Evening star., 1935-03-06
POLICE CAPTAINS
TOBE SUMMONED
IN CRIME INQUIRY
House Committee Resumes
D. c. Probe at 1::30 Pm.
Tomorrow.
KELLY LIKELY TO LEAD
PROCESSION TO STAND
Stott Is Subjected to
Close Questioning on Trial
Board Procedure.

With the spotlight of investigation
again turned on the Metropolitan Po-
lice Department., the Special Crime
Committee of the House planned to-
day to call the first of a group of
precinct captains.
The hearings will be resumed tomor-
row at 1:30 pm, but the committee
has not yet definitely decided which
Of the precinct commanders will be
placed on the witness stand. 1t is
believed. however, that Capt Edward
j. Kelly of the third precinct will be
among the first.
Conferred With Fitzpatrick.
Capt. Kelly is one of the officers
John r. Fitzpatrick, committee coun-
sci. has conferred with in private.
laying the foundation for the precinct
investigation He also has held a
private conference with Capt. Rhoda
Milliken, head of the departments
Woman's Bureau.
The only witness before the commit
tee yesterday afternoon was Inspector
William G. Stott, property officer of
the department and chairman of the
Police Trial Board. He was questioned
chiefly about Trial Board procedure.
Stott disclosed that in 20 cases ham
died by the board in the last year a
mandatory penalty of dismissal had
not been carried out. In Is of these
the Commissioners set aside the Trial
Boards recommendations and sof-
tened the penalty to fines. while the
board itself showed similar leniency
in the remaining five.
Day Case Is Cited.
A ripple of laughter greeted Stott's
revelation that one officer, James P.
Day, had been convicted three times
on charges of intoxication off duty
and is still a member of the force
due to the intervention of the Com
mssioners. Stott said the board felt
Day was impossible" as b police
oflcer. The oficer recently was shot
by his wife and still is in Sibley
Hospital s
Although the penalty for intoxica-
ton Is dismissal. Day on the first con-
viction was fined SIS and repri-
manded, Stott said. For the second
offenSe his removal from the force
was ordered, but the Commissioners
set aside the verdict and fined him
5000. The Trial Board in the third
instance. according to Stott, again di-
rected Days removal but the Com
missioners ordered his restoration to
duty.
Representative Schultz, Democrat,
of Indiana, asked Stott if the Com
missioners had ever sustained the
Trial Boards findings.
Yes" he replied, IF We ever made
recommendation for leniency."
Later, however. Stott explained he
did not mean his answer that way
and pointed out that the Commits
sioners had never found fault with
the Trial Board"
Explains Provisions of Manual.
Stott explained that the provision
in the police manual calling for man.
datory dismissal upon conviction on
a charge of intoxication was inserted
during the prohibition era and he be-
lieved it should now be modified.
There are particular cases involving
mitigating circumstances, he said,
where dismissals should not be re-
Quired.
Stott also voiced his objection to
legislation designed to substitute a
civilian trial board for the present
board Of police officials.
No one" he declared, ''is better
fitted to judge the actions of the police
than the officers who have gone
through the various grades. The only
point to a civilian board is that
favoritism might be removed"
Schultz asked Inspector Stott why
an efficient officer like himself had
been placed in charge of the Police
Departments property Office instead of
being assigned to more important
work. He replied he had not asked for
the position.
Schultz also inquired whether q
civilian could not handle the position
OF property officer and Stott said he
did not think so.
Stott also was questioned about two
Dilis pending in the House. authoriz-
ing restoration to the force of two
former policemen, Clifford j. Gary
and David r. Thompson. He declared
the restoration of former officers prob
ably would have a bad effect on the
morale of the department If they had
been dismissed for a serious offense.
Schultz and Representative Reed,
Republican, of Illinois. introduced for
the record a resolution from the
Policemen's Association opposing a
civilian trial board as well as any
change in the present civil service