Evening star., 1926-06-05

| hered four closely typewriter pages
and charged that because Inspector
| Headlev had not been made traffic di
| rector "he did not intend 10 do any
| thing that would help make the posi-
| tion a success" This statement was
| followed by numerous examples Of
| lack of cooperation. The inspector also
| was charged with possessing "pomp.
| Gus and domineerinE ways and that
| he had set himself mp as police court
, in several instances. revoking permits
and forcing parties to traffic accidents
To settle their difficulties by payment
| of damages in his presence.
One of the most serious charges
| brought against him by F.ldridge con
| cerned the inspectors attitude al the
| time of the kniCkerbocker disa ster
Because he was not called upon for
assistance, he did not let it he known
| that he had in the sign shop six food
lights and an acetylene torch, which
were urgently needed at that time in
order TO save the lives of many per
sons who were pinned beneath the
, roof in that terrible disa ster." wrote
Mr.. EldridGe. "He was heard to re-
mark. Damn the Police Department.
They didn't say anything TO me abont
il and why should | butt in, or words
to that effect"
Give Facts" i'm Case
| In reply to II question from Mr.. Ho-
gan 10 give the facts" in the Head
ley demotion. Mr.. F'enning related
Mr.. F.ldridGe was appointed director
of traffic and the Police Department
was charged with enforcing the regu-
| lations. On the one hand we had a
director. of traffic not a police official
and on the other an inspector who
was an official. II was imperative
that those two men worked in har
mony. In the course of one of my
talks with Mr.. E,ldridge | found he
was not securing cooperation from
Inspector Headley. | sent for Acting
Superintendent Evans and asked him
about the case and he said he knew
such a condition existed and IL was
matter OF common knowledge through
| out the department. The solution
seemed To he to promote another can
tain TO the rank Of inspector and give.
Headie% the rank of captain. I asked
Evans to go to Maj, Sullivan. who
then was i'll and away from his duties
dnd discuss the matter with him
Evans said he had discussed il. but |
| insisted that he go again
II then sent for Mr. F,ldridce and
told him if he could not get along. a
change should be made. As he had
only been in the office two and one ha If
months he was entitled to a fair trial
L dld not propose to have Congress
ask why he had not succeeded with
tne new tfafhc act and have him say
| that Headlev had not given co.opera
! tion. | asked him to suggest the
name of three police captains in whom
ne had confidence and he gave me the
name OF Capt T.. w. Brown. then com
mandlng the First Precinct. and two
| others.
Says Hesse Concurred.
Evans visited Mai Sullivan and
| told me the superintendent agreed
exactly with what had been told me.
They recommended Capt. Brown be
made director and Headley he restored
to the rank of captain then dis
| cussed the matter with Edwin B.
Hesse. then chief clerk of the Police
Department, and he concurred in the
view. / did not know Capt Brown
/ before | became Commissioner. / met
him later and formed high regard
for him. and when the recommends
ton came from Evans knew it was
the same that Maj. Sullivan would
! make"
Did Eldridse indicate any one else
besides Capt. Brown" asked Mr.
| Hogan.
Yes, he mentioned Capt. Stoll and
Capt. Doyle. He said he had conf
| dence of cooperation in any one as
signed" The Eldridge letter then was
| introduced.
Having answered each of the "a
Impeachment charges brought against
him by Representative Rlanton,
! Democrat, Texas, Commissioner Fen
ming resumed the stand in his own
defense before the House judiciary
| subcommittee this morning and re-
piled to those allegations made against
him during the hearing which had no
direct bearing to the specifications. in
the opinion of Frank J. Hogan, his
| chief counsel
Mr.. BlantOn. who left the hearing
at the beginning of yesterday after
Moons session. leaving word that he
| should be called when the Commits
siOner's testimony was completed, was
out of the city today, and in accord
ance with his request Representative
Gilbert. Democrat. Kentucky, took up
the proponent duties. Mr.. Blanton did
not attend the session last night.
Says Conditions improved.
Brown, MIR. Fenning said there has
| been 100 per cent cooperation" be-
tween the traffic bureau and the office
of director OF traffic. Mr.. Fenning
added that if there had been an OPP
portunity to give another duty to
Iieadley, which would retain the rank
Of inspector. this would be done.
Did he know why he was demOt
ed?" asked Chairman Dyer, Repub.
lican. Missouri.
II didn't send for him." replied Mr.
Fenning. Mr.. Hogan explained no
charges were lodged against hinf. but
the action was taken 'in the interest
of good police administration or for
/ the good of the service
Mr. Blanton had connected the de.
motion of Inspector Headley with the
latter's failure to reprimand Police
man Gore when the officer requested
the Commissioner to move his auto.
mobile from a restricted parking zone.
Mr.. Fenning assured the committee
that this incident had nothing what
ever to do with the subsequent action
lagainst Headley.
Mr. Hogan closed his review of the