Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-12
DOUGHERTY BACKS /
MAI. HESSE'S RULE
Says Police Administration
Is Better Than Year Ago.
Chief Refuses to Quit.

Confidence in Maj Edwin B. Hess,
ana his ability to administer the affair:
of the Police Department was expressed
today by Police Commissioner Proctor
L. Dougherty. following a suggestion by
Representative Gibson of Vermont thai
should the superintendent retire he
would propose the appointment of q
military man as a successor.
Meanwhile Maj HesSe reaffirmed his
statement of yesterday that while he is
tired" and would like a rest from his
responsibilities, he has no intention OF
retiring while the Police Department is
under fire.
al have utmost confidence in Mai,
Hcssc, and so told the Gibson commit
tee some time ago." declared Commits
s!onar Dougherty Il also believe the
personnel of the department has conf
denee in him.
I'm Good Shape"
Mai. HeSse is administering the de-
partment satisfactorily, and / believe
In a better way than it has ever been
administered before. am confident that
the affairs, discipline and general con-
ditionS of the department are in better
shape now than they were year ago,
despite the impressions to the contrary
The Commissioner, however, said he
had no comment to make at this time
on Mr.. Gibson's proposal to put mill
tary man at the head of the depart
ment for the purpose of building up
strict military discipline in the police.
Outstanding among other Develop
ments in the police situation were
mounting charges against members of
the force Another member, Motor
Cycle Patrolman Howard j. Dorren-
hacher of the fourteenth precinct. was
suspended for allegedly taking map"
while on duty, and Patrol Driver Frank
A. Davis of the seventh precinct was
ordered to appear before the new police
trial board to answer a charge of
neglect of duty for failing to take
prompt action In arreSting youth he
knew to be carrying revolver in vio-
lation of the law.
Asleep at Post.
Dorrenbacher, according to reports to
police headquarters had fallen asleep
in the precinct station last night and
was found in that state by night
Inspector. The officer, it was said, had
been doing only about five minutes.
Davis will go before the police dis
culinary board for failing to arrest
promptly Roy Culver Cooper of New
York, when he is said to have seen him
pull a gun from his pocket Reports
submitted to Maj. HesSe by Inspectors
Henry G. Pratt and L. j. Stoll. indi-
Gated that Davis was repairing his
automobile at Thirteenth and E streets.
The report declared that Davis followed
80, Axr,o IL nl~e n%NI Rvlo cYfp u
maned a traffic officer on duty at
Ninth street and Pennsylvania avenue
before ne arrested him. Cooper was
charged with carrying concealed
weapons.
Davis was not on duty at the time.
but police officials pointed out that a
policeman is required to take irnmedi-
ate action in such cases whether on or
off duty.
Probes Drinking Charge.
Mai. Hesse also has initiated an in
sestigation of charges of intoxication
preferred against Lieut.. James D. Nc
0uatie. night inspector. by Mrs. Claude
A. Ezell of Lyon Village, Va, wife OF
a suspended policeman. Mrs. Ezell, In
q conference with the police superin-
tendent, accused the night inspector oil
showing visible signs of having taken
liquor when he came to her home last
Saturday night in company with Lieut..
H. S. Grove. and suspended Policeman
Ezell on a charge of intoxication.
No action has been taken against
McQuade. Maj. Hesse explained. because
Mrs. Ezell die not put her charges IN
writing and also because the only evl-
dence she cited to support her accusa-
ton was that the night inspectors face
was flushed and that.he stood erect.
florid face is one of McQuade's charac-
teristicS, Mai HesSe said. Moreover, the
Superintendent pointed out, McQuade
had visited police headquarters and the
third precinct station prior to going to
the Ezell home and returned to these
places after his investigation, and In
this time came in contact with num-
Der of members of the department, none
Of whom has been found to support Mrs.
Ezell's charges.
Starts Check for Gibson.
In response to Mr. Gibson's tele-
graphic request from Brattleboro, VT,
Mai. Hesse has started preparation of
statistics showing the activities OF the
police in their perennial campaign to
rid Washington of its gambling houses
The superintendent said he would have
this report ready for Mr.. Gibson when
he returns here by October !.
Mr.. Gibsons suggestion that a mill
tary man be placed at the head OF the
police force did not meet with any
favorable reaction in the department
itself. Police officials point out that
there already are number OF eXecu-
tives who have had military training,
including Maj Hesse himself. and that
there appeared to be no reason for add
ing another military man to the de-
partment.