The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-05-17
Former Assistant Chief of De-
tectiYes in Sensation.
Serious Testimony Is Given to
Attorney General.
CITY PAYS FOR PRIVATE WORK
w. c. KieIy Tells of Alleged Ac-
tiOns of Chief Swallow.
Reprimanded for Enforcing
Liquor Law, KieIy States.

IllQ uUL I4d VS. AACAy CN0NCCs
Serious charges, involving a dozen
specific instances. were made against
the Topeka police department and
Guy A. Swallow, chief of police. by
w. c. Kiely, former assistant chief
of detectives, in a letter toe B. Grif-
/ fifth, assistant attorney general of
Kansas, who is conducting the investi-
CATION of the department on behalf
of the state The letter was mailed
to Griffith by Kiely today in response
] to the assistant attorney generals re-
quest for information concerning al
legged illegal practices at the city jail
Kiely asserts that he was more than
once reprimanded for assisting F. w.
Leech, chief of detectives, in the en-
| forcement of the prohibitory law. He
/ also charges that certain police Of
! ficers drew city pay while doing
private work for Chief Swallow and
that repairs on the chiefs private car
and upon a Ford car were charged to
..Hands Were Tied"
KieIy says when he asked Chief
Swallow for assistance in apprehend-
ing two men who on January 10 held
up and robbed George Stadel, a. post
office employe, at the American
Legion hall, that the chief told nun
that his hands were tied and that
ne gave IllIll AlO AA04P- q
One of the most serious charges
made by KieIy concerned Vic Plants.
a police officer, and the chlef- kleIy
said he Investigated a case IN Wh1ch
gun and some other things had been
stolen from a house in Topeka. lie
said he located the gun at a pawn
shop and asked the dealer to call MN
il any of the robbers pals called ZOE
the gun. one day the dealer called
him. he said, and he was surprised 70
find Vic Plants holding the ticket anG
wanting the gun. He SAID ne catAeu
the chief to the telephone and let nm
talk to the pawn dealer;
Il would not write the Words u+-
tered by the chief of police, says
Kiely. "for having Gordon call me on
a matter of this kind"
KicIy Reprimanded.
Kiely says he was also reprlmandso
by the chief for calling upon Ine
county attorneys office for assistance
in making a liquor raid upon the
home of Steve Stone. where stu ana
a large quantity of Hquor were Iouho-
When the county attorneys stenos-
rapher called him concerning eVldehcS
on certain cases where the police hau
made arrests, the chief forbade him
TO give the information or any other
information in regard to violations OA
the prohibitory law, k1ely declares
The statutes of Kansas require that
sheriffs deputy sheriffs. constaoles,
MAYORS, marshals, police judges ana
police officers at once notliy tnS
county attorney of any violations OF
the prohibitory law which come to
their knowledge. 1t is known that
practically not one case of Violations
Of the prohibitory law mas been re
ported to the county attorney curing
Mayor Corwine's administration, un-
til after George Wark. federal proh1-
bition director, started his investiga-
tions of local conditions recently
This statute provides that the fatl-
- Cd n
make this report shall place them
liable to a fine OF from 500 to $500
and also forfeiture of office, upon
conviction.
This is the first reference to Chief
Swallow since the original charges
involving liquor conditions in Topeka
The chief always has been considered
a conscientious and energetic officer
and his administration has been look
ed upon as most successful.
KieIy's Letter.
The letter from Kiely to Griffith is
as follows:
''Dear Sir: Complying with your re-
quest concerning irregularities having oc-
Cured at the police station. | am listing
below a few cases that l now call to mind.
No books are kept by the police chief
Bills have been received from Badders
Motor Co. covering repairs on Ford car
This car is not owned by the city How
ever. In one instance 1t is known that a
Ford car was driven to Wyoming by the
chief of police and motorcycle driver. w. N
Hill. to visit a ranch owned by the chief,
time being charged to the city There are
also bills for repairs on Cole car This car
is owned by the chief of police.
City Paid $50 for Stove.
On or about January rs, 1922, chief Of
police put in a voucher for $50 for stove
for the city Jail. He brought the voucher
back with his o. K. on it and Mayor Cor
wines o. h on it and had me TO make a
voucher in my name and when the draft
came in my name / wanted to sign it over
to him and he refused to take 1t as he said
he had an application in for the Topeka
postoffice and they might investigate il
the draft He told me he would give me
$50 il I would go up to the bank and
bring the money This refused 10 do
Then 1 gave him my personal check for
so TO take up this city draft and 1 have
this cancelled check with the voucher
signed by him in my possession Upon in
vestigation | found the stove sold to the
city to be an old rusted one of his and that
the janitor had TO get repairs for it be-
fore 1t was fit to use. and put in some time
cutting the rust off of it Bill for the re-
pairs being charged to the city
A man from Arkansas by the name OF
Smidty. not a citizen of Kansas, and only |
a short time in Topeka must have been |
he drew 500 from the city on the regular !
payroll. His name not on the time
book al the police station, he never an |
swered at roll call. his name was not on |
an arrest. / understand that he is now in /
the county Jail At least he was arrested /
and placed there a few days ago for in i
stallinE and operating an Illicit still at 613 /
West Seventeenth street. Topeka, Kansas /
HIS partner. a Mr.. Wilson. who lives at /
time and is out on bail. II might be well |
fConfiuued on Para Savaut