Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-09

Police Head Declared Unfit
ted for Duty Because
of Health.
IContinued From First Page.)

=
that the accusations against Capt Bur-
lingame were an indirect attack on him,
and he Gid not want to retire from
service until the case against Capt.
Burlingame had been finally settled. The
outcome of the Burlingame case, how
ever probably will not be known for
another week and Maj Hesse's appli-
cation for retirement this week was
unexpected.
Elevated by Fenning.
Mai. Hesse's statement last Septem-
Der that he was tired" of his job fol-
lowed the publication of reports that
Representative Gibson of Vermont had
suggested that he retire and that
Marine Corps officer be appointed as
the head of the police force.
Nothing would please ME more than
a long rest" Mai Hesse said at that
time. Il have worked day and night
for the last three years without a Vaca-
ton and, I think I now deserve a
re( would willingly retire inlme-
diaAely, but I do not believe it would
be the proper thing to do while the de-
partment is under fire. 1t would con-
Stitute a form Of desertion."
Mai Hesse said then he believed he
was eligible for retirement on the
ground Of physical disabilities incurred
in line of duty While he had been con-
nected with the department for nearly
IS years he explained he had been with
the uniformed command as superln-
tendent for only about three years and
under the retirement act would be re-
CURED to serve % years more before he
would be eligible to retire under the
service requirement.
For 80 years Maj. Hesse was on a
clerical status. He was made superir1-
.eriek A. Fenning while serving as chief
clerk of the police department.
Several Eligible Successors.
The prospective retirement of Maj.
HesSe finds several eligible successors
for the job of Washingtons police chief.
Assistant superintendent Henry q.
Pratt ranks the other members of the
department. He has been chief OF the
Detective Bureau since the death OF the
late Inspector Clifford Grant. Next to
him is Inspector William S. Shelby, the
departments personnel officer, looked
upon by many as a logical successor.
The last vacancy, which was caused
by the death of Supt. Daniel Sullivan,
was filled by the promotion OF Maj.
Hesse, who was at that time chief clerk
of the department. The present Chief
clerk is Harry NJ. Luckett.
Mai. Hesse assumed active super
vision of the Police Department late
in September of 1925, coming to the
post of superintendent after l9 years
of service as chief clerk Of the depart
ment. He succeeded Maj. Daniel Sui
Ivan, who retired.
; Mai Hesse Is a native of Washing
ton. He was born on May q. 1873, |
and received his education in the pub
lie schools Of the District. His first |
position was in the Office of Myron M |
Parker, a real estate dealer who later |
became a District Commissioner. Hesse |
was stenographer in Parker's office.
Then he went to the post of secretary |
of the Board of Trade, serving there |
in 1892 and 1898. Thence he went to |
the clerical department of the District |
Fire Department, later being trans
ferred to the Police Department as chief
clerk and property clerk. He kept that
position from July z, 1907, until he was
appointed superintendent by the Com
nissioners.
Maj. HesSe married Miss Pamela A. |
Weber, daughter of the late Frederick |
Weber, secretary general of the Su-
preme Council of the Ancient and Ac- |
cepted Scottish Rite Masons for the |
Southern Jurisdiction. He is men, |
Der Of Acacia Lodge, No. 18, F. A. A. NJ. |
He joined the lodge shortly after reach |
ing his majority and was elected junior |
warden in less than four months.
During the entire tenure of Office by |
Maj. Hesse as chief clerk Of the Police |
Department, the records show, there !
was not one year in which deficit |
was reported in the departments use
Of the funds appropriated for it by
Congress.
Brought Bank Affidavit.
Blanton returned to his home in
Abilene, Tex, for the Christmas holi-
days, and upon his temperance in
Washington was born the Burlingame-
armed with Mrs. Blalock's sensational
affidavit, together with a number Of
love letters which Burlingame has
been accused of writing, and turned
them over to the Gibson committee
at public hearing. Blanton said Mrs.
Blalock had visited his home in Abilene
and had presented him with the aff1-
davit and sentimental notes and urged
him to take some action when he re-
turned to Washington.
While the Burlingame- Blalock case
has not involved Maj. Hesse he has had
feeling ever since its inception thai, ]
it was an indirect way to renew the
attack on him. For this reason, Maj.
Hesse, although he has repeatedly said
he did not like Burlingame personally,
has thrown his support behind the po-
lice officer. and only week ago ap-
peared before the extraordinary trial
board as a character witness and paid
high tribute to Burlingames efficiency
during his SO years of service in the
Police Department.
Words of Praise"
Following the exoneration Of Maj.
Hesse by the District Commissioners
on charges presented to them by the
Gibson subcommittee in April of 1923,
a group of citizens collected the many
expressions of confidence by various
local organizations and prominent
citizens and embodied them in a book
let which they published under the
name, Words Of Praise"
The cornpilers Of the pamphlet have
no connection with the Police Depart
nlent, their interest arising merely from
friendliness for Maj. Hesse and MS
men.
Sixty-four Endorsements are included
in the publication. The letter by the
Commissioners to Col. Gibson heads the
list and is followed by communications
from the Washington Chamber of Com
rnerce. the District Bar Association, the
Vincent z. Costello Post Of the Arneri-
can Legion and other influential and
prominent organizations.
John HAYS Hammond and DR.. James
II. Doran, prohibition commissioner, are
included among the individuals who eX-
pressed by letter their faith in the in
tegrity Of Maj Hesse.
Denied Blanton Charges.
It was on March IA of last year that
Mai. Kesse faced Blanton and denied
the charges that he had drinking habits
and that he had been lax in enforcing
laws against gamblers and bootleggers.