The Topeka state journal., 1922-07-08
MAYORS CROSS
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rad gone He admitted having heard
that the raid was tipped Off
He said he also heard that the mouse
was owned by a member of the fire de-
partment, and that he called ChleL
Hanlon to his office and told him II
that were true, that the man would
have to get those people out OF the
house or leave the department
Didn't Criticise Kiely.
The naayor said it was not true that
he had criticised Kiely for calling GA
the county for aid in raiding steve
stone for liquor. He said Kiely, VINO
was then docket clerk, was let opt pc
cause of the Walton case, In whIch IL
was at that time alleged that klely
had kept some money turned over to
him for Ohio authorities
The mayor stated that c. E. Bas-
com had reported to him place on
lower kansas avenue where liquor
was being sold, but couldn't remen-
Der the name of anyone being mem
toned except Jess Mcdowell. He said
he couldn't remember Bascom mem
tiouinE Cockey Robinson. He said he
brought the matter vigorously to TIE
report of his department, and thaI
Mcdowell was raided. He said he IN
vestigated reports that one OF his ofn-
Gers was frequently seen to enter a
rcou1ine- house on East Fourth street,
but found out that the house bore a
good reputation. He said it was, the
duty Of his officers, frequently, to
search rooming houses for persons
wanted by the authorities.
He admitted having called the at
tent5on of Mrs. B. NJ. Webb, police
matron. to her duties and informing g
her that she was not hired as wei
fare worker. He said criticisms which
he had heard caused him to take this
step.
Advised Prompt Action.
He said ne remembered having his
after ton called to the house at 1%i
Monroe street, and informed his de-
rartment to take prompt action. He
sa d he understood that the place was
raided. but no evidence found.
He said his attention was called to
the fact that BlitZ was signing many
of the bonds at the police station. but
that he had great confidence in Judge
Rad Lee, in view of his past record,
and did not suspect that anything was
wrong until about a month before the
Wark investigation began. He did,
however, introduce in evidence letters
purporting to have been written just
befoer the Wark investigation by him
to the city attorney, and by the latter
to the chief of police. giving instruc-
tions that Blitz, Scrinopski ana Heit-
man were not to be taken on any more
bonds, because several of them had
been forfeited and not collected on.
He said he also told Chief Swallow
that If the situation down there was
not good, that he wanted 1t remedied
at once. He said the chief told him
to leave it to me-"
did you have any reason to be-
heve that YOU couldn't trust the chief"
NO, sir"
He said he had recommended to
Lee that liquor bonds be set at $500
rather than $1,000, thus cutting the
bondsmen's fees in half
Received Blitz Complaints.
This spring. he said. he received
numerous complaints relative to Blitz,
and started an investigation about
April l. He said he even went SO far
as to suggest to the city attorney that
an ordinance be drafted prohibiting
professional bondsmen, but the city
attorney told him he didn't think ID
could be done legally.
On cross examination, the mayor
denied that he objected to enforcing
the cigaret law, but asserted that he
had not been as deeply interested in
that as in the enforcement of the
liquor law. Griffith asked why?
Violations of one law said the
mayor, may not have as serious an
effect upon a community as violations
of other laws"
that gambling dens, bawdy houses and
bootleggers existed in Topeka's under-
world, but asserted that the police de-
partment had coped with them ad-
m1raDiN.
Conditions Have Improved.
Corwine's poise on the witness stand
was admirable. In the heat of the
cross examination, he and Griffith
sometimes appeared to become an
gered. These spells were always fol-
lowed by apologies on the part of both.
Mayor Corwine said he thought con-
ditions as to law violations in Topeka
had decidedly improved during the
last year and that the police depart-
ment is the most efficient it has ever
been in the history of the city.
Has it ever been more rotten and
corrupt" asked Griffith.
''It is not rotten and corrupt"
''Do you say the Blitz system is not
corruptF"
The Blitz system was not part OF
the police department. sir.''
It was evident that Corwiue was
making a good impression in his testi-
mony.
Considerable speculation is mani
tested in just what the state will have
in the way of rebuttal after the del