Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-01-17
THE POLICE INVESTIGATIONS.
The Testimony Concluded and officer At
wood Reiustated.

wood Reinstated.
The investigation of the charges preferred
against officer Atwood was resumed at P
II. on Saturday Mr.. Atwood stated tina
4. L. Burke, who was his first witness
had not arrived. He wished to prove
by him that it had been the custom, a;
far back as sixteen years ago. at the
police headquarters, for the officers on
duty nights to sleep after late hour, and
that officers who had done so had been subse.
quently promoted. The Chief of Police said
that for the sake of argument he would admit
such to be the case.
Mr.. Atwood then took the stand. He
said that in relation to the first charge ii
is a fact that l went to sleep in
the latter part of the nights referred
! to in the charges. had been suffering for a
day or two from neuralgia, and had lost
sleep on that account, and after taking large
doses Of quinine to quiet the pain got asleep
on the lounge late that night, and presume
slept soundly. 1 have also laid down towards
morning. and slept on other occasions while
at the office This. however, was the custom
of all the officers who have preceded me, and
those who have served alternate nights with
me have done the same
| AS to the charge of being absent twenty
minutes on the night that French was ar
| rested and brought in, [ wish to say that
officer jackson came in to report warrant
which he had served on Riders beat, and
| when Rider came in he complained of other
| officers serving warrants on his beat. We had
some convers ltion about it, and officer aca-
son and went out to get drink, and were
not gone more than ten or fifteen minutes
In relation to the charge of taking money
| from the safe, | wish to make this statement:
| was ordered one morning to go to San
Francisco to make some arrests. l only had
| few moments to make the train, and not
| having money to so with was compelled to
take $50 from the safe. | left word with
officer Rider to tell the Chief that had Dor.
70 Ted the amount from the safe and would
make it good. l have on two or three other
occasions taken ont small amounts for day
or two, but never failed to return the money
and make the deficit good.
When McMahon was arrested and put in
jail he had on his person new revolver which
he offered for 81 80. The City Attorney
wished to purchase it and asked me to lend
him 81 30 to pay for it. | had S10.p:ece,
which [ offered him, but as we ccnld not
make the change he asked me to borrow the
amount out of the safe, and said ne would re-
store it the same day. He did not, however,
manu- IL 10 LIE luz SOLiC bug hDtu AlC uIAl
put it back. The portion of the IS deposit
of Clark's which l took out had not been re-
placed when | was suspended three or four
days afterward.
As to the Rider money, it was a private
purse belonging to Mr. Rider himself l was
obliged to make change in the office and used
some of Mr.. Riders money. He came in be-
fore | hada chance to get it, but as soon as he
asked forit l went out immediately and got it.
When Haggerty was brought in I searched
him and put the money in the safe and never
touched it since. If there is deficiency in
the amount know nothing of it. After the
Chief ordered me to do so 1 always, when
money was found upon prisoner whose duty
it was for me to search, entered the amount
on the Court calendar as directed
f. 7. Burke appeared and testified: was
Chief of Police for three years following 1864.
We only had eight men on the force at that
time. The officer on the night watch was
always allowed to lock the doors after II
o'clock, put the keys in his pocket and go to
sleep upon the lounge.
o. G. jackson testified that on the night
when French was arrested and Atwood alb
scented himself from the Office, he did so to get
drink with him at Mrs. Johuson's, and
after they had been together about ten min
utes they separated and Atwood star ted back
for the office.
This closed the testimony, and attorneys
Jones and Clunie argued the case to consider
able length, TO the effect that while there had
been technically a violation of existing rules,
the matter Of sleeping late at night in the
office was simply following an established
custom. Also, that the money taken from
the safe, while such action was irregular, the
money was in each instance returned and no
wrong was intended nor did any injury re
suit.
Chief Karcher reviewed the testimony
against MIR. Atwood. and finally emaked,
referring to the other Commissioners, that the
verdict had been forestalled.
Mayor Turner at once desired to know
what was meant by the remark, but the Chi=f
stated that he did not intend thereby TO make
any instructions against either the Mayor or
Police Judge and the matter dropped
The Mayor then briefly reviewed the case
and said that as t. the first charge it seemed
to be custom to sleep at the Office late at
night In relation to the charge about taking
the money from the safe, he regarded the
rules OF the Police Department very lax in
this respect, ard that onlv the Chief should
have key to the ssfs. He considered the
charges technical only, and he should refuse
to punish Mr.. Atwood.
Judge Henry reviewed the matter, and
made similar conclusion, but said it was the
sense of thu Commission that Captain At
wood be censured.
Chief KaIcher desired his verdict to be re-
corded that the defendant was guilty of the
charges.
Judge Henry then remarked that he was
satisfied that MIR. Atwood intended no harm,
bus on behalf of the Commission pronounced
censure upon him, after which he was rein
stated and the case brought to close.