The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1924-04-10
POCATELLO'S POLICE
INVESTIGATION


Pocatello began last week to in
vestigate their police force by hold
ing sessions to allow people to tell
what they knew, and to tell it in the
presence of the accused and in the
presence of those who had been COM
planning or talking.
1t was brought about by requests
of the church committees chiefly,
seeking to get the facts before the
mayor and council. They thought
that something ought to be done to
clean up vice and the roads to vice,
and they had good many people,
who had information to present.
The matter ran along from day
to day with testimony that reflected
on Chief of Police Lehrbas, but
parallel testimony indicating that 1t
was not true. Somebody would tell
of seeing the chief with a bottle of
something on his hip or in his hand
or of seeing him drive by in his car
and remarking that he believed the
chief was b0otlegging. Then on
further examination this person
would admit that the bottle may have
contained vinegar, or that nothing
was seen in the car that went by.
Two young fellows who were quoted
as having seen the chief out in the
suburbs drinking, saw the same cir
cumstance the same day, each told
his story without hearing the other
testify, and each one made the other
appear to be a liar Their stories
contradicted on important points.
One of the church committee said
that she knew a hayward girl who
would testify that the chief of police
had been hayward with her and that
she had danced in an unusual exh1-
bition for him. The Maynard girl
testified that nothing of the kind had
ever happened, or, on her part, ever
would happen. She said she was
dancing for some friends one even
ing at public place and the cnief
walked in and saw her and the
Others and laughed and went on.
This left the church committee
woman fatty contradicted and the
folks present could look at both
women and make their guess as to
which one was trying to put some
thing over on the other.
Men who had been on the police
force and had been dismissed or
transferred to something else, gave
testimony or were quoted as having
made statements indicating that
they had been taken off the police
work because they arrested boot
leggers Others testified that these
same men had made statements to
the effect that they had orders from
the chief of police to enforce the law,
to enforce all laws. Members OF the
prohibition enforcement department
testified that they had not received
the help from the city officers which
they thought they ought to receive,
or as much as they had from the
county officials. Further testimony
indicated that they tried to parcel
out the different kinds of assign
ments as much as they could, and to
have county officers specialize on
and pursue clues of one kind or class
and city officers another.
When the investigation was we'll
along and matters were looking
quite complex some of the church
committee were asked what sugges-
lions they had to offer to get better
enforcement, and they confessed that
they had none now. Mrs. Smith,
wife of the Rev. Paul Smith, whose
testimony was so fatty contradicted
by another woman, and Mrs. Horace
Doud, formerly a Blackfoot woman.
both had their turn on the witness
stand to offer suggestions or any
thing they wanted to say of condi-
tions, and if they represented the
spirit of the church committee at
that stage they were a sorry lot,
half subdued, half beaten, well sat
isfied and ready to quit.
The officers do not claim to be in
fallible. They admit frequent de-
feat, and many mistakes and when
they ask the committee members for +
their judgment or opinion on doubt
full matters, there is puzzled commit
tee. Many witnesses, who were
as having talked on the
street, denied all of it in the court
of investigation, or gave very plaus-
able explanations of what they had
said and of how they had been mis-
quoted Unless the inquisition takes
some new turn, Pocatello will con-
tinue to remain on the map as quite
a normal American town. II
Boise the Beautiful
Has a Spasm
There are two popular slogans,
Boise the Beautiful and You'll
Like Boise" and both of them are
apropo or whatever they say of
in point.
Boise is beautiful, and almost any,
body could find something they liked
IN Boise. The place and the popula- .
ion prove it all too often to letl c
hem swell up to much with right