The Washington times., 1921-05-02
'FElJD'
MORE BITTER
Breach Between Inspector Grant
and His Superior Leading to
General Shake-up.
Major Has Plain Clothes Men
TraiIed-Suspects Plot
to Remove Him.

That a number of members Of
the Police Department, including
several detectives and one police
woman said to be suspected Of be-
ing opposed to the administration
Of Major Harry L. Gessford, the
superintendent, have been spied on
and their movements, activities
and associations investigated, was
stated at Police Headquarters to-
day.
BIG sHAKE-UP FEARED.
This system OF espionage, said 10
have been directed with the knowi-
edge of Major Gessford. has brought
about q condition which threatens to
further break the morale of the police
force. 1t 10 stated today that not
only the members of the Detective De-
partment, but many of the rank and
file Of the uniformed ranks are not
giving their best efforts to their work
because of fear of q general shake-up
in the department.
Indignant at the alleged attesasts
10 "rans tAen." several Setestivss
and police snclals today deslssed
that II Major GessfsrA exvesSs co..
operation IN the staRpfng out Of
| crime IN the Capital. he sheuId paf IN
end to the system Of espionage witch
they claim r. wrecking the depart
| ment.
| The entire detective force Is dis
turbed by the fear that any moment
an order will be sent to Inspector
clifford l. Grant. chief Of detectives.
for their transfer to one of the pre-
cincts. The men have no heart In
their work. and q condition Of unrest
is pervading the bureau.
l. CONTRADICT GEssFORD.
| Major Gessford has let it be known
that he will "clean out" the bureau
unless his administration Is given CO.
operation. Detectives state that Cess
ford has been given every co-opera-
ton possible, and that the dissatis-
faction and unrest in the department
is due to his suspicious that an cnort
is being made to oust 'him as head OF
the department. .-....
Gessford is right In these sus-
picions. movement has been On
foot to have Hin retired, with the
promotion of Inspector Grant to sue-
ceed him. District SCOmmissioDer
james r. Oyster, who Has direct
supervision over the Police Depart
ment, has recently been urged BY
many influential business Asen and
members of Congress to appoint
Grant as successor to GessfOrd.
Commissioner Oyster has stated he
will not appoint Grant at this time
that he intends to give Gessford a
chance to make good. Gessford has
been told that II he does not make
good. doe. not clean mp crime In the
Il District. he may expect to be dropped
from active duty.
1t also is said that President Hard
ing has been informed on conditions
in the Police Department, particu-
: larly regarding the lack of co-opera-
ton of the uniformed and plain
clothes men. Whether he will take
some action is mere speculation, but
IL is said that unless conditions I'm
prove In the department the President
will likely send for Commissioner
oyster and demand that the force be
subjected to q shake-up which will
place it on a high standard.
CENsUREs DETECTIVES.
Charges made by Gessford that
) the detectives are not giving theiI
best efforts to their work started
the present unrest. Gessford no
5 only made II plain that 'you detec 9
tives are on the same footing as thu
} uniformed men, and should not thtnl
you are their superiors," but he in
timated some of the detectives weN
. not loyal to his administration.
This latter charge was made q
the roll-call of detectives severa
weeks ago. Grant became indignan
at tho charge, declaring to Gessfor'
in front Of all the detectives that tn
3 allegation that his men were no
I loyal was not based on fact.
, Prior to this talk with the detec
{ tives, Gcssford had stated that he In
tended to let Grant run the detectiv
Q department--thath he would not inter
fere, contenting himself to handlini
: the other branches of the polio
y service.
IL is common knowledge that thsr
;. IL n breach between Grant nnd Cess
r ford-a difference of opinion that can
: not he reconciled. Washingtonian
= are demanding safety for'their home
! and property and will not tolerat
d poor police protection Just becaus
:. Gessford and Grant and the plat
s clothes and uniformed members of tn
force are at odds.
That Gessford intended to leay
Grant handle the detective burca
Q without any interference from him
shown by the fact that tho major ha
9 only been In the Bureau Of ideutifi
9 cation twice, it is said. since he we
e appointed head OF the'rolice Depart
frn.,tn,,>a An Para a CoiuuaU IL