BLACK HAND IN
POLICE FORCE.
MOVES MEN LIKE PIECES IN A
GAME OF CHESS.
SHADOW OF MICKEY O'HEARN.
COMPELS TERROR AND SILENCE
WHEREVER IT FALLS.
"I Get My Orders From the Boss
Down Town," Boasts an Insub-
ordinate Sergeant --
What Happened to James.
"You'll only be here a few days."
"To hell with the captain. I get my orders from the boss down town."
Could it be that his avowed friendship for Alderman Mickey O'Hearn, and the fact that Mickey was for him when he made sergeant, inspired these remarks from Sergeant Charles Beattie? They were made some time ago in No 3 police station on the Southwest boulevard to Sergeant R. L. James, who, at that time, was in command of the station nights. There was more truth than poetry in the remarks, for James was moved at the next monthly meeting. It is said five persons heard the remarks of Sergeant Beattie.
It is a well known fact to all who understand police duty that the sergeant in charge of a station has full charge of the men in the entire district. On the night that the remarks were made it is reported that Beattie, who was serving as outside sergeant, changed a patrolman whom Sergeant James had ordered to walk the Southwest boulevard until the saloons closed. It was Saturday night and things were doing on the boulevard.
When the patrolman was told to go another beat he went to the station after his lunch, so report says. There this dialogue is said to have taken place:
"It's only 11 o'clock, officer. I thought I told you to stay on the boulevard until the saloons were closed," said James.
"Sergeant Beattie has ordered me back on my beat," was the reply.
ORDERS FROM THE BOSS.
Just at that juncture Beattie entered and an explanation was asked for. He said that he had ordered the officer back and intended that he should go there, too. He was asked if he didn't know that the sergeant in charge of the station was his superior officer and t5hat he is said to have replied: "Oh you'll only be here a few days."
James, according to the witnesses, must have felt the influence of the unseen power which has for nearly a year been guiding the affairs of the police, still he fought for his authority.
"I don't want to quarrel with my men, and won't," he is reported as saying, "but, Beattie, if you will be here tomorrow at 9 o'clock we will put this whole matter up to the captain and see who is right."
"To hell with the captain. I get my orders from the boss down town," is the reported remark of Beattie. Then the officer was ordered by Beattie to go hence and he went.
A full report of this affair was made to Captain John Branham, who has charge at No. 3 police station. The captain made his report and the correspondence was sent to Chief of Police Daniel Ahern. There the matter has apparently rested, for Beattie has never called "on the carpet" to explain his remark, and James "got his" at the first of the month. It is also said that the matter of James's removal was taken up with the commissioners later and that they knew nothing of it. Yet the board unanimously adopted a resolution in July last year, saying that only the commissioners should have to do with the shifting of men.
WHAT UNSEEN FORCE?
Who moved Sergeant James? What for? He is rated as one of the best officers on the force and there is not a black mark against him. What force was brought to bear? How did Beattie know that James would be moved? Beattie is said to be a close friend of "Mickey."
A reporter attempted to interview Sergeant James last night in regard to the affair. Here is all he got: "Yes, I was once at No. 3. I was moved from there and made relief sergeant. If there was any trouble down there, a full report was made on it, and that is all I have got to say unless called on by my superior officers or the board."
Before Beattie was made a sergeant, he walked a beat on West Twelfth street, by the Century hotel and theater. There he came daily in contact with Joseph Donegan, manager, a close friend of O'Hearn. He also saw O'Hearn many times a week for the Century was a hang out of his when not at his saloon. Many reports came to headquarters of a poker game in that neighborhood, but it was reported "impossible to get at it."
THEY'RE AFRAID TO TALK.
Good men on the police force who got "in bad" by doing their full duty are now living in deadly fear that their names will be published.
"What do you care?" one was asked yesterday. "You did your duty and got the worst of it, didn't you?"
"Yes," he replied mournfully, "and I know just why I got it and who gave it to me. But I have a family to support and I need my job. If you run my name I'm afraid the man who had me moved will have me fired."
All through the whole department that unseen power is felt. All seem to know what and who it is, but they fear to say so, unless called on to do so by the board of police commissioners.
A new man said yesterday that O'Hearn moved to the Century hotel in the Second ward just to run for Alderman there. The January Home telephone book gives his residence as 3427 Euclid avenue.
The police board seems to be resting fairly content while the force is being manipulated to suit a saloonkeeper-politician and his friends. Or is the board "wise" to what is going on -- and willing to stand for it?
