The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-04
WlLLIAMS'S TRIAL
TOR CLUBBING AND KICKING ONE OF
THOSE VINO MAD KISSED HIM


Testimony Indicating that the Police omcer
,o ,xhom the Public Looked Tor Protection
orom Disturbance In Giimorc's Garden
,... Himself Guilty or "a Gross Outrage.
Tho trial Of Capt. Alexander s. Williams
.r.l ,bo court room in the Police Central OfIlce
.',rore,,rinr Yesterday President Smith was
s,,r.,ualiv in his seat at II o'clock. Commits
.,oner Nichols and Commissioner Erhardt
,oon ioined him. Everybody waited twenty
minutes for Mr.. Geo. Bliss. Jr.. Capt Williams's
LAWYER. and when he arrived IT was in company
With John |. Davenport his assistant in the de-
fence. The witnesses were excluded from the
trial room until called to testify
Mr.. Seth C. Ilawley. Clerk OF the Police Board.
.ooJ tho charge against Capt Williams. that he
had been guilty Of conduct unbecoming an off,
ar. and the specification. his violent assault
upop william V. Blake in Gilmore's Garden on
the evening Of March II.
Cart. williams. having been sworn. said that
mis- name is Alexander 5. Williams. and that no
/, CAPTAIN in the Twenty-ninth Precinct. After
,his the prosecution was opened.
william V. Blake was the first witness called.
Mr. Mclean. counsel to the Board. conducting
,he direct examination Mr. Blake testified as
follows:
Il reside In Trenton. Nj. My occupation is
m, Of a potter. On the night Of March IL l was
in Gilmore's Garden at n quarter past o'clock.
attending the international foot race. | saw
Capt Williams strike an unoffendng man with
bis club. The spectators began to hiss. among
the number who did So | was singled out rs
the object OF Capt Wiliams's attack. He came
IN TO me where | was sitting thrust his club
into my chest called me a d-d sneak thief
cot hold OF me by the coat and dragged me TO
the front Of the gallery. l told him II he would
show me the way | would go out He continued
to drag me along. and struck me with his club
When l was on the ground. passing under the
track railway to get out. he gave me violent
kick. and on the other side Of the track struck
me such violent blow on the shoulder with his
club that 1t made me reel like a drunken man.
and ordered me to 20 out Of the building"
In response to Mr.. B,iss's questions in cross
examination. the witness said: " have resided
IN Trenton three years. Before that lived in
Halifax. Nova Scotia. where | remained one
month after coming from England tho last
time. was in England four years. Prior to
that time was for six or seven years in busi-
ness for myself in Halifax was not alone at
the Garden. Some friends accompanied mo
when went out they remained. and returned
after the lapse Of perhaps twenty minutes.
saw Capt. Williams when l returned, ut the
door. and told him / was going into the Garden
again. and that he had clubbed me unjustly. He
looked as II he would swallow me. but he didn't
| had done nothing but hiss never made any
declaration OF intention OF having arrow. Capt.
Williams struck me three times with his club.
once in the breast by a thrust. once when was
going down from the boxes to the track. and
once when | was going through the hallway TO
the door. did not resist but he would not give
me time TO move. and dragged mo out OF my
teat and from the boxes. He also gave me a
kick when was under the railing. am sure
be went behind me TO the hallway. forcing me
along. pushing me with his club and striking
ne. After leaving the Garden. went down 10
the Anchor Line steamships. and a little after
o'clock on the morning Of Wednesday the
18th. went home 10 Trenton. did not come
oack 10 New York until the Friday following.
then came in relation 10 this complaint
against Capt. Williams. in consequence o
personal which l saw in the Herald
did not on that Saturday communicate
personally or by writing with any person con
nected with the police force In regard TO the as
sauit upon me. but did do so on the succeed ms
Icallrd NJ Police Headquarters.
From there | wen, 10 President Smiths house
wanted TO know from him what steps ! should
take In the case. | asked him about the advisa'
blity Of bringing n civil action: lie SAID ht
could not advise. or he would rather not advise
Capt. Williams struck the strange man twice nj
least and there was no inaccuracy in saying he
struck MIN repeatedly. l consider twice re-
peatedly When Can't. Williams came up &c
the box whore was. my friends stood up 10 &c
out, but did nothing more. | do not remember
that anybody aid anything. An! yes-thank
you FOR reminding me of it-a gentleman who
wiz a stranger to me interlered and caused
apt. Williams 10 desist from striking me IN
the boxes. The incident had temporarily es
capei my memory. That gentleman told M
then 10 make a complaint TO the Police Com
nissloners. The purport OF the Telegram
which received WIS. as near as | can recol
let. Lay your ch irges at 800 Mulberry street
Ir. Bliss-Ihe copy Of the charges served
upon Us is dated the 18th Of March, They were
date Of the 18th OF March. would like 10 see
the original charges. TO see how they were
dated INSPECTING the original closely; then
with m ar Of triumph:l / call atientlon t. th'
fact that the date has been altered here. They
were originally dated the l7th, and the date has
been altered to the l9tn. call the attention o.
the Board to the fact that II It's records 10 b,
altered in this way. II Is time for some investl
cation 10 20 on here. W. will show. when tn,
time comes. that the gentleman who preferred
charges on the night of the l7th sent a despatch
On the night Of the l7th 10 have them published
IN tie papers.
Mr. Henry V. Livingston Of II Washington
square testified as follows: " | WAS In Gm0re''
Garden on the night Of March II. Know Capt
Williams and saw him there. | was within III,
enclosure by KowelPs headquarters. and heard
some Kissing among the spectators, and SAW
Capt. " lliams ascend the tier Of boxes and mo-
ton toward that gentleman tMr BlHkel with his
club. Whether he touched him on the chest OF
not cannot say. Mr.. Blake Immediately 20
W. picked up his overcOat and hat and started
g. ~ away. tut Capt. Williams took him 10y the
coat and pulled him rather forcibly from hi
place. He also struck him on the arm and IN,
crowd hlssed. Mr.. Blake offered no resistance
Capt Williams again struck him on the shoul
der and the crowd Kissed again. Mr., Blake Of
icred no resistance whatever, but Capt. vii
liams again struck him on the back. Then th'
crowd arose and could see no more. ! wa,
not more than hlty or sixty feet from wher,
% see all that was done On Thursday morninl
went down 10 see Commissioner Smith. ant
tYl him about IT,. ! did not then know th'
name Of the man who WAS struck. am unde
The impression that Capt. Williams in addition
u striking. kicked him, but | do not want L
swear to II.
Mr.. Henry Cram was called, but he did not
spOnd.
Henry Thompson lawyer OF 100 West Elev
enth street, testified: was in Gilmore's Gar
den on the II ght Of the llth Of March. and saw
Capt Williams there. | heard some Kissing ia
Ih" crowd, and Immediately after that Capt
Williams came in sight on the track. The hiss
lug then stOpDed on the side where was Cnpi
Williams turned 10 the crowd and said. lol
waat YOU are: dirty Irish - -. .Wh
don you do II now Ia ike 70 see one OF yol
do Ii now To that there was no reply. bu
there was little man short and thick set, VIII
came up 10 Capt. Williams and said, | cal
point out one. ] can make my affidavit 10 on
man Capt Williams said 70 him, Point hin