New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-09-21
Local Intelligence.

POLICE CAPTAINS ON IRIAL,-1he Board
of Police Commissioners was yesterday en-
gagged in examining serious charges against
two captains, r. B. Edgeworth, sixth pre-
ginct, and d. G. Woodruff, seventh pre-,
einct, Commissioner Bailey in the chair.
In the case of Captain Edgeworth, Super
intendent Badger, after due investigation,
gave the following to the board
thereby charge Captain R. B. Edgeworth
with conduct unbecoming an officer
/. In this, that the said Captain r. B.
Edgeworth did knowingly sign a false GER
tifcate to the pay roll Of the sixth precinct
for the month Of July, 1872, giving various
officers of that precinct pay for more time
Shan they had actually been on duty.
2 Said Captain Edgeworth did sign the
pay roll for the month of August in the
same manner, such conduct on the part of
the said captain being in violation OF rule
NO. 81, Police Manual.
ON this several witnesses were summoned
and each testified that he had been indi-
gectly aware that certain men who had not
made full time had received credit for
month's service. This fact had created i'll
feelings and heart-burnings among those
who were locked when they lost day.
Sergeant Joseph sworn-I remember one
hight Sergeant Vankirk said to me that
fhere were men on the rolls who did no
work; l thought this was pretty rough; the
time book, the report book and the beat
book are books used at the station to regis
Ser men who have performed duty; if they
have performed no duty the names are left
out and the name of the supernumerary on
duty is entered; after this, on another occa-
sion, l saw q book on which supernumerary
Dunlavi6s' name was entered for ten days,
when l knew he had only made six; this
book was shown me by operator DeslOnde;
on another occasion he showed NE similar
drregularlty; | think this was some time in
June; l would have complained, but spoke
TO the captain, and he said it would be at
Sended to.
Sergeant Vanl1rk-I have known various
officers in the precinct to lose time, and |
their names to be placed on the roll for that |
time as ifthey had made the same; was |
absent myself one day and was allowed |
time; we all knew it, aud | thought it was |
all right; have mentioned it to the clerk, |
and thought it was somewhat singular, |
however.
Corporal Hearsey-I was and have been |
on private duty and received full pay; do
not know how many days | made last |
month or in July: 1 have heard Corporal
Hereford speak once of day the captain
allowed me when / was absent until eleven
o'clock
Corporal Herreford-I know l lost day
in the month of August and was allowed
full time; [ was told by Corporal Hearsey
that it would be all right; | have some
times worked a day and been locked, and
therefore | thought it was all right; | have
known several officers who have done no
work to be allowed full pay; there were
Officers Shea and Trower who were absent
and allowed full pay; | understood that
Corporal Hearsey had been allowed full
time when he was absent; was told of this
by Sergeant Yankirk | have never been
spoken to by any one on the subject on or
off the force.
Superintendent Badger sworn-I exam
ined some of the books at the stations and
found the two stations specified not to
agree with the rolls, and, therefore, knew
there was aleak somewhere; on examining
the books Of the sixth precinct l saw they
had been tempered with; | was informed
BY nv secretary, Mr.. Boyle, that discrep
ancy existed; after | commenced an inyes-
tigation [ was informed by some officers of
the facts of the. case.
Operator Hyatt-Males up the reports;
found that the reports did not agree; found
out, after making up reports, that there
were first red marks and afterWaTd black
marks; Captain Edgeworth.is the only per
son about the precinct who had the right
to make such changes, and his authority
was enough in the witness opinion to war
rant him, the witness, in making up the
pay rolls according to the list; teels that
he ia bound to obey his superior officer; the
witness marks the time, and has kept the
books faithfully and honestly, and is in no
way responsible for the changes; the books
are not accessible to any one about the
station, but should any one get hold Of
them and make any changes, he should ask
his superior officer il it was BY his au
thority.
Captain Edgeworth here requested that
the case be continued until Monday morn
ing, which request was granted. Captain
Edgeworth requests US to ask the public.
to suspend opinion in his casesuntil the case
is closed.
In Captain Woodrufs ease the evidence
was soon taken, the charge and speoifca-
tions being about the same az in the other
suit. 1t was shown that accused had given
D9orman Stevens full time on the monthly
pay roll, though he had not performed
days duty he had been absent, hauling
sand and wood in cart; latSteveps had,
with the captains knowledge and consent,
hired lad to fill his place during the time IN
question. There being no effort to disproye
the allegations, the board dismissed the
captain from the force