Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-12-26

BoARD OF co1nos CoUsoIL---Mr, Ruff, from
the Committee ON Police, TO whom was referred
the petition Of John 5. HolIingshead, Police Ma
gstrate of the Third District, asking that a law
might be passed defining the powers Of the Cap
tain Of the Auxiliary Guard, made report cen
suring Mr., ,Hollinghead for neglect of duty, Che
having refused to attend and try the cases at the
guard-house,) and introduced bill comforting GER
tain powers upon the Captain of the Auxiliary
Guard d a&
From what the reporter could understand, it
has been the custom Of the Captain Of the Guard,
for many years. to try such cases brought into the
guard-house at night, in which the parties inter
ested might demand speedy trial, and the dispo-
sition of these cases were acknowledged by tho
Police Magistrate whose turn 1t was TO attend at
the guard to be his act. Mr.. Hollingshcad
refused to sanction these proceedings of the Cap
tain, and regarded the trial Of Corporation cases.
by the Captain as an Infringement Of his rights.
He petitioned to the Councils for a law defining
the powers of the Captain, and until the passage
of such law refused to attend at the guard house
Mr.. Walker thought 1t would be unjust to cen
sure the magistrate; he thought he was perfectly
right in absenting himself from the guard house.
He thought the committee had not inquired sufi-
GENTLY into the matter. 6ss -
Mr.. Ruff said the committee had taken all neces-
Bary steps in the matter; they had two meetings.,
and had Mr.. Holingshead and Captain Birch both
before them; they also had the opinion Of the
Corporation Attorney in the matter
MIR. McCutchen had been told by Captain Birch
that for fourteen years it had been the custom of
the captain Of the Guard to dispose of cases
brought in at night, and to get his decision ac-
knowledged as the act of some police magistrate;
he thought that no man should be forced to ac-
knowledge such decision, when he knew nothing
of the case; thought Mr.. ii. justifabe in refu-
sing to attend at the guard-house.
ES Mr.. Walker thought the person making an ar
rest was not the proper person to pass Judgment
upon the case. Mr. Hollingshead had absented
himself from the guard-house because he could not
bring his conscience to sanction the proceedings
which his presence would compel him to sanction,
and he thought,he was right in SO doing.
Mr.. Clements made some very severe structures
upon the conduct of some of the Police Magis-
trates. He said that some Of them made prac-
ticc Of making United States cases out of Corpora
ton cases. thereby materially increasing their fees
MIR. Hollingshead had sanctioned the course to
which he now objected since his election in June
last, and had just discovered the wrong. He
thought he was highly censurable for his neglect
Of duty.
Mr.. Walker asked why a man should be cen
sured for refusing to sanction the acts of others?
Mr.. Lloyd. The censure is for neglect of duty
on the part Of Mr. Hollingshead, and not because
he would not sanction the proceedings referred to-
hlT. H. Hau tdheI Inc law IntO DIS own ndHdS. Fl
Mr.. McCutchen said that great stress had been
laid upon the fact that Mr.. Hollingshead had once
sanctioned these proceedings He thought that
because a man had once done wrong, it was no
reason he should never do right. He did not
blame Captain Birch for tho part he had taken in
the matter; for he had acted according to what
he conceived to be the law. Gentlemen seemed
inclined to censure Mr.. Hollingshead for having
peitioned to this Board He held that the right
of netjfinu wa ineafirna hIa RIGHT Of yonr;
can citizen, and ought not to be restricted.
Mr. Clements admitted the right of petition, but
he wanted TO know why Mr.. Hollingshead had pc
titioncd. He had asked for action in a certain
matter, and before such action can be had he acts
upon his own judgment in the matter; he had bid
defiance to the power to which he had petitioned.
He thought Mr.. H. highly censurable.
Mr. Albert, as a member of the Committee on
Police, concurred fully in the report of that COM
mittee; thought, from testimony before the COM
mttee, that Mr. Hollingshead was censurabe to
high degree. The bill was an important one, and
had been introduced by the advice of the Corpo-
ration Attorney.
The bill was passed and ordered to be printed
with the proceedings of the Board.
petition was received from James Robertson,
OF New York, editor of the Truth, asking that
committee be appointed to inquire into his sanity
Read and returned TO the petitioner, as the Board
have no jurisdiction in the matter.
The bill to establish Board OF Health, and the
bill for removal Of offal, were referred.
Joint resolution to adjourn to January Z, was
laid on the table.
A large number Of bills providing for improve
ments and for the remission Of fines, &C., were re-
ferred TO appropriate committees.
And then the Board adjourned to next Monday
evening
The SUICIDE ON MosDAY.-It was not Mr.. Van
Patten, as we were enormously informed on Mon.
day, but Mr.. Ernest Won Heeringen, who commit
ted suicide on that day.
We learn from tho I,atelligencer that he had
been confined to his room for two or three weeks
by sickness, and was known to be In responding
frame of mind. He left WILL which was dated on
the 18th instant also, letter 10 a friend, IN
which he stated that had he been successful in in.
Producing to the public his new system Of musical
notation, he would have been spared this last act
We should judge from bis appearance that he
was between 40 and so years of age. He leaves
widow, now residing in Virginia
Mr.. Won Heeringen was German by BIRTH and
highly accomplished as professor Of music.
United STATES MARINE HosPIrAL.-Our readers
viii remember that Congress at its last session pro
vided for the erection Of United States Marine
Hospital in this District out Of the proceeds of the
sale Of the Marine Hospital grounds in Chelsea,
Massachusetts,. Those grounds were sold last sum
mer, but we learn nothing either officially or other
wise Of any purchase of n site for the proposed
Naval Asylum in this District.
Why this delayg Has the Secretary ofthe Navy
so much other business on his hands that he can.
not attend TO this important matters
Mr.. MURDOCH AT THE NArIosAL.--Mr Murdoch
makes his last appearance but one this evening In
his great part of Charles De Moor in Schlers
celebrated play Of the Robbers This play, on its
frat performance in Germany turned the heads OF
many young men ofrespectable families, who took
to the highway to realize IL they could the hsc-