Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-06-07
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

WHO TBEY ARE-The reader will find In the
LEGAL columns Of the Star to-day, a report of an
examination had yesterday in the case of James
Bishop, arrested on the charge Of libel against an
individual named John E. Carter, a Washington
policeman. Bishop is ex- policeman Of Bal,i-
more, and came to Washington with other ex-
policemen Of that city. to "spot'' the gang of
Baltimore despersdoes known as the Empire
Club Of the Eighth Ward of that city, who were
brought here to aid in the reelection of Berret to
the Mayoralty, by parties who, we trust will be
fully identified. and at least exposed That they
will be punished, however, IL is useless to hope,
while The police authorities Of the Federal strop-
oils may be banded together to screen them by the
exertion Of all the many expedents Of which
their positions make them masters.
The Lieutenant Grady, Of the Baltimore police
who figures in the proceedings, is fresh from trial
under an indictment charging him with being
the murderer of Lieut.. Jourdan, Of the Baltimore
police, in the never-to-be-fOrgotten Baltimore
riots of ls57. That trial took political turn
and resulted In his acquittal
The officer Gait, of the Washington police
(Auxiliary Guard } whose name occurs I'm the pro-
ceedings, is the individual who, day or two
since, figured in the Stars police report as having
been arrested and taken to the watch house-po.
lice officer though he was for drunkenness and
disorderly conduct.
The name OF oficer John r Carter, who brings
the charge of libel against Bishop, was better
known to the Washington public when the details
of the frightful riots which characterized the
reign of terror here at Mayor Berrets first cleo
ton, were fresh In the memory of all He was
then the vice president Of the organization known
as the Estates Hose, F" and perhaps the most con-
sPicuous Of the band. For his peculiar services In
tnat election, II was then generally understood
Mayor Berrtt made him Washington police
man, to the terror of not few quiet and respect
able citizens who knew well the part the Estates
Hose" had played In that contest
Mr.. Thomas Lewis, bricklayer, another witness
In the case, is a Washington master mechanic
well known az one Of the most enterprising. in
dustrious and successful of the city's master
builders; possessing he does the entire conf.
dence, as man, of all who have known him here
nom infancy to mature age
Mr. Swami, another witness, is also m an of en-
hfeIy irrepFoachable character, is evident in
every line Of bis testimony
OF the other witnesses we know nothing. ex
cePt from their testimony, from which the public
will draw their own differences concerning them
and their associations
IL Is worthy Of note that none Of the witnesses
adduced to justify the arrest of ex-oficer Bisbon
venture TO swear that the Empire Club rowdies
ola not come on to Washington upon the train
which brought Carter, but contented themselves
with asserting that they did not see any of them
so distinctly seen, marked and sworn to as they
were by Mr.. Swami and Mr.. Lewis 1t was well
known in Baltimore that they had been sent for,
and Mr. Bishop and other ex-policemen of that
CITY were sent here to ''spot" them because it
was very clear that they sent for only to per-
Petrate just such outrages as marked their con
duct at the Fourth Ward polls-the plan Of i'm
porting just suct characters for the benefit Of MIR
Berret in the election two years before having
operated to charm. On that occasion they yye,.
paid for their peculiar services In hard cash bv
an individual now high ia our Corporation
analrs, and another well known for his personal
loenuncauon with Mayor Berret, who then
figured as members Of the secret finance commit
tee engaged in securing his success.