POLICE REFUSE
TO SHOW BOOKS.
CONTAIN NAMES OF OFFICERS
WHO WERE TRANSFERRED.
THEY ARE PUBLIC PROPERTY.
BUT CONTAIN PROOF OF
PERNICIOUS INFLUENCE.
Matter of Changing Active Officers
Is to Come Before Board Today.
Farce Follows Chief Dan-
iel Ahern's Order.
Not until yesterday was it made known that the records of arrests at police stations in Kansas City, ordinarily believed to be open to public view, are secret, perhaps sacred, reports, wont to be seen by any one not connected with the department until so ordered by the board of police commissioners, or, perhaps, some higher tribunal -- mayhap the mysterious influence behind the present police force.
While the charge has been made that officers who did their full duty in bringing in objectionable women of the streets, in whom well dressed vagrants were interested, had recently been taken out of plain clothes, put back into uniform and transferred to remote districts, it was additionally charged that the records of No. 4 police station for several months would show that every officer who had been active in that work had been removed to another district.
Believing that the records at a police station were as public as those of police court or any other court, a reporter for The Journal called at No. 4 (Walnut street) station yesterday and made this request of Captain Thomas P. Flahive:
"I want to see the record of arrests since January. I want to get the names of the officers working in plain clothes since that time. I want to see how many women each man arrested and find out if those same officers are still in this district, or if they have been removed."
"While our books may be regarded as public records," said Captain Flahive, "I must refuse you access to them unless you bring me an order from Chief Ahern of the board."
"The books are in Captain Flahive's district," said Chief Daniel Ahern later, "if he wants to show them to you he can. He won't, you say? Then I will not let you see them without an order from the board."
GALLAGHER SAYS "NO."
"Not by any means," was the reply of Commissioner A. E. Gallagher. "The matter will be brought to the attention of the board tomorrow."
Commissioner Elliot H. Jones, last night said, when asked whether the records of arrests were public property, "I don't know; I've never thought about it."
"It is my personal opinion, off hand, that such records are open to the public," came from Mayor Crittenden. "However, I am new in the business here and would not like to give a positive opinion. Ask the board tomorrow."
City Counselor E. C. Meservey was called up at his home last night after all of these refusals by public officers to screen police acts and asked whether he regarded the records of a police station as public records. He said promptly: "I see no reason why they should not be just as public as the records of the police court, especially those of past transactions. There is only one reason in my mind why they should be refused and that is where the police saw that the giving of the record would interfere with their duty in arresting law breakers." When told the record that was wanted he said, "that certainly is of past transactions and I think the records should have been produced."
THEY WERE NOT REMOVED.
The records under the Hayes administration will show that for one year previous to his removal by the board, July 31, 1907, only a few men were detailed in plain clothes in No. 4 district to bring in objectionable women and vagrants supported by them, and they were not removed for doing so. They remained at that duty a long time.
On the best information that can be gained without seeing the books, the records since July 31 last year will show that no fewer than from eight to ten different men have been assigned to duty in that district. From memory it can be truthfully said that since January 1 these officers have been detailed there: Edward Prewett, Daniel Doran, Frank M. Hoover, Thomas L. McDonough, Lucius Downey, J. C. Dyson, John Rooth and A. B. Cummings. All of them were active in doint their duty.
Prewett was put back in uniform and sent to No. 6.
Doran got into "harness" and was sent to No. 9, "the woods."
Hoover is now wearing blue at No. 6.
McDonough was taken from that duty, put into uniform but left in the district.
Downey, who had been in plain clothes for nearly three years, was put into a suit of blue he had nearly outgrown and sent to a tough beat in the North end.
Dyson in in blue and brass and is taking a chance at being sunstruck in the tall grass of No. 9.
Rooth and Cummings are still there, but the rumor is that they are slated to go June 1.
THREATENED BY VAGRANTS.
It is known that Downey and Dyson were threatened by thugs, vagrants and a saloonkeeper-politician and told they would be moved May 1. And on that date they were removed. Rooth and Cummings were so often threatened by the same men that they have appealed to the chief for protection. They were told by vagrants they would be moved June 1. Will they?
