Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-14
HESSE THREATENS
SHAKE-UP OF POLICE
TO END ROBBER|ES
Chief Issues UItimatum Also
Against Promiscuous Use
of Firearms.
PLANS TARGET PRACTICE
FOR ENTIRE CITY FORCE
Thieves Drill Safe in Drug Store
and Get $1,000, Adding to
Unsolved Crimes.

Aroused by the series Of unsOlved
robberies and the promiscuous use of
firearms by policemen, Mai. Edwin Il.
Hesse. superintendent of police, today
issued an ultimatum to his entire
force. threatening shake-up.
While roll call was in progress in the
central detective bureau, Maj Hesse
appeared unexpectedly and warned
the detectives that unless more crimes
are solved a shake-up likely would
be made in the personnel. Returning
to his own Office, he prepared to issue
an order calling upon every member
of the department to undergo an In
tensive period of revolver practice.
There are some nice long streets
you fellows can pound If you don't
get busy and find the crooks who are
robbing the stores of Washington.
Mai. Hesse told the detectives. II
don't care whether the job is a big
one or a small one. It's the duty of
the Police Department to find the
crooks"
Plans Target Practice.
Mai. Hesse said he planned to teach
every member of. the police force to
shoot straight and otherwise demon
strate their proficiency in handling
revolver. The target practice will
start as soon as Summer inspections
are completed.
The order directing the policemen
to undergo another period of revolver
practice was provoked by the fatal
shooting early Sunday of Larry Hall
by Policeman Benjamin r. Campbell
of the tenth precinct.
Mai. Hesse made a thorough fnves-
tigation of this case, and has submit
ted to Commissioner Proctor L.
Dougherty comprehensive report in
answer to questions raised by Senator
Edwards of New Jersey. in a com
plaint he made to the Commissioners
in" connection with the shooting OF
Hail.
A safe robbery at O'DonnelFs dfSg
store. 1405@H street, last night W =
added to the list of unsoIyed store and
safe robberies of the past few weeks.
Get $1,000 In Cash.
Gaining entrance through 4 So
light in the second floor roof, the
thieves robbed the safe of nearly
81 900 in cash. leaving undisturbed
number of checks and the stores stock
of drugs.
The robbery was discovered shortly
before 7:30 O'Clock by Guy II. Briggs,
day-shift manager. who, with T.. T..
Hall, pharmacist, was the first EN-
ploye to reach the store for the days
business. Going behind the drug
cases in the prescription department
at the rear of the store. Mr.. Briggs
found the safe, torn from its moor
ings beneath the drug shelves, lying
in the middle of the floor with its
Hall. who had not yet left the front
of the store, the manager telephoned
the police.
Opened by Drilling.
Detectives Walsh and Mansfield,
the first 10 arrive, discovered the
broken skylight on the second floor,
through which the thieves had en-.
tered the store by way of the stock.
rooms above. A complete examina.
t1on of the safe by Detectives Carl.
ton Talley and l.. NJ. Wilson and Fred
Sandberg, police fingerprint expert,
revealed that the safe had been oman.
ed by DRILLING a small hole in the
lower corner of the door and prying
up the light metal sheathing which
protects the combination and locking
mechanism.
Once that opening had been made.
IT, was simple matter for the bur.
iarg to unlock the door
Work ct Experts.
Police declared the entry into the
store and subsequent opening of the
safe was the work of expert cracks
men,
There is little in the robbery of
ODonnelPs store to suggest the bur-
glary OF kafka's store sometime Tues
day night, when garments, valued at
81 900 were stolen, and police do not
believe the two robberies were COM
mitted by the same thieves.
"A hasty audit Of the O'Donnell
stores books by a company account
ant this morning showed that the
total loss will not exceed $1,000. The
stolen moey was that which had
been placed in the safe after its re-
moval from the several cash registers
at closing time last light and represent
ed one days receipts and stock
change. Mr.. Briggs said this morn
ing that last nights burglary was the
second robbery to be committed in
that store in three years.