The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1924-08-22
CHIEF GREGORY
IS UNDER FIRE
Demotion Of Night Captain
Winslow and Other Clashes
Arouscs Public Speculation

Following Sundry clashes
with his subordinate officers.
and various incidents that have
brought him in much distavor
with his employers to-wit: the
Elizabeth City public, Chief OF
Police Charles A. Gregory may
have some tall explaining to do
before long. or he may make
somebody else explain some
thing, according to the things
one hears on the streets.
But not all Is speculation and
gossip for trouble started right
after Night Officer Harrington was
dropped from the force about two
months ago. Harrington couldn't
grt along well with chief Gregory.
and was accused Of having SPILLED
the beans that the bOOtlegSers had
poi" protection" Anyway he was
dropped of the force by order oi
thr chief who had been censurcd
considerably ever since he got rid
of Officer SeymOre. who by the way
was considered one Of the most ell
cient, honest. and courteous officers
the city had ever had.
Already suspected Of having been
friendly to certain liquor interests,
chief Gregory probably put his foot
into IL week before last when he
quietly dropped Night Captain Win
slow to the rank Of patrolman ana
nut the young and vOluhlc ohicer
Harris in his stead. Officer Win.
slow who evidences 10 fricndlincss
for the liquor interests. ana VINO
spends little time on the Bowcry.
carried the key to the evidence case
In tho police headquarters where the
cnpturcd liquor Is stored. Denoted
by the chief Of Police. Officer Win.
slow was obliged to give up the
key To Officer Harris. which causes
one observer tO ask if Elizabeth
CITY Is going to solve the liquor
problem by letting the police handle
the goods direct.
Questioned by this newspaper.
OFFICER Wtnslow was lOnth to make
any statement. THE Chief just told
me he wanted to relieve me OF some
of my duties" he said. ! thought
one time | would quit. hut | don't
feel like being chased off that way;
vet they needn't think ! am 20.
ing To take graft from the boot
lrggcrs. to stand In with the force
and hold my job"
But speculation about the tnctics
Of chief Gregory has been GOING
on for sometime. Strangely enough
he issued orders to Captain WinSlow
to swear no warrants and to make
no searches at night without getting
orders from him first. These In
structions were handed down to the
men. taking ont Of their hands, their
them no more able 10 make arrests
authority as officers. and having
than ordinary citizens. III Il boat
load Of liquor had been mOored Mt
one Of the wharvcs, IA policeman
could not have searched 1t. without
going To the home Of Gregory. wax
Ing him up. dragging him ont OF
bed and telling him who was under
suypicion. Under such a system, II
would have been possible for anyone
to tip off the suspect and enable
him to get away before an officer
could serve u warrant.
Not only this. but instances are
recalled where certain OlfcnScs were
covered mp. and no one knows how
many offenders were turned loose.
whether the money extracted wcir
into the school funds, or the pockets
of the police. The order to swear
no warrants. wus given by Gregory
right after one night In February
when Officer WinslOw caught W.
III. Jpnnettc. l.. Is. Jcnnctte, D. -.
CrOpsey. Ira Parker, and IN out 0f
town man In n poker -nme. ana
Sworr out warrants against them.
The defendants fixed up the matter
with Gregory. paid for their gamb'
ling, Gregory hushcd up the affair
and passed OH the word To Trial
Justice George J. Spence. who never
gave It to the newspapers.
But what probably directs more
suspicion against the police. Is their
own records. showing the number
Of arrests made. and amount of
lluuor seized. by each officer on the
force during the past year. City
Councilman Phillip &. CohoOn was
looking q long way ahead when he
passed regulation requiring q
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