Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-04-19
SQUIRE SAMSON AGAIN.


II Catechised by tho Auditors, and Retires
in Good Order-Procecdings in Yes
terday Afternoons Examination.
At 8 o'clock yesterday afternoon in
obedience to summons of the county
auditors, Alderman Samson again ap.
peared before that body and he was cat
echised at some length in regard to his
administration of justice.
In answer to questions put to him, he
said he had never bad before him any
cases of persons charged with jumping
freight trains or unlawfully riding on rail-
road cars. He said he did not know where
the parties were arrested, or who were
complained against by Edw. Kautz, police
man at the Pennsylvania railroad depot.
John Jones and NJ. Light were arrested
witnesses in each case,but none of tie cases
were made out, and defendants were dis.
charged.
The alderman said he did not always
give the warrant of arrest to the officer
who made the complaint he uses his own
option in such matters sometimes it is
not convenient for the complainant to
serve the warrant.
Mr.. Rced-When arrests for drunken
and disorderly conduct are made, what do
the officers do with the parties arrested
Ali they are too drunk we commit them
for hearing at some other time.
Mr.. Reed.-Is there not a city ordinance
which directs that all persons arrested by
city policemen for drunken and disorderly
conduct shall be takeh before the mayor
for hearing? Ayes, sir.
Mr.. Reed-And yet the officers violate
the ordinance and take the offenders be-
fore aldermen for hearing, because there
by the fees may be increased. Have you
ever seen any Of the city policemen drunk
A.-Yes sir, have.
Mr.. Reed-Then they ought to have
been arrested.
Mr.. Samson-No when l saw them
drunk they were not disorderly.
Mr.. Reed-DO you keep clerk in your
Office? A.-No sir, not regularly; make
all my own entries, but sometimes my
sons fill up the complaints.
Q.-DO you make the entries in your
docket at the time of the hearing? A
Not always :; sometimes make them a
few days later. The docket shows the
charge against the accused some of the
warrants issued in my early practice do
not, but later ones do. Sometimes names
of witnesses are put on subpGnas after
they are issued.
Q.-How does it happen that all the
cases brought against a number of boys
by Mr.. Stauter were dismissed? A.-Mr.
Stauter, who is an old man, was very much
annoyed by boys who stole his fruit aud
otherwise troubled him. He made COM
plant on information furnished by the
neighbOrs, but when the hearings came
off they failed to identify the boys.
Stauter afterwards shot at and wounded
one of them and complained that felonious
assault was made against him. He then
made complaint against another gang of
boys, but could not identify them and
they were discharged.
OIL see Emil Aust is complainant in
a great number of cases, charging assault
and battery. Who is he? A-He is a
music teacher, and boys are in the habit of
annoying him.
OIL sec B. Simmons is prosecutor in
six cases; who is he? A.-He was at the
time the complaints were made running
an engine don't know where he is now.
Q.-Who is William Titus ? Ale is
constable of the Ninth ward.
Ole is prosecutor in six cases of ma
liclous mischief in one day. How does it
come he could not sustain any of his
cases Al don't know.
Mr.. Reed.-It seems to US that when an
officer makes complaint he ought to have
sufficient evidence to sustain it !; and if he
don't, he ought not to be paid. 1t is all
right enough fer officers to prosecute
offenders and do all they can to preserve
the public peace but they should be
sure they have a good case before they
make complaint.
To this sensible speech the alderman
what law he sent men to prison for seven
days for drunken and disorderly conduct.
He answered that the law limits the pun
ishment for the first offence to an impris-
onment Of not more than 80 days, the
magistrate having discretionary power to
make tho term less.
This closed Mr.. Samson's investigation
for tho day, the auditors intimating that
they might want him again after they
shall have h card the cOnstables.
Cons,ablos ON tho Stand.
Constable Andrew Eichholtz was ex-
amined yesterday afternoon and testified
to his part in the arrest of the nineteen
GAoluPS uiSpOSCu "a w AIucImssu HpuIIIoI
in September last, as recited in that mag
istrate's examination. He said the arrests
were made on complaint of Mr.. Mussel-
man, DR.. Musser and others. Musselman
lives near Wilmer and Musser near Smoke
town. The arrests were made at the latter
place. Officers Leman and Kautz were
with the witness when tho arrests were
made. They had NO warrants because
thre was no time to get them. The con-
stable in the locality had been complained
to prior to the complaint entered at Ian
caster. but he made no move in tho mat
ter. The tramps were all drunk at the
time of the arrest. Witness did hot
know whose land the tramps were on, but
knew the owner was one of the complain
ants. The tramps we're brought to town,
and some of them taken to prison
and others for a hearing. Alderman Spur
rier keeps witness accounts, and the county
solicitor frequently strikes items from his
bills. Tho constable could not explain
how it was that Shay has the cases of
Munson charged with drunken and disor.
derry conduct and malicious mischief with
costs all through, while witness had his
case for. larceny with costs all through,
though he was arrested on all these charges
at the same time and place? Witness had
been constable of Lancaster township
three or four years, so appointed by the
court, and he goes into the county to ex-
anime the roads to see that they are in
good condition. When witness makes two
or three complaints against one person it
is all right. Sometimes the officers have
to 60 two or three times after witnesses.
Aln,, 49,: L.