The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-05-22
AXFOR MAYOR
DEMANDED IN
DETROIT ROW
City's Business Men Join
Move for Recall After.
Vice Scandal Split.
POLICE HEAD IS FIRED
Raids on Gaming DenS Fan
Strife of Political
Factions.

BB United Press
DETROIT, May 22.-Detroit's tur-
bulent political troubles, which city
officials admit have allowed vice and
crime to flourish within the last four
months, became more intensified to-
day when a group of business and
civic leaders circulated petitions
asking for the recall of Mayor
Charles BoWles.
The recall movement against the
mayor was the outgrowth of his
action Wednesday when he dis
missed Harold H. Emmons as police
commissioner after Emmons refused
to resign as requested by Bowles.
Thomas c. Wilcox, former United
States department of justice head
here, was appointed to succeed En-
mons.
Strife has been apparent in the
political factions Of the city ever
since Bowles was sworn into office
four months ago, but the situation
did not become serious until last
Saturday, when Emmons instigated
a drive to rid the city of its gam
bling dens while the mayor and
other officials were witnessing the
Kentucky Derby.
Led by Reporters
Led by newspaper reporters, who
had chronicled the addresses Of the
gambling shops, police arrested more
than three hundred men in a drive
Saturday night. Rumors of split
in the city administration were
broadcast Immediately and we're
affirmed Monday when John
Gillespie, commissioner of public
works, objected to the methods used
by Emmons in the drive and told the
mayor either he or Emmons would
have to go.
Detroit business men rallied under
the banner of Emmons and called
upon Mayor Bowles to retain En-
mons as head of the police depart
ment. The same stand was taken by
the Wayne county Ku-Klux Klan
organization which supported
Bowles in his campaign for mayor
and a month ago wrote him letter
asking that he fulfill his campaign
pledge of Kidding the city of vice and
crime.
BowleS' answer to the requests
was the dismissal of Emmons. The
latter refused to resign and
charged Bowles with interference
in the workings of the police de-
partment. In a letter to Bowles,
Emmons said he had been promised
a free rein" but that BowleS
formed the policies under which he
was to operate.
Grows Sarcastic
''The policy instituted by you up
to date has proved most successful
in increasing the volume of gam
bling and vice in our CITY," Emmons
wrote his former chief.
The mayor denied the interior
ence, but said hi was convinced
after a series of inve, legations that
crime had gone on practically I'M
molested since EmmonS was ap-
pointed police commissioner four
months ago. 1t was then that En-
mons sacrificed a salary reduction
of nearly $4,000 a year to quit his
law practice and become police
commissioner.
In appointing Wilcox to take En-
sons position, Mayor Bowles told
Wilcox that he was expected to
give Detroit a law and order adj
ministration unparalleled in the
city's history. Wilcox first duties
of the Office were to stage a series
of raids early today in which more
than sixty persons, half Of them
women, we're arrested.
Following Emmons' formal dis
missal Wednesday, the business and
civic leaders organized for the re-
call movement. The petitions VIII
require some $1,000 signatures boz,
fore a Eyes or no. vote on whether
Bowles is to be retained as mayor
is submitted to the electorate.
1t will mark the first attempt ever
made to recall a mayor in Detroit.