The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1871-01-07

The following is the written statement /
of Mayor Bennett, made to the Council |
at called meeting, December q, in
reference to the affair at police head
quarters. PRn sGFiszgt3 8ft |
~, aasrT MAYORS OFFIcE,( aaa |
RICHMOND. Dec, u, 1870. ~, 4
To the Common Council Of the City Of
Richmond: "
In view of tire many conflicting re-
ports and rumors in circulation con-
corning recent affair which took
place Ut police Headquarters, l deemit
q duty owe to You and to the public,
to make full statement of the whole
affair, in order that the innocent par
ties may be relieved from all blame
and to the end that your honorable
body may take the necessary steps to
full Investigation of my official con-
duct in the premises, which investiga-
ton l court and urge, conscious that
shall be fully able to yindicate myself
to your satisfaction, and to the salts
faction of every reasonable man in the
city,. r4ir ap II @ s-
For several days previous to the
transaction referred to, infOrmatfon
was conveyed to me by J. w. Gilbert,
jr., that some man was in the habit Of
providing around his house, standing
by his door, lurking in his back yard,
and escaping by the way Of his back
gate. This information conveyed to
Major Lacey, Chief of Police, and or
dered him to make diligent effort to
arrest the guilty party. This he did
for several evenings without success.
The man was described as medium
sized man, with a heavy, dark over
coat, a cap and wearing a mustache.
paid no further attention to the matter
until Thursday evening, December Is,
about o clock, was on my way to the
telegraph Office at the depot, for the
purpose of dispatehing to my wife,
who was then in the city of Baltimore,
that intended starting East on the
early train next morning. While pass
ing along Fifth street and near the
house of Mr.. Gilbert, / heard lady
calling to me from an upper window
of the house, and / went to the front
gate, and found that the person calling
me was Mrs. Gilbert. She then in
formed me that the man who had been
annoying them, had a few minutes be-
fore, as she came home by herself from
a visit to her aunts, been standing at
their front gate, that she ran in the
house and locked the doors, and that
he was dressed as above described, and
from an upper side window called to
her near neighbors for help, that Mrs.
Silvers, her neighbor, answered her
call, and informed her that she too had
seen the same man inside. Gilbert's
door yard the same evening. ! then
determined that my duty as an officer,
as a friend Of the family, and the COM
monest impulses of manhood, required
me to arrest the offender i'll could find
him. Immediately proceeded around
the house where i found man stand
ing inside the back gate, and although
it was tolerably dark I walked up to
him and informed him that / was an
officer, and that he was arrested. He
made signs of retreat out at the gate,
but seized him by the coat collar, and
detained him. l asked him who he
was, he answered that his name was
Tom Walkar, and that he had hid there
to keep out of the way of the police. l
accused him of having been there be-
fore that evening, and several previous
evenings, all Of which he denied. l
then took him into Gilberts house,
where Mrs. Gilbert identified him as
being the man she had seen at the gate.
Mrs. Silvers was then called and iden-
tilted him as the man she had seen in
the door ward. 1 then took him to pO-
lice headquarters to turn him over to
the Chief of Police. When l got him
there found Major Lacey and Mr.. w
w. Rattray in the Office, told them
the story of the arrest, and ordered
Lacey to hold him in custody until
went across the street to Mr.. Gilbert's
place of business, and acquaint him OF
d the arrest WhileI was gone, as am
informed by Lacey and Rattray, hi
swore he would like to whip me, ant
would do so if it was not for my
official position, and said he would give
fifty dollars for the privilege of doing
SO. In company with Mr.. Gilbert
returned to the Office. Mr.. Gilber
then entered into conversation witt
him and in very plain language gave
him his opinion of his conduct, an(
informed him what would be the result
in case he was found about his premise
again. I was seated in CHI air, having
nothing more to do with the matter
In the conversation he acknowl
edged his true name to be Smitl
Case, and told several directly con
dieting stories about his where
abouts for several nights pre-
yious. He then turned away iron
Gilbert, stepped directly towards mf
and remarked that If it were not for m.
position he would thrash me. neve
dreaming that he was in earnest, Jok
ingly replied that did not rely upo
nv position, and that ne need no
make thpt excuse, and thereupon h
struck me heavy blow on the fore
head and seized me by the throat. Iii
blow struck the tube connecting til
chandelier with the drop light on tn
table and disconnecting it from tn
chandelier the gas was cut OFT and tn
result was total darkness. The blow
the grapple at my throat and the dark
ness was simultaneous. / could sc
no other resort for me but fight ft
my life and 1 "went in," as best
could. The blow and the force of II
grapple at my throat carried me bacl
ward over the chair with my assailal
on top of me, I turned him under an
with my right hand seized him by tt
throat and with my left gave him se'
eral blows in the face and eyes. III
Chief of Police and Mr.. kattray,
soon as light was struck separat.
us, nv antagonist in the mean viii
cried senough,' and as was satisfied
were easily separated. l said and
no more. except to order Major Lac.
to wash the mans wounds and Ia
him home. This was all done in
instant, and no one but myself touc
cd him and used nothing but
hands. having at the time no weap
nf anv Lind in my possession. All