The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-10-03
POLICEMAN HANSON.
Hearing OF His Case Before the Board Of
Mayor and Aldermen.

a meeting of the Board of Mayor and AL
dermen was held yesterday afternoon, at
8 O'clock in reference to the complaint made
against Policeman Hanson. Prior to the hear
ing Ellis B. Usher was ordered sent to the In
sane Asylum,
The complaint of Solomon Schryver was
that on Sept. 9th he was bruised and NAL
treated by Officer Hanson, with unnecessary
violence, the officer taking him to the station
and locking him in cell for an hour. He
complained that the arrest was made with
indecency and haste, the officer not allowing
him time to lock his safe, or leave any one in
charge Of his store, and he prayed for the re-
moval of Hanson from the police force.
The facts of the case as told by the parties
were published at the time Mr. Schryyer,
the complainant, first took the stand. He told
how Mr.. Hanson and Mr.. Moulton came to his
store on the day in question; that he declined
to let Mr.. Hanson or Mr.. Moulton have GER
tain sheets and pillow cases in his possession,
unless they produced a search warrant. or-as
he expressed it-made their affidavit; that
thereupon Hanson seized him and took him to
the station, not allowing him a chance to lock
up his safe or leave any one in charge of the
store.
Mrs. Moulton was the next witness and she
testified that the sheets and pillow cases in
question were her own.
Mr. Nathan Webb then stated that he was
probably, in measure, responsible for the
misunderstanding Of the officer in the matter.
Mr.. and Mrs. Moulton were, at the time Of the
affair, parties to divorce suit. Mr.. Moulton
suspected that Mrs. Moulton had taken certain
sheets and pillow cases from his house and
sold them, or pawned them, and he wrote a
note to the city marshal on a slip or paper,
asking him to have the matter looked up.
1t afterwards appeared that the marshal was
not in and the deputy who received the note
was just going off duty. He turned the mat
ter over to the other deputy who instructed
Officer Hanson to go with Mr. Moulton and
find the goods
Hanson told his story to the effect that Mr..
Schryver refused to let them see the goods, al
though he admitted having them in his pos
session, and when he told Mr.. Schryver that
he must let him see the goods or go to the sta
ton, Schryver told him that he would have to
get somebody to help take him there. Hanson
furthermore stated that he asked Schryver to
lock his store, but he wouldn't, and that he
left Mr.. Moulton to keep the store until he
could send somebody to relieve him. After he
got Mr.. Schryver to the station he went to see
Judge Knight at once and got a warrant. and
also to see Mr. Webb and tell him the man
had been arrested.
After Gen. Mattocks and Hon. Nathan Webb
had made their arguments, Mayor Walker
cited the law, which says the Mayor may ap-
point, or dismiss, a member Of the force for
misbehavior or other cause, and the Aldermen
shall confirm the appointm ent or dismissal.
To him this trouble seemed to be a single act
between the parties, Schryver and Hanson.
The officer perhaps exceeded his legal rights
in the matter, and perhaps Schryver did not
treat Hanson exactly right when he went to
his store. But there was no charge of incom-
potency brought against the officer and there
fore the Mayor did not see how he could re-
move him. If, therefore, he failed to dismiss
the officer, there was nothing for the board to
approve OF disapprove. If any member of the
board should choose to draw resolution Of
censure the Mayor said he would receive it.
In reply to question by Mr.. Cunningham
the Mayor said the aggrieved party could bring
a civil suit for damages against the officer
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.