Evening star., 1935-08-29
HOLMES OR BObO
SLATED TO TAKE
HEADLEY'S POST
Strong Support Given Both
Police Captains for In
spectorship.
OMMISSI0NERS DIFFER
WITH HOUSE MEMBERS
First Precinct Commander Has
Friends at Capitol-City Officials
Back Second Precinct Man.
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

Either Police Capt. William E
Holmes. first precinct, or Capt. James
E. Bobo, second precinct, is slated
to be promoted by the District Com
missioners to succeed Inspector Al
bert J. Headley, who will 60 on the
retired list September after 40
years OF service. Headley's post as
assistant superintendent, however, is
to remain vacant under present plans
The uncertainty as to which captain
will get the inspectorship, it was
learned at the Capitol today, Is due
to a difference of opinion between
certain District officials and a group
of House members who are support
ing Capt. Holmes. Several District
officials, it was reported, believe Capt
Bobo should have the promotion, but
whether their Endorsement can out
weigh the political pressure that al
ready has been brought to bear on
the Commissioners in favor of Capt
Holmes is a matter of conjecture
Other Changes Slated.
Along with the selection of a sue
ceSsor to Headley. the Commissioner;
also are scheduled to make numbe:
of other changes in the Police Depart
ment personnel, one Of which is ex-
pected to be the elevation of Lieut.
Harvey G. Callahan, first precinct, tc
the rank Of captain. All of these shifts
are to take effect Sunday.
Members of Congress who have in
dorsed the promotion of Capt. Holmes
those who served on the Special
Crime Investigating Subcommittee Oi
the House District Committee and who
themselves deplored political lnterfer-
ence with Police Department admins
trative affairs.
Crime Report Cited.
The report Of the Special Crime In.
vestigating Subcommittee as finally
approved carried this suggestion:
Subscribing to the theory that the
local police department should be alb
solutely free from politics and with
the view of eliminating the practice
of political Endorsements. which ha.
tendency to undermine the merit
system, the subcommittee strongly
suggests that the Commissioners oi
the District of Columbia adopt anc
insert in the police regulations rule
to the effect that it shall be the duty
of the major and superintendent Of
police, when a political Endorsement il
If "a
to make the fact and the substance oi
such Endorsement pubic"
The suggestion was made chiefly
as a result of the so-called gentle
mems agreement" between Repre-.
sentative Blanton, Democrat, OF
Texas and Police Supt. Ernest w
Brown for the promotion of In
spector Headley to the rank of assist
ant superintendent on the retirement
of Inspector Thaddeus R. Bean.
Agreement" Carried Out.
Despite disclosure of that agree
ment by the Crime Subcommittee
Headley was promoted at the in
stance of Blanton on Beans retire
ment July l with the understanding
however, that he also would go or
the retired list September /. Head
ley's application for retirement has
been in the hands of Maj Brown
for several weeks, but has not yet
been forwarded to the District
Building.
Headley was the storm center of the
crime investigation and was the only
members of the Police Department
singled ont in the subcommittee re-
port tor censure. He was charged with
laxity and the part he is alleged to
have played in the so-called gentle
mems agreement" also was con-
demned.
Although the Commissioners will
promote captain to fill the inspector
ship to be vacated by Headley, it Is
understood the new officer will not be
given Headley's' rank as assistant SUI
perintendent. An inspector with The
rank of assistant superintendent re-
ceives $500 a year additional CON-
penSation.
Bobo Senior to Holmes.
Capt. Holmes has been connected
with the department since July l
1903, and in recent years, as COM
mander of the first precinct, which
embraces the downtown section, hi
has made number of friends among
influential business men.
Capt. Bobo has been on the force
five years longer than Holmes and
at present commands one of the
most troublesome precincts in the de-
partment.
Lieut.. Callahan is a comparative
newcomer to the department. He was
appointed May 26, 1920, and made
rapid strides toward the higher ranks
Until few months ago, he was de-
tailed at police headquarters.