Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-06-07
The Police and the Joyce Case.
Both statements.

There have been a great many statements
and comments on the action Of the Police
in the Joyce case. Last week we stated
that there were two stories Of their conduct,
one charging them with gross neglect Of
duty and the other generating them from
all blame. We declined to give either
statement at the tine, because we were not
fully satisfied Of the correctness Of either.
Now, we will give both, because justice to
Ourself and all concerned demands that we
should. Shortly after Wakefield was struck
Down by Joyce, DR.. John Chester was call
ed in TO dress his wounds. When the Doc
tor arrived he asked what was the matter,
and was told that Waketeld-whOm the
Doctor had seen half hour before very
drunk-had fallen down ana struck his
head against an Ale beE, cutting It severe
". The Doctor Of course received the
story rs true, and seeing long cut on the
back Of Wakefield head, frsm which the
blood was flowing freely, concluded that il
was hi- only hurt and dressed it, without
any further examination Of his head, and
hence did not discover the other and fatal
wound in the edge OF his forehead where
the skull had been broken, but from which
no blood was flowing. After dressing the
cut, the Doctor pronounced Wakefeld's in
jury slight, and remarked that he would
be call right" when he got sober. Not
long after DR.. Chester left Chief McCabe
and Officer Sewen reached the spot, and
the story told the Doctor was repeated to
them, and also what the Doctor had said Of
Wakefeld's injuries. In the mean time
rumors Of the real cause Of Wakefield's
hurt reached these officers, but accOmpa-
MED by no positive statement IS to who
struck the blows. However, Chief McCaBe,
relying on DR.. Chester's medical examine
ton and knowing that Wakefield was
drunk, made no arrests. With this the
crowd in a measure dispersed, the Police
going Of on their regular rounds. About
IL o'clock a citizen, discovering that Wake
field was in a dying condition, came down
town for the Police and officers McRea and
Sewell, accompanied by two citizens, re-
pared to the spot. McRea says that all OF
them saw that Wakefield was dying, and
that he tried at once TO get Sewell to assist
him in arTesting Joyce, whom it was now
pretty certain either struck the fatal blow
or knew who did. Sewell refused on the
grounds that Chief McCabe had directed
him to let the matter rest until morning.
McRea then went TO NcCabe's house, ac-
companied by Mr.. O'Brien, woke him up
and told him that Wakefield was dying,
and he (McRea) wanted assistance to ar
rest Joyce, whom he believed guilty of the
assault on Wakefield. McCabe refused to
go and told McRea TO let the matter alone
until morning, or 60 and arrest Joyce him
self-or something to that effect. McCabe
says-frst, that he relied fully on Cr. Ches-
ter's examination second, that he had no
proof that Joyce struck Wakefield; third,
that 1t was two o'clock when McRea called
him up, too late to find Joyce even if he
had gone with him; fourth, that he told
McRae to arrest Joyce if he could get any
evidence against him; and lastly, that,
from all the facts and circumstances of the
case as far as then known, he regarded it
as a small affair; a drunken row, in which
Wakefield was the only known participant,
and that in the morning he could probably
work up the case and arrest all concerned.
Chief McCabe feels conscious Of having
done his duty and acted as any other pru-
dent officer would have done under the
Officer McRea also feels
conscious of having discharged his duty in
doing all he claims, in his power, to get
assistance and arrest Joyce; and there the
matter rests.
Such are the material fact in the case, a
fair statement of both side, and We leave
the public to draw their own conclusions
from them. So far as we are concerned we
feel that in what we have said, we have
simply discharged our duty to the public
and all concerned, and here dismiss the
subject, hoping that il viii not be necessary
to refer to it again.