The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-24
POLICE TRIALS.


PoLICEMEN--TRIAL OF SERGEANT BUCKLEY
The court room at Police Headquarters was
crowded yesterday afternoon, the attraction to il
being the trial Of Patrolmen Henry J. McGone-
gal, Erastus R. Townsend. William Eiard, Edward
Maloney and Louis Hirscn, OF the Twenty seventh
prsciHct on the following charged
In this to witon the 10th day OF May, 1873 said de-
Ryns s being IN
tried At the central department Of Police, Of and
Police in pursuance Of and The ana regulations
s q he Corpora Ahd y s WO ana
Ned and stated upon point anu IN respeet to matter
and tried that the OF the 9TH of MAY 1878
Sos R1ssn ree % divers e 'S en- sw
and yessy streets when in truth and fact they aid
sforessi they The said deienda ants very well knew,
and when IN ruin ana " ae me san cnoen hynders
Greenwich street
At the triel OF Rynders Inspector McDermott
swore, as previously published, that on the morn
ing OF the Tth OF May, shortly before three O'Clock
while Watching In the neighbornood, he noticed
Roundsmsn Rynders and omrer Flynn. OF the
Tweny-seventA precinct then supposed 20 be
doing patrol duty, enter a barber shop at No. 90
Greenwich street He tMcDermott) waited At the
door two hours for them to come out, but as they
ola not come out he raped ana demanded admit
ance. Hearing no response he forced the door
Partially open meen er sIfU. agsins Mo nn
mott succeeded In entering, and there
ivund Roundsman Rynders The Inspect
Sergeant SnlinK and Ofncer Flynn. the defendant
brought 10 the stand tue nve patr0lmen ABOVE
named, who, ia contradiction 10 the previous tes-
tlmony given, sWorc 10 having met Rynders A.
different places at the time mentioned, duly per-
forming patrol duty.
became satisfied that tue nve policemen had CON-
mitted perjury, ana kyndeIs was dismissed from
tne force and 0f1cer Flynn fined thirty days pay.
1se specifications OF perjury above set forth were
tsen ordered by t1e Board. AID the trial set down
for the 10th inst AZ the request OF the defendants
II was adjourned until yesterday.
The interest manifested by those present at the
trial yesterday va. very great, among me spec
CAPTAINS Hedden, Williams, Steers, Cnnchy and
Saunders, ana some politicians. among whom
were Assemblymau Burns and Alderman Morris.
Inc prosecution was conducted oy counsel TO
the Board, Mr.. McLain, and the defence by Coun-
sellor william y. Howe. Commissioner MatselI
sal as judge. when the case was called Mr.. Howe
arose and objected 70 further proceedings, a. the
POLICE HAD NO JURISDICTION
10 trv a charge or felony. ''fhe COMMISSIONER
argued the counsel, ''cannot take cognIzancs or
this matter untH after the case has been disposed
OF In n criminal court II tue Board thought that
the witnesses had committed perjury they should
bring the matter to the knowledge OF the Grand
Jury; and n this body found an indictment
against MS clients, and they we're duly convicted
on soce no s,sne tnea we commissioners
until sucn action had been taken, the Board had
no Jur,sdiction."
Ponce was analogous 70 military c0urtmarual
IN point Of jurisdiction, aud was July competent
to dIsciptse members 81 the force on all charges.
The defendants were now before me Board
charged vito conduct unbecoming oficers-to wit,
deliberately and cOrruptly committing perjury.
The counsel thought there could be no doubt that
she Board had fail jurisdiction prior 20 any action
OF the Crane Jury. President MAtscll declaed that
tue board had jurisdiction ana directed the wit
nesses 10 be calico, the counsel for the defence
taxing an exception.
Inxpector NcDernott took the stand, ana svore
20 all fafIa stated In nrayiOus testimony.
lie was subjected BY Mr. Howe 70 a severe cross
examination, but did not contradlct himself
IAcu OF the defendants we're in turn then sworn,
aud they c0rroooratcd all taeg had previously tes-
tlaed 10. private Waterman named Curley on
the Inspector At the time IN question AZ the cor
ner or Washington and Morris streets, whereas
the Inspector swore taAt he never left the front
OF the barber sRop in Greenwich street untn alter
he had apprehenued Rynders.
After the examination OF other witnesses whose
testimony was unlmp0rtsnt, the case was de-
cared closed Counsellor Howe again reminding
tue Commissioner that the Board had no jurisdic.
ton. IL is the Intention OF Mr. Howe 70 bring the
case to lac supreme Court n the Board dismiss
After tie DISPOSAL or several minor charges the
CASE or sERGEASr JOus \. BUCKLEY,
or the seventeenth precinct, was called up. The
complainant was Inspector speght, who swore
i rS.s Ss saw BucSieI in lager
beer saloon on tlrst street, considerably
under the influence or liquor ana nghtlng. AFTER.
ward, In company vita woman, me sergeant
walked away. The man with wbom the sergeant
was nghtlnC was George VI. ker. Afier speak
ing 10 the sergeant Inspector Speight, safsncd
That tho MAE vas fnteXieated, went 70 the station
house and lOund ~ tne Ol0tIer tnat Buckley was
marked as being on dutY. Returning 70 tao sta
ton mouse ~ SIX O'Clock the same morning tho
ms pector found Buckley asleep IN MS ROOFS, Ris
breath smelling yeTy strongly % lqCOr.
the deieace vas represented by Colonel Spen-
Ger, VINO, dscliBing TO eross-examine Inspector
spegnt, saying ne lullr believed every word me
Inspector said, callea several Witnesses 70 show
that toe Inspector was laDoring under mistake.
sergeant Kass, OF the Seventeenth precinct, and
several patr0lnen, testified 10 seeing sergeant
Buckley between three and SIX O'Clock A. NJ. GA
the morning OF the i7th, ana he showed no signs
OF having been drinking.
sergeant Buckley IA taking the stand, denied
the truta or the CHARGES. lie admitted going into
the saloon, but he claimed IL was TO uuel dis
turDance there. lie positively denied all KNOW
edge 81 having walked away, a. alleged w the
In pector Win a woman.
The chlel witness Tor the prosecution, Mr. Rver,
In wr0se place the alleged 1ghung took place,
was NOS present, although ne had been subppnaed.
aud Commissioner Matscil adjourned the case Tor
one week.
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE