The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-10-01
COPS SCANDAL
HERE STUDIED
IN WASHINGTON
Two Federal Departments
Obtain Reports on Dry
Indictments.
POLITICAL MOVE DENIED
Hoover Enforcement Group
May Send Observer TO
indianapolis.
POLITICAL MOVE DENIED
BY LAWRENCE SULLIVAN
Times STAFF Correspondent


WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. l.
Two federal government departs to-
day interested themselves in the in
dictment of eighteen Indianapolis
policemen for conspiracy to violate
national liquor laws.
With receipt of a detailed report
covering federal operatives activi-
ties in Indianapolis, Amos w.
! Woodcock, prohibition commits
sioner, transmitted a summary to
G. Aaron YoungquiSt, assistant at
i torney- general, in charge of prohi-
hibition prosecutions.
This was believed a forecast of
assignment from Washington to as
sist in prosecution of the police
men when they are tried Nov. IL.
Assistance Usually Sent
However, subordinates of the pro-
hibition prosecution staff explained
that special attorneys usually are
sent from Washington only on re-
quest of the United States attorney
in charge.
United States Attorney George
Jeffrey has not, and will not ask
for assistance in the prosecutions.
At the same time, the division Of
police administration of the Wick
) ersham law enforcement commission
asked the prohibition bureau for a
copy of the federal report AL
though this does not mean the COM
mission will take part in the prose-
cution, it may send an observer to
indianapolis to determine just
where administrative machinery
broke down, for incorporation in its
own report.
Woodcock's assistants declined to
make public the report.
Reports Kept Secret
Reports of our field operatives
doubtless will form an important
part of the governments case in
court. To make them public now
would be to try the cases in the
newspapers before they reached the
Judge and jury" Howard T. Jones,
assistant prohibition commissioner,
pointed out.
He said copy of the report also
had been transmitted to the United
states attorney in Indianapolis.
Interest of the Wickersham COM
mission in the case arises from its
early decision that the problem of
municipal police administration
probably would be a pivotal point
in its final report on prohibition
enforcement.
August Vollrner, Berkeley (Cal0
police chief, was named to conduct
this phase of the inquiry, and he
began operations here year ago,
when at an International Police
Chiefs Association meeting it was
agreed he would be supplied with
detailed reports of all cases involv-
ing police corruption.
Aids Assemble Data
Police Chief Jerry E. Kinney, In
dianapolis, has not yet forwarded
such a report to Vollmer's Office, but
attaches said they anticipated some
sort of a report. Vollmer is now
in California, and his aids are as
sembling data on the indianapolis
case.
A principal objective of Vollmer's
Investigations is to track down con-
ditionS which make political con-
Siderations a factor in municipal
police administration. However, the
fact that the indianapolis case is
being studied does not mean that
the commission has concluded 1t is
a case in point.
1t indicates that It bears earmarkS
of case which might be productive
Of material shedding light on the
whole problem of police administra-
tion, hope stimulated by the fact
that the Democratic city admins
tration in Indianapolis finds itself
in the center of national scandal
A month before congressional cleo
tons.
Prohibition officials declared the
indianapolis roundup came as in
the natural course of enforcement
work, and denied that political con-
siderations motivated the drive.
Police Chief Jerry Kinney has
filed no report to Vollmer's office,
and will not unless SO requested, he
declared today, stating that he was
ignorant of any stipulation to supply
VollYner with information.
Further. he is unable to make
such a report at present, unaware
Of exact charges against his men,
and still ignorant of all circum-
stances of the case.
He files a monthly report to the
! department of justice on general
crime, he said. That was agreed
on at the police chiefs conference
ar ago, Kinney declared.
a in navor-Rieh IN eolor-Rich In
iaI mineral salts--fresh Ten-Min-