Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-01

ISJOIy VI b4AC OAoeAAS cOfSAAA
ment, the sensational portion al
N least. was written in the Metro
politan Police Department, the
target for many years of professional
critics both inside and out of Congress.
Congressional Investigations of the
department and threats of more in
vestigations. together with recurring at
tacks on its highest administrative
officials, served to keep the municipal
government in almost constant turmoil.
Thus have the real achievements Of
the year been overshadowed and per-
haps minimized in an orgy of police
muck raking.
The very beginning of 1929 found a
subcommittee of the House probing into
the affairs of the police department,
and as the year passes into history a
subcommittee of the Senate gives no.
tice of an early resumption of an I'M
completed investigation of the depart
ment started several months ago. In
the interim, however, there were many
events which disturbed the department,
brought about changes in the person.
mel and showed a decided tendency to
break down the spirit, morale and dis
cipline of the entire force.
BurIingame First Victim.
Guy E. Burlingame, former COM
mander of the second precinct, whose
life's work was in the police depart
ment, was the first victim of the at
tacks on the police. Maj. Edwin B.
HeSse, former superintendent, came
next, and the end Of the year finds
Inspector william s. Shelby, an assist
ant superintendent, and Lieut.. Edward
j. Kelly, former head Of the homicide
squad of the detective bureau, fighting
before al. extraordinary Trial Board of
District officials serious charges that
they bungled the investigation of the
mysterious death of Mrs. Virginia Nc
Pherson.
Burlingame's name appeared con-
spicuously in newspaper headlines in
the early months of 1929 as a result OF
sensational charges preferred against
him by Mrs. Helen F. Blalock, former
palm reader of upper Seventh street, In
the territorial bounds of the second
precinct, where this officer was in COM
mand A Special Police Trial Board
finally sifted these charges and acquit-
ted Burlingame. and he went into the
seclusion Of retirement.
Hesse Also Retires.
Critics of the police then concen-
trated on Mai. HeSse, who rose from
the humble position of a stenographer
in the department to be its superin-
tendent. The most serious charge made
against Hesse was that he took drink
in speakeasy near his home, and he
denied this. The disturbance in the
department. however, had troubled him
and broken his health, and he, too, re-
tired, after IS years Of service.
Henry G. Pratt, another veteran In
the department, was promoted as sue
cessor to Hesse. And his tenure as
superintendent which began April l,
has thus far been marked with va
riety of. disturbing elements. History
appears to be repeating itself.
Charges that washington is not as
dry as it should be, coupled with the
announcement of President Hoover that
he wanted the Capital to be model
for the Nation in prohibition enforce
ment have given Maj. Pratt grave con-
Germ. But the bombShen of his brief
career as superintendent came in the
form of the now famous Mcpherson
case. Although he is not personally in
volved, the sensational charges of the
July grand jury that the police con-
OH IlCl4C1CAAI AAlNOoNA6NSAOAA va
this case, have disturbed him percepti-
bly,.
Pratt Falls Heir to Allen.
In addition Maj Pratt fell heir to
the case of Robert ]. Allen, a policeman
who started an independent crusade
for the protection of defenseless prison.
ers against inhumane treatment, and
later enlarged the scope of his activities
to include the attempted solution OF
some of Washington's mysterious
homicideA
Aliens greatest achievement In his
comparatively brief career on the force
was his independent investigation Of the
death Of Mrs. Mcpherson, which re-
suited in the July grand jury indict-
ing her husband for the murder. A
subsequent grand jury, however, in
Vestigated the case and ignored the
Indictment, freeing the husband.
The pandora's box which Allen opened
In the Mcpherson case, was far-reach1ne
and led indirectly to his own dismis-
sal from the force, the charges against
Inspector Shelby and Lieut.. Kelly and
caused Capt. Robert E. Doyle OF the
eighth precinct to be ordered before the
Police Trial Board for INSTRUMENTATION
Can't. DOYLE was acquitted however, but
Shelby and Kelly do not yet know theii
fate.
Specifically, Allen was dismissed fol
insubordination, charge preferred