The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-05-26
The Grand Jury and Chief of Police;
lie is Presented i'm a Report to the
Court.
The Grand Inquest 60 In a Body to the
Commanding General and Address Him
In Regard TO the Conduct of
the Chief

An article was published in the local column of
the CRESCENT on Sunday the 18th inst, under the
heading Of "The New Orleans Police and the
Thieves" in which the conduct of the chief OF
police, in refusing to impsrt knowledge, which
be confessedly had, of the place of conceament
of a notorious burglar named Watson, who, it
was in evidence before Judicial tribunals, had
been the principal in robbing Liienthals jewelry
establishment Canal street, and in!breaking into
the shop of Messrs. Fernandez Villa, at the
corner of Customhouse and Royal streets, blow
iDg open the safe and taking from 1t property
worth sUmc riA thousand oviiurs, was ex.
posed and commented upon. At the sittings
of the Grand Jury, last week, the conduct of the
chief Of police in this connection came to be
subject Of investigation. They yeEterday came
into court and made the following presentment,
through SIR. Hncks, their foreman:
THE PREsESTMENT.
FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF New ORLEANS
New Orleans. La, May %, 1868. (
To the Honorable the Judge Of the First District Court of
New Orleans:
Sir-The grand Jurors of the State of Louisi.
ana, duly impaneled and sworn in and for the
body of the parish Of Orleans, respectfully re.
ports
That the facts embraced in the accompanying
sworn statements having come to their knowledge,
they consider the matter of sufficient importance
to make this special presentment. As IL is more
than doubtful whether5any positive law has been
violated, the Grand Jury take this method of ex.
pressing their appreciation Of such conduct on
the part Of the chief of police of the city of New
Orleans, and shall proceed forth with to the head
quarters OF the major general commanding the
Fifth Military District, for the purpose of officially
presenting the TO him, as set forth in the
eOmpaDyibg document, marked "a"
JOSEPH A. RINOKs, Foreman.
ADDRFss To GEN BuCHANAN
Major General R. Buchanan, Commanding Fifth Military
District:
Gererdl-We. the grand Jurors. duly impaneled
and sworn in and for the parish Of Orleans, in the
State Of Louisiana, deem 1t our duty, officially, to
call your attention to the following facts, and In
the absence Of any written law 10 govern such
case, as grand jurors, officially solicit your imme
date action in the premises:
There is a man named John watson, who was
under bonds (on bai) TO appear before the First
District Court of New Orleans, to be tried for the
crimes of burglary and larceny, whereof he
stands charged.
This man has forfeited his appearance bond
and has absconded.
Some time ago Mr.. J. J. Williamson the present
chief of police of the city Of New Orleans, in.
formed the district attorney for this parish that
| he Williamson, knew the whereabouts OF Watson
end could secure his arrest provided the expense
incurred in securing the arrest should be repaid
| him. The district attorney thereon Informed the
she if of the parish of what the police chief had
| t0I0 INN.
The sheriff at once sent one of his deputies to
| williamson, who exhibited to Williamson a capias,
or writ of arrest, from the First District Court of
New Orleans, for the arrest of the man John Wat
| son. and officially, deputy sheriff, demanded OF
| Williamson, as chief of police, the information,
within his knowledge, Telatve 10 the WnereaDouts
| OF the man John Watson.
| The chief of police thereon informed the deputy
| sheriff that he did know the whereabouts of Wat.
| son; that Watson was then and there in this
State; that he, Williamson, could secure his arrest
| and bring him to New Orleans if the expenses
| were paid, but that he would not inform the
| sheriff where Watson was.
| And so the chief of police Of the city of New
] Orleans then and there knowingly aud deliber.
| ately refused to give the sheriff of the parish OF
| Orleans (through his Deputy Information which
| be admitted that he had, which he admitted would
| secure the arrest of a fugitive criminal.
| As the man Williamson was but police officer
| for city, he could not be compelled either 10
| arrest OF to assist in the arrest of a man beyond
| his police district, but when a chief Of police
whose duty it should be to prevent crime, thus
officially and deliberately aids the escape Of q
criminal, the Grand Jury consider that the prompt
action OF the commanding general is imperatiyey
| required.