Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1878-02-24
A Mock Trial of a Police Officer.

EDITOR HERALD: BY your per-
mission I will offer few remarks
upon the MOCK investigation Of the
conduct of Officer McFadden, be-
fore the Police Commissioners, on
Monday last, when those honora-
BILE worthless rejected the sworn
evidence of more than dozen me-
chanics and other workingmen,
and sustained their pugilistic Off
GER upon the testimony of two or
three gamblers and whisky sling.
ers, who no doubt were only Offend
ed because they did not get hold of
the poor, unfortunate victims be.
fore the officer.
In Fridays HERALD we had
some itching scribbler hopping to
the surface under cover of the as
sumed name of Citizen" Well,
1 suppose he is citizen, and
poor one at that; and, judging from
the tissue of nonsenical twaddle he
brings forth in defense of his pet
officer, one would suppose that his
knowledge of the circums stances is
greatly limited. But, by your per-
mission, will instruct him
little.
He says that "when the officer
made the arrest of one, another of
the gang took hold of the officer
and endeavored to interfere with
the arrest" Now, this IL a false
hood of the deepest dye, as the
man never even touched him or his
prisoner. but stood before him and
offered himself as candidate for
the oalaboose, and said, Take me,
Also" when the officer responded
with blow from his fist, and fol-
lowed 1t up with another blow, I'M
til the poor man fell helplessly to
the ground. Now, being eye wit
nesses of this fact, the above gen.
tlemen, from pure motives of hu.
manity and feelings of righteous
indignation against the brutal act
of the officer, McFadden, brought
the accusation before the Police
Commissioners, and not with any
intention "to obstruct the machi u
cry of the law" as Mr.. Citizen as
serts. Again, he says: "There is a
law which makes it the duty of o
citizen to help an officer in the dis
charge of his duty when called
upon by such officer" Yes; and |
this simple fact eliminates the Of |
ficer, because he did not call for |
help when it was at hand. If he
had done so, the very men who
brought the accusation before the
Police Commissioners would have
come to his assistance. Yet, in the |
face of this fact, we have Mr.. Citi-
zen, with the most glazing effront-
cry, feeling his way in the dark,
and saying that "the very com.
planning witnesses are guilty of
misdemeanor," for not doing what
they were not asked to do. Surely,
this is strange logic. Both the Off
Ger and the Police Commissioners
would do well by finding better
champion.
Mr.. Citizen heads his epistle
with "What is an officers duty?"
and inasmuch as he has not an
swered that question, l will take
the liberty of doing 1t for him. 1t
is the duty of an officer to preserve
the peace of the city, without
breaking the peace. 1t is the duty
of an officer to watch over the puo-
pls's property and keep burglars
away but, by some strange misad-
venture, they are always absent
when those night visitors are pres
ent. 1t is the duty of an officer to
use the poor as they do the wealthy,
but 1 am sorry to say they do not,
as they fear and reverence the lat
ter and club the former, and are
made heroes by those who employ
them for doing SO, as the case in
question proves the fact. But they
are not SO much to blame as the
system that clothes them with
their authority. To reform the po-
lice we must first reform the
power that creates them and the
ballot-box is the place to do it.
Yours truly,
A WORKINGMAN.
Los Angeles, Feb. %, 1873.