Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-10-23

Assaults Nut NAalO athu n RhCedA'
rested. Along with Miles n. BrantIy
All AbOut the Excitement at GhS
city Hall Yesterday.
No little excitement was created yester
day by reports of an assault having beer
made upon Major A. E. Alden, the new
Mayor, by Capt. r. S. Patterson, chief q
the late night police, and sensation storie,
in regard TO it were circulating everywhere
As the difficulty really originated in the
suspension Of Capt. Patterson by the Mayor
and his trial before Commissioner Stone
for having released workhouse prisoner
after such suspension, We will first give the
proceedings in the trial.
The charge brought against Capt. Patter-
son was, Assuming to be an officer, in
violation Of section g. chapter 2, of the
city ordinance" 1t was proved by the
prosecution that r. S. Patterson, Captain
Of the night police, was suspended by
Mayor Alden on the Sd of October that,
Notwithstanding said suspension, Patterson
continued TO exercise the functions Of his
Office, and among other things ordered the
release Of a prisoner confined in the city
workhouse.
Mr.. East, counsel for defendant, argued
that the Mayor, when suspending an Of
hcer, must give said officer his reasons for
20 doing. That Notwithstanding Captain
Patterson had been legally suspended, as
the city laws do not particularly specify
Captain of Night" Police, in the section
referred to, making it misdemeanor, to
assume to be Marshal, Deputy Marshal
cor Night Police" therefore Captain
Patterson could be guilty of no offense I'M
der said section.
Mr.. Cook, I'd City Attorney, argued that
when the Mayor suspended an officer, the
court must presume that he had acted and
performed his duty according to law until
the contrary should be shown; that the
ordinance referred to must not be con-
strued literally, but in accordance with
the intention Of the City Council in making
said law; that if the City Council enacted
said law for any purpose, it was to pre-
vent unauthorized parties from performing
official acts that they meant just as
much to prevent parties from assuming
TO be captains of the night police as TO
prevent them personating the officers ac-
tually named in the act and the words
night police" referred Just as much to
the captain az to any member of said
force that Captain Patterson having been
suspended by the Mayor, had no more
authority to order the release of prisoner
in the city .workhouse, than any other
citizen had.
The case was then closed, and the lowest
fine provided by law-S25-was imposed
by Commissioner Stone. An appeal was
taken, and the matter will eventually
come before the Circuit Court
As the trial was about closing, Mayor
Alden left his office for the court room,
which il in the third story. On reaching
it, and finding that all was over he de-
scended the winding stairs, but on arriving
at the platform, halfway to the second
story, he was stopped by colored woman,
who appealed 10 him for charity. As he
was conversing with her, Capt. Patterson
came down the stairs. followed by Mr..
Miles $. Brantly, ex-policemen Plummer
and. Barnes, Judge Mills, and H. II. Thorn
berg,of the Police Committee Patterson
smarting under what he considered an
outrage upon himself as an officer, the
sight of Mayor Alden, who had suspended
him because he did not see fit to recognize
an Illegal election, so infamed him that he
lost all control of his impetuous temper,
and quickly pushing aside the woman, he
dealt Alden heavy blow near the left ear,
staggering the Mayor, who fell sgainst the
wall, a little blood starting by the incision
of ring on the Captains finger. As Al
den rallied, Patterson put an arm
around his neck, placing him at once in
chancery, and inAicting several blows upon
his forehead.
Ferdinand Pfster, policeman below,
hearing the scuIiie, hastily ran up stairs,
and drawing his mace, was about to brain
Patterson, but desisted on Mr.. Plummer
telling him he must not strike. Thorn
berg and Mills then drew away Patterson,
whom Pfster at once placed under arrest,
along with Mr.. Brantly, taking them be-
fore Commissioner Stone, where the Cap
tain was put under a bond of ten thousand
dollars for his appearance this morning to
answer charges of disorderly conduct and
assault with intent to kill. Mr.. Brantly
was recognized in bond Of one thousand
dollars, having been charged with placing
himself in the way while Pfster was trying
10 make the arrest. A. J. Duncan, Capt.
Tom. Hays, and ,R. H. Woodfn signed
the bonds. Commissioner Stone expressed
some doubt as to whether the case Of Capt.
Patterson was bailable, and talked Of leav-
ing him in the custody Of the police. The
Captain demanded that he should be either
bound over or seEt to Jail, and declared he
would give bond of FIVE hundred thous-
and dollars if necessary.
We understand that officer Pfster denies
drawing his mace, though it is positively
asserted that he did SO.
DR.. HUNTER.-We publish in another
column some of the most aattering notices