Milford chronicle., 1933-04-14

Not q line of evidence to ShOV
who stole the liquor from the Penn!
Hill Station of the State Police Of
who got ii after il had been remOv
cd from that station is contained il
the report of the special House com
mittee appointed several weeks age
TO investigate this theft.
This and a minority report were
submitted to the House Wcdnesda!
afternoon. II was admitted by one
member of the committee that Ger
tain evidence the committee had Sc
cured was not incorporated in theil
report at the request of Attorney
General Daniel J. Layton, who asked
that it not be disclosed in order not
to interfere with his office in carry
ing the case to conclusion
The committee was accused in the
House of having failed to do the very
thing for which it was created; that
is, to reveal who stole the liquor and
who got it after it had been taken
from the police station. 1t was
charged the committee has left the
public as much i'm the dark as it
was before the investigation started.
II was also asserted the committee
has cast reflection upon the integ-
rity of the State Police and that, as
a result of the actions of the House,
the General Assembly owes these
policemen an apology.
One report was submitted by
Representative Edward Hughes, on
behalf of himself and Representa-
tive Scott w. Rees, of New Castle,
and Leroy F. Hawke. of Whining
ton, the majority members of the
committee. A minority report was
submitted by Representative Morris
Simon, of Dover. on behalf of him
self and Representative Leo J. Du-
gan, of Wilmington. the minority
members.
The Hughes report, which was
adopted by the House, censured the
system under which the State PO-
lice are maintained and operated and
recommended that the House pass
the bill Representative Jackson has
introduced to create a separate
State Police Commission to have
charge of the police. This bill would
remove the police from the juris-
dictiOn of the State Highway De-
partment. The commission would
consist of three men, the Governor
and two others named by him.
The Simon report praised the State
Police but admitted the evidence at
the committee hearings disclosed |
certain members of the State Police |
had betrayed the trust and conf |
dence repOsed i'm them. II further |
states the two members signing il !
are sure that a further investigation |
of the liquor theft will be COM /
pleted by the State Highway Depart
ment and the Attorney General to
the satisfaction of the public.
In submitting the majority report,
Mr.. Hughes said he regretted
minority insisted on filing a report
of its own. Mr.. Simon sought to
have the minority report adopted
but later withdrew his motion al
though it was read, this report was
not adopted.
Mr.. Rees said they did not disclose |
certain information they had Sc |
cured because to do SO would hamp- !
err the attorney general in carrying |
out his investigation. He said At
torney General Layton had asked
the committee not TO incorporate
this evidence in its report to the
House.
Representative Scott said he was
surprised at the result of the inves-
tigatiOn for neither report covered
what the committee was appointed
to accomplish. Neither of them tells
l,n ftFThnrn |
be good reasons for Withholding
some of the facts. We all heard the
testimony at the public hearings and
if anyone can say there is efficiency
in the State Police department.
would like TO know who ii is
Praises State Police
Representative Burris said the
evidently is unable to
give the people of the State what
the House had promised them when
il created the investigating commit
tee. 1--WE are as much in the dark
now" he said, 'as before the COM
mittee was appointed. We have cast
a reflection upon the State Police by
them an apology. for no man is
guilty. unlll cOnNlCleu. OuI oldlS
Police are as efficient as any SINH
lar body of men anywhere"
Mr.. Rees said certain policemen
have been suspended without pay
and without charges being placed
against them and, if they have been
done an injustice. it should be recti-
fed. He reported ihe withheld in
formation at the request of the at
torney general.
Claims Engineers Hold Sway
Tho majority report was adopted
by vote of 81 to 2, with IL mem
bers, all Republicans. not voting.
The Hughes report recites the his
tory of the committee and the State
Police. It points out the police while
under the control of the State High
way Department, are actually under
the chief engineer of that depart
ment. II further states the func-
tiOns of the police have been eX-
panded from road patroling, as orig