Theft of kisses charged to police: entire force of Wilmette is under grave suspicion

Theft of Kisses is charged to police; Entire force of Wilmette is under grave suspicion; Women are angry; Mayor's cook and Corporal's bride among alleged victims; Conduct of F. A. Sieber, Chief, patrolman, water-meter inspector, and milkman to be investigated [headings] For the alleged hugging and kissing of girls and young married women, the Wilmette police force has plunged himself [sic] into a scandal that is setting the northshore suburb agog. A half-dozen of the offended members of the feminine sex, ranging from Mayor Gates' cook to the bride of Corporal Miller of the Twentieth infantry, have testified to the bold advances and clandestine flirtations of the police department, and have brought charges before the village board of trustees. The department, which, up to this time, has been the most trusted branch of official service in Wilmette, is now undergoing a thorough examination, and is in the meantime being held under grave suspicion by the shocked residents of the suburb. Mayor Gates himself, with the stability of his household regime endangered by the reported affectionate conduct of one of his departments, is at the head of the investigation, and, in addition, is making a personal inquiry of his own. Force is in Retirement [heading]
Up in the police headquarters in the Wilmette city hall the force, covered with shame and degradation, sits in seclusion fearing to show himself before the reproving eyes of the citizens. It may be well to state here that the Wilmette police force in its entirety, numbering from chief to common patrolman, consists of F. A. Sieber. Sieber is the entire police force, and he bears the brunt of the wholesale accusations brought by the perturbed and indignant victims of this tender advances. That Sieber has made a practice of flirting with the girls and young married women along his beat, which is co-extensive with the limits of Wilmette, and of stealing a sly hug or a kiss from a good-looking maiden on occasion, is the story, the same in most particulars, which has been told by a half dozen of the feminine complaintants in the case, to Mayor Gates and the village board of trustees. Aggrieved husband complains [heading] For instance, it is asserted by Corporal C. D. Miller of Company K, Twentieth infantry, who lives on Wilmette avenue, that Sieber hugged and attempted to kiss his wife in her home last Saturday, while he, the husband, was in the house and overheard the conversation from the next room. The policeman, who besides constituting the whole police body of thevillage, also acts in the role of water-meter inspector, is said to have utilized this latter office as an aid to clandestine kitchen courtships. He entered the Miller house, according to Corporal Miller and Mrs. Miller, by way of the back door, and without preamble, began to hug and kiss the frightened young woman. Miller happened to be near by, and, following the policeman from the house, threatened to thrash him, but the offender ran, the corporal declares. Milks the Mayor's cows [heading] Sieber has still another occupation besides those of water-meter inspector and police force, and it is by virtue of this that he entangled himself in the household affairs of Mayor Gates. He takes care of the mayor's cows, milking them morning and evening. While fulfilling his duties at the Gates place it is said that he again exhibited his proclivity for stolen hugs and kisses with the mayor's cook, Katie Hance, as victim. When the cook went to the stable for the milk, it is said, the milkman-policeman-inspector persisted in bothering her with his attentions until she grew out of patience and reported the matter to her employer, who has now laid it before the village board. Among the other girls who have made complaint against Sieber is Maggie May, 14-year-old daughter of Anton May. Several more have filed charges of a similar nature against the village policeman, but Mayor Gates refused to make these public. The mayor said in regard to the scandalized condition of the police force last night, "The police force of Wilmette has heretofore been above suspicion, and we shall not believe the truth of the present charges until we are furnished with unassailable evidence. The board of trustees is now conducting an investigation of the matter and will report at the next meeting. We will not suspend the force, for that would leave Wilmette without police protection."