Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-08-23
M!1he At@>itatat+
FRIDAY MORNING. AUG. %. 1878.
Local
Examination Of an Official.


Examination of an Official.
Yesterday afternoon Magistrate G.. D.
taken at the request of Chief of Police L.
J. Crowder. There being no warrant IN
the matter the magistrate required Anna
Smith (colored), who alleged that the
Chief of Police had fired at her daughter,
Lizzie Bun,gardner, to make complaint,
which she did.
The girl Bumgardner testified that she
was returning home near the gas works
Monday night, about 10 O'Clock, when she
heard a man standing at the bottom of the
path leading to Capt. Crowder's house,
say, s'Stop there! 1 want to- see you,"
speaking in "a low tone, like those row.
dies.' She was walking fast and kept on.
The man fired at her, and ''fire flew all
around'' her, and the man pursued and
caught her near Mrs. Gillock's steps. He
asked her what she was doing in the row
around there. She said she had been in
no row. She asked him to take her to her
mothers house, and he did so. After ask
ing further questions he said he would see
about it in the morning. Heard no bullet
from the pistol.
Ed. Grove testified that he was at Mrs.
O'Donnel's Monday night, and heard the
shot, and went out. Met the Chief of
Police, with the girl in custody, on the
bridge. From the girls statement wit
4Io,,-L& chn bod ctorfod fN III op6
the shot was fired. Crowder said he had
heard a row in the vicinity, and had come
down to see about it, and OF hailing this
girl she had run and he had fired to scare
her. Crowder looked as if he had dressed
hurriedly as his net shirt RAJ visible.
Witness said in reply to a question on the
stand, thht he had made no bargain that
if a warrant against him was withdrawn
he would come here and testify against the
Chief. Heard no row near the gas-house
that night.
Two colored men and women were called
but knew nothing of the shooting.
Chief of Police Crowder testified that on
Monday night he went home about 81
o'clock. Shortly after retiring his wife
awakened him saying there was a row in
the gas house neighborhood. Hastily
threw on his clothes and went down. The
police have had much troubleiin catching
negro dance house rioters by their videts
being posted and running ahead and mott
flying them. AS he got down to Greenviile
Avenue saw the girl and halted her. She
stopped and looked at him hard and then
ran. He pursued, blew his whistle, and
fired his pistol in the air to brighten her.
On catching her she begged he would not
take her to Jail but to her mothers, which
he did. She denied having been in a row
and he said he would arrest her in the
morning if he should hear that she had
been.
Mayor W. L. Balthis testified that on
Tuesday morning Capt. Crowder reported
the facts given in his evidence, to him. -
Officer Newman testified that at the
hour named he heard the police whistle
blow, but as that was the night for trying
them he did not go to the spot. The po-
lice had had a good deal Of trouble from
informants running ahead of them and
giving intelligence. The Chief of Police
told him next morning of the whistle blow
ing and firing.
Officer Hounihan testified to going home
with the Chief of Police at 81 O'Clock Mon
day night.
AT the close of the evidence the Chief of
Police said that he had asked for this in
y~estigation because of some vile reports
that had been circulated in connection
with the matter.
Magistrate Pearman decided that the
officer had been sustained in his official &C
ton and that there was no evidence of any
intention to do other than brighten and
capture the prisoner.