New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-06-22
POLICE DEMORALIZ47YON
SERIOUS CHARGES AGAINST CAPT. MCDONNELL OF
TIE TWENTY EIGHTH PRECINCT.

SERIOUS CHARGES AGAINST CAPT MDONNELL of
TIE 1WENTY-EIGHTH PRECINCT.
On the evening OF the 18th of February last,
Frank August resident of Schenectady, then visiting
in this city, WAS induced by Catharne Warner, prost
tute well known to the police "a panohief. 20 enter
the house No u Gmud-s, resort OF thieves The next
morning be missed his watch, gold lever vailed az SvO
He went to tho house with Oiieer Bernard Reynolds,
but after a careful search OF the wcmans rooa Ter bed
and furnitare, the watch not discovered TIE
| woman was arrested, aud, sho was being
taken to tbet satiOn-IIouse, messenger ran up to
the officer with tho exclamation You look In that bed
again you'll ind that watch" Policeman Reynolds re-
turned found 1t In the bed took possession OF 1t, and
escorted prisoner and complainant to the Twenty
ghth Precinct statlonHouse Sergeant Ferris SAL at
the desk and entered the tho "blotter." Tie
woman WAS then detained, the Sergeant intending to
send to Court the hour arrived she had
been brought In at - o'clock and the Court was closed
from that hour until p. Meanwhile her male con
federates asked that she shOu be liberated, and were
refused After this they went away, and IN
half m hour one returned With message from
Capt Mcdonnell. then In command OF the Twenty
eighth Precinct ordering her release This was refused
and as Sergeant Ferris left the desk no remarked TO Ser
geant Castle who replaced him, that an attempt was
making release tho woman, and that sho ought 10 be
retained and sent to Court. few minutes thereafter
Capt Mcdonnell cano in, and, after speaking 20 the
complainant suggested that he did not want to prose
cute, and ordered the womans release. As Catherine
Warner walked away Capt Mcdonnell turned to Sergeant
Ferris and said "Just mark that prisoner discharged
by me, evidence insufficient" This was done, and the
record stands on the boter. receipt then taken
from August for the return OF his watch tho receipt
states that the watch found in the possession OF
Catherine Warner supposed to have been stolen
by her. The prisoner wellknown thief. the house
| in which the watch found was VIGOROUSLY bad
one and the had been arrested before Tor similar
| ofenses.
Tie following extracts from the manual OF the
Metropolitan Police Force;
RnL No ST. evident however 10 tie members o. toe BeFs
ts IN many rsnee' IN order 70 'rrv, tas Psono mt 81
and o4rir,on OF n.n IS e sr ay IN pain oass
p.Ttis charged hou warrant hon tbs osene was not com.
E s IN, u .ie9, " d. oT rs ra as rs@soSrS oa
eeee tet ne e1tS@ hes Ter asd h,a ne pR whom h
be strong warrant his superior 0fe 10 dunns The person
RsE No. !G b. The laws Of this states policeman spose With
secal l9ssr. 10 or . arrest pson Who sss snnts ,1ay
whoa be see The sci Of eormn en or any one eag'
In connec On with several Captains OF Police, TRIBUNE
reporter presented similar and aked tho several
officers what their disposition would have been, and the
in each instance was that the prisoner should
have been held that any CHER action would have rem
dered the officer Liable ~ dismissal and trial for com
pounding felony.
These statements were too serious to be Ignored by the
press and too damaging to Capt Mcdonnell to be pub
lshed without giving him opportunity TO make proper
explanations Capt Mcdonnell therefore visited by
reporter Of TIE TRIBUNE aad invited to make state
ment the he remembered IT. Tho following Is
his version OF the matter:
On the day OF the arrest he attending at the Court
OF General Sessions, and between II and o'clock was
called away he thinks by officer to investigate this
at the sation-ouse Having arrived he questioned
the officer To what the arrest Or and then asked
the complainant the history or the matter August re-
led his interview with the woman and the subsequent
losing Of the watch, and told that he must before
the Police Justice prefer charges against the woman
Warner This he positively refused under any crcum
to do and then said 1t possible that the
watch might have rolled from his pocket the ring OF the
watch having been broken the night previous In an at
tempted robbery by pckpockets On examination the
| ring found to he broken. Capt. Mcdonnell
| again urged him ~ make complaint, and told
| him that he must DO itively do so; but he
| again refused, and said that II he went to Court
the officers would lie under the necessity OF dragging
him. He also said that his wife then lying sick az
home and he did not wish 10 have his family dsgraccd
| McDermOtt then ordered the woman's release and
| that he did not know the to be u
panel thief and has the best to believe that che
not The receipt for the watch signed by August,
was he states written by sergt. Ferris, and not
read by him Capt McDonDe.D, nor did he know that IL
contained such statement that given above. Capt.
Mcdonnell also explained that officers frequently
annoyed by persons preierring complaints in positive
terms and then, when their property has been recoy
cred refusing Ia make complaint, and telling sch stO-
ries would leave the commanding officer In very
! foolish position were he To hold his prisoner