The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1871-02-25
THE OTHER SIDE.
STATEMENT OF THE POLICE
BOARD IN REPlYTO
MAYOR BENNETT.
TESTIMONY OF WIN. RATTRAY.
GEN. GROSE AND J. r. HANEK
RELATING TO THE BEN
NETT.CASE I'M DRO(.LIO
Concerning the Whisky Ring.

quent use of your paper. in which,
he has given his statements in the
Bennest-Case ARRAY, and in which
he has attempted to treduce by re
peated insults our course az men,
bers of the Police Board, we ask. 4
in Justice to OURSELVES end the pubs
lie, that we may be permitted to
give the complete version OF the
affair as given us by disinterested
gentlemen; also to show that VIC
have not taken any undue advan,
tage because of our constituting
the majority OF said Board.
AS citizens, members of the
Common Council and members OF
the Police Board, We, together with
others, were perfectly willing tina;
the whole matter should be drop
ped, and no more said on the sub.
ject, except where justice required
action, but it is plainly seen that it
is his object to agitate until some
body will stoop to quarrel with
him This we have not and do not
propose to do. His making it o
personal insult to the members o!
the Police Board required come an
swer as publicly as has been his
staten ent through your paper, and
his speeches at the meetings Of the
Common Council We have re-
Trained from replying on all occa
sions hitherto, and would do so
still, were it not that honest per
sons might possibly be misled by
his oftrepeated misrepres entations,
and made TO believe that his story
was true, because it was not refut-
cd.
In almost every speech or state
ment that has emanated from the
Mayor of late will be found some
allusion to the acts of the Police
Board. Perhaps not so much tc
the acts themselves, but the man
ner Of performing them contrary
70 his notion of affairs in police
business. 2
That the Board has sanctioned
his ways heretofore is cviden
from the Court record he exhibits
without giving any Of the causes
The time had come when som'
action was necessary, or the Boart
might be accused Of sanctionins
the increase of 9violations. W.
did act, and Immediately did w
receive from him a rebuke for gu
misdoings, in the oft repeated say
ing, "You fellows are always list
ening to all the idle rumors on tn
streets-I never hear them" w
can only think now, after readin,
SO many of his statements AM
cards, that had the Board take
some action sooner, ON the rumors
though idle and frivolous, lie woul
now be spared the vexatious trout
lie of statements, his mind possibl
relieved from the anxious care G
a Police force. No Headquarter
would have been suitable in whic
to practice his pugilistic scienc
for his personal satisfaction.
In his statement of the 10th &
February he says, lie has asked an
been refused an investigation int
his fight. This was probably fo
two reasons. 1st, The Counc
having heard a statement from nil
early, and seen statements in tn
, papers, they probably thought I'll
! statement too small and low to di
! turb in public. I'd, No charge
had been preferred against him, {
: required by an ordinance latel
passed. Consequently, nothin
could be done, and hence Counc
J submitted quietly to be bored viii
a reproduction of the statemen
: as he construed it, and wished
color it. He desired publicity. ar
> has it,, though Council thought
too low 10 meddle With, and WI
u perfectly willing to let it end Wi
= street convictions. He took pric
: in his RI cord, as to him it Shove
manhood in self-defence The pa
= ticipation Of the Police Board W,
= only that which duty demandc
: We made no long speeches
: statements to justify. our cours
- but acted with decision, except {
the night after the fight. The Ma
: or was called to meet us, with
full determination on our part. of r
:, moving the Chief of Police, for I
- lowing such conduct in His offic
and in, his presenne; but by the G
: gume,lts of the Mayor, in which
claimed that he outranked /
Chief, and no matter what he h
done, the Chief could rot interfe
1T with nor disobey his orders '
in thought best to investigate furth
70, and be sure We were right.
50 that there could be no possihili
Of accusing us of acting las,i
y nor OF going contrary to jus;i
~ Yet no intimation was given by
that we should take no action |
in tie Goth of December, rs was 81
~ ted by Mayor Bennett in his sree
IS before the Council. We had
understanding at all that we VT
'e- to withhold action till he return
p. from Washington, and his spres
on ing it on the police record, after
pg 'eturned, does not by any m ca
=" .. prove that there was such an agl'
o ment in fact. Gts'iasAf'Vfa11o2
.G The lst thing to be done tow,
a.. o thorough investigation was
bic get the statements OF. parties "
ms, were there. He referred Us
"a Gilbert and Rattray, and wo
~ stand or fall by their version
i; the affair. That evening his st:
=. ment was written down, before :
I r