Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-12-16
A COURT OF INQUIRY.
The, Police Commissioners Decide
that Sergeant TignOr Didn't Swear.
and that Officer Arnold Didn't go to
Siees.

| The, Police Commissioners Decide
that Sergeant TignOr Didn't Swear.
and that Officer Arnold Didn't go to
Sleep.
The Board Of Police Commissioners met
yesterday for the purpose of investigating
certain charges preferred against Sergeant
Tignor and officer Arnold.
About the middle of last month young
man by the name of McAnally struck a
child of Tignor's with a rock, INJECTING
quite a severe wound, the Child being five
years of age, while McAnally is a man
grown. When Tignor learned the facts he
called at the residence OF Mrs. McAnalk.
and told her that if her son re-
manned in town he (Tignop would
have him arrested, using some excited ex-
pressions at the same time. The young
man did leave town, and charges were
made out against Tignor, charging him
with entering Mrs. McAnally's house and
using profane language. Mrs. McAnaIlv.
Mrs. Smith, and Miss Hurley, neighbors of
Mrs. McAnally, were called as witnesses,
the latter swearing positively to the swear
| ing Commissioner Parkes, Capt. Yater,
| Sergt. Burke, officers Hawkins, Arnold,
| Davis, Schneider, and several others testi-
fed that they had known Serg't. Tignor for
years and that they had never known of his
making use of an oath. The accused ac-
| knowledged that he was very much excited
| by finding that his child had been injured
in the manner described, but denied having
used profane language.
Af5er hearing all the evidence, the Com
missioners endorsed upon the back of the
| charges, the following:
''We have examined the within case and
find the charges and specifications not sus-
| tanned"
Joint charges against Sergeant Tignor
and officer Arnold were then read, Mr..
Ford Reddick being the principal witness
for the prosecution, charging that Tignor
and Arnold had been guilty of direlection
Of duty in refusing him admittance to the
| police office the day that officer Allison was
| cut, tO-wit: Nov. 10.
Mr.. Reddick testified that upon the day
in question, he had been attracted by the
crowd which collected in consequence of
the affray in which officer Allison was Sc
yerely cut, and that he proceeded
at once to the police station. lie found
officer Maskey at the foot of the stairs,
keeping the crowd back, but he was at
once admitted by Maskey. He then went
| up stairs, but was met at the door of the p0-
lice office by officer Arnold, who refused to
admit him, saying he had orders from
Serg't. TignOr, who had charge of the Of
| flee, to admit no one. Reddick told Arnold
| that he was member of the City Council
and was one of the Police Committee, but
was still refused admittance, although Mr..
| Pickett, Mr.. Clemmens and one of his
| (Reddick's) brothers was admitted while
he was at the door. Upon being refused
| the second time he left the building.
In answer to question by Commission
er Walsh, the witness stated that, as a city
official, he considered that in case riot
was raised, itwas his duty to proceed at
once to the police station.
Officer Arnold testified that he had been
placed at the door by Sergeant Tignor with
orders to admit no one; that there was a
great crowd about the door, which he kept
back with difficulty, and that he could not
say whether the three men referred to by
Reddick had passed in or not. He said
that he had not been actuated by feelings
Of malice in keeping Reddick back, but did
so in pursuance of orders.
Commissioner Walsh stated that he had
been refused admitance to the police Office
at the time in question, and that he had
gone quietly away, believing that his room
was more desirable than his company.
Judge Duling testified that he had been
refused admittance under similar circIIm-
stances, and that he saw no reason to be
offended thereat.
The trial of officer Arnold, upon the
charge of entering saloons, and of sleeping
while on duty, was then proceeded with,
Mr.. Reddick being the principal witness in
this case also.
l. 4 1T L
mold and Schneider come out of a saloon
smoking cigars, while on duty, had seen
them enter the Commercial Hotel and sit
down while on duty, and that on the night
of the Sd inst, he knew of their sitting in
the Commercial Hotel for twenty minutes,
or half an hour, part of which time officer
Arnold was asleep. In support Of these
statements, he had DIr. Harlow. night clerk
of the Commercial, and Mr.. Butler, also an
attache of that hotel, called.
Mr.. Harlow testified that the aforesaid
officers and many Others were in the habit
of coming into the hotel to look over there
giSter and warm themselves, especially on
cold, wet nights; that the night of the Sd
was a wet night; that they were not in the
hotel more than ten minutes, and that if
Arnold slept at all, he didn't see him.
Mr.. Buffers testimony was substantially
the same as that of Mr.. Harlow.
In answer to a question by Commissioner |
Parkes, as to why he had not had officer |
Schneider arrested as well as Arnold, Mr. !
Reddick stated that in the violations of |
duty above stated, Arnold always seemed |
to take the lead and that he thought it |
''would be all right anyhow, if Arnold |
was arrested"
To the charges against Tignor and
Arnold, the following endorsement was
made:
''We have examined the first case and |
find the charges trivial and not at all suS-
tanned. In the second case, the evidence
clearly shows the charges and specifca-
tions not sustained and malicious"
THOS. PARKEs,
=. WALSH,