
eight hours Of wild rumors, in which
II was hinted that bootleggcrS wear
ing the blue Of the police department
were making large revenues out of
tho Illicit sales of moonshine and
hootch liquors, Commissioner Palmct
In statement issued after the chiefs
dismissal from the force, denied that
Mr. Grove was In any way connected
with the booze scandal which now
threatens the disruption of the whole
department
THE sensational allegations against
Patrolman Jesse Holmes" Mr.. Palmer
said. have had nothing to do with
my releasing Grove. took this step
In hope of putting the force on an
efficient basis, and if possible to bring
ViuCi Vi put vi CHdDS.
Westcott Mentioned.
While no mention would be made
of Groves possible successor, re.
ports which found no denial nor sub
stantiation for that matter, said thai
Harry Westcott, for many years po-
lico patrolman under former admins
trations. had been selected for the
job and would take over the chiefs
badge at the next meeting of the coun-
Gil.
This morning Commissioner Pal.
mer, in explaining his reasons for dis
charging the chief, said he had un-
covered many things against the ccst-
while chief which he nor the public
had any knowledge Of before. He 1e.
fused to reveal what his discoveries
were although he said tho cx-chief
was not getting results due to the in
efficient manner in which tho dcpart.
ment was being conducted
The investigation, Mr.. Palmer said.
would include every man wearing the
star, and those weighed In the bal.
ance and found wanting would be re.
leased without any further delay.
Hears Unknown Evidence.
j discharged Grove this mornin.
after getting some inside information
which enver before reached nv nara
until today. These, combined with in
elnclency, caused me to act promptly
In the matter. Grove is in no way
connected with the moOnshine ring.
OF which some of the mon have been
charged with being implicated in, nor
has he committed any crime But
these charges are sufficient evidence
that he was not faithfully performing
hi9 duties as chief OF police and they
caused me to discharge him.
NOW that | have started this thing
| am going to carry it through to
finish. which might result in the dis
missal of others. | am going to sift
the police from top to bottom in an
e1ort to find any other such charges
against any of the other police off.
GERS, should have to discharge them
all. am determined to givo the
city of Ottawa good, square police
protection and get results,
No Decision on New Chief.
"At the present time am unable to
name the man whom | will appoint to
succeed ex-Chiof James Grove aa
head of the local department. Never.
theless, | expect to have a man com.
petent of carrying out his police du-
ties and who will ret results. within
tho course Of tho next several days
am not formally charging any of
the other police officers with inef-
ficiency in their duties nor with any
crimes, but II such should be the case
will be forced to deal with them as
! have James Grove"