The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-05-21
GRAFT CHARGES
ARE NOT MADE
Hearing on Mike Powers
Order Is Tame Ore

Spectators who went TO Judge
Geofgo Ahsls department OF suporl,
or court Monday expecting 10 hear
sensational revelations Of police graft
sud underworld life were sadly
disappolnted let. The hearing on
Police Capt. Mike Powers molten 10
permanently restrain the police pen.
sion board nom retiring him TO
solved itself into a long ana tedious
iesal argument between opposinS
counsel and the stacks OF ponder.
pas law books on the table Indicated
a dfawn.out affair.
Powers. who has held his position
Is captain Of police By virtue os
restraining order which prevented
his retirement May i. was an inter,
ested listener. occupying a bench
a. the side Of the courtroom. His
face was screwed up in psrplexlnS
lines as the phraseoiogy was spun
frem the lips % Attorneys Louis
Schweiicnhach and John Lyons. his
attorneys.
CHIEF SENERYNS
Is IN COURT
oppoSinE ready 10 take their turn
~ the law books. sat Deputy Cor.
poxation Counsel Frank NJ. Preston
and Bruce Menougan. who win
combat the argument OF Powers AZ.
tornoys that the retirement OF OF
Ulcers on salaries paid hy the city 10
Unconstitutional This legal poin,
was tho sole contention before
judge Abel. as no testimony Of any
kind win BE- taken az the hearing.
Chief or Police W. b. severyns.
who Is responsible for the retire
ment OF Powers. consulted briefly
with his attorneys. then left. SEW.
eryns said that Powers was retired
May AZ his own request. that the
date WAS set some months ago.
Powers has been IN with harden.
INK OF the arteries for many
months.'' the chief said. -Hs Is
past SO and has been a heavy ex.
penss on the pension fund thru sick
benefits. and win be as long as he
works on the force
That the retirement OF Powers |
will pave the way for numerous
promotions IN the department. was
Indicated by Severyns. who said that /
was another good reason Why the /
veteran officer should be taken |
nom active duty and given his $40 /
. month under the retirement fund 4
SCOTS AT CHARGES
MADE BY POWERS
There ara many splendid young 1
officers who are entitled 10 promo.
tlcn and | do not think II Is a good |
thing for the city 10 permit a man.
naanlfestly unfit for active service,
- Tsnsin and keep these fellows l
back, Severyns said. Promotion /
90 the force Genes remarkably /
Stow.
SeYeryns scotfed at the charges
voiced BY Powers in which he nc.
sused the chief OF refusing to a.. |
operate with him IN obtaining evi.
dence Of gambling.
n offered Powers money and al.
aitiural men" Ssveryns aid. II
told him we had ample funds for
both. But he didn't ask for aid. |
Later he made his charges without |
saying word to me- It's a case
81 scur gvapes-nothing else
Sensational charges spread follow.
Ink the arrest OF an alleged
gambling house. said to be operated
by Johnny Clancy. a power In Seat.
tle politics and a former saloon
keeper
The retirement was made by Ser.
seants r. r. Keefe. w. II. Striker
and Gus Hasselblad. who comprise
the pension board All three were
presen. In court sfonday, as was
Capt w. RI. Soaring. secretary Of
the fund and Judge Jacob Rallna,
relief Judge Of the police court.