The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1922-10-13
EGRO POLITICIAN
GETS INJUNCTION
AGAINST POLICE
Rufe Page Complains That Of
ficers Keep Too Close an
Eve on His PooIroom.

Police tiptoed past the poolroom of
Robert NJ. Rufe) Page, 1921 N. SEN
ate Ave, today instead of walking in
rough shod, as Page alleges they have
for several weeks. Rufe is the Repub-
lican negro czar of the south end of
the Third Ward.
Police have been "conspiring and
combining" and stopping on the pub
! lie street near and in front of plain
tiff's place of business and threaten
| ing citizens with arrest II they en-
tered" charged Rufe in a petition for
| injunction filed in Circuit Court.
The police also denied customers
admission and 'by threats, violence
and intimidation drove customers out
/ of the place and threatened them
with arrest if they returned"
charged Page.
Not only all this but they kept a
| policeman in my place almost every
day from o'clock in the afternoon
until II o'clock at night" declared
| Rufe
Judge Harry o. Chamberlain issued
a temporary restraining order pro
That is why the police tiptoed past
Rufes place today.
| Rufe said he neglected one oppor-
tunity to rid himself of alleged police
oppression.
Brings Democrats In
A few days before the last regis
tration day, he said Richard NJ. Cole
man. Democratic nominee for prose
cutting attorney, and that fellow
who's running against Tutewiler" (Re.
publican nominee for county com
missloner) came to his place and told
| him they could fix things with the
city administration so the police would
lay off, If Rufe would slow up regis
tration of negro Republican voters.
Il didn't slow up. Neither did the
police" said Rufe.
That is absolutely untrue" an.
swered Coleman.
Il have talked with Rufe Page, but
there was absolutely nothing like
that in our conversation. He's just
trying to pull himself out of a bad
hole.
Il have not talked with anybody
connected with the city administra-
ton. have been in the city hall but
twice since Shank took Office and
I've never talked with Shank, Ar
mitags or any Of the rest Of them"
Negroes Resent Raids
Meanwhile there was hell on the
avenoo." politicians said. Operators of
| negro gambling joints used to pam
pering In the weeks preceding an cleo
| ton, were In a dazed state because po-
lice KEEP raiding them, 1t was said.
! Police reported that a number Of
suspected gambling places were In.
stalling new auxiliary doors, usually
Of heavy timbers. to make it harder
for raiding parties to enter. One OF
these doors was going on the entrance
/ to the Panama Club. operated by
Harry (Goosiel Lee. one of the negro
wheel horses in the Shank organiza-
ton last year. The club is in the
| 500 block on Indiana Ave.
| Police Chief Herman F. Rikhoff de-
MED Pages allegations and said the
/ only reason police closely watched
Pages place was because numerous
reports were received gambling was
going on there.
Rikhoff said he knew a man had
been detailed to watch Pages place by
| the captain on duty in the afternoon,
but this was done only after COM
plants OF gambling had been received.
while we viii discontinue this,
said Rikhoff, II will not promise we
will not go there and raid the place
il we get reports from reliable sources
which would Justify such action.
cannot disobey the restraining order,
but I do not feel It is right. / have
not had an opportunity to talk to the
city legal department and at this time
am not able to say whether we will
appeal from the order"