The daily gazette., 1882-11-23
AsorHEn L1nEL SUR.
Ex-Chief MAXWELL Enters q suit for Libel
Agsipst tho .sIofning News Pubiishipg
Company"

Ex-Chief Maxwell Enters Suit for Iibs
Against tho ''HIofning News I'ubiishipl
Company"
| William y. Maxwell, ex-Chicf Of Police
who was accused by the Morning. Ners wfti
attempting 10 tainper With negro witness
named Shockley, who prosecuted Peter 8
Blake, colored, with Keeping gambling
house, has secured legal counsel, and pro
1 ccedings for libel will be entered forthwith
against the TMorning News Publishing
Company" proprletors Of the paper. The
writ will be served to-day.
In this connection Mr. Maxwell makes
public the following statement OF what
actually occurred when shockley visited hi.
house In company with Peter 8. Blake and
William Morris
| 1882, Peter s. Blake, William Morris and
another colored man whom did not know,
but who was introduced TO me By Peter 4
Blake as Robert Shockley, called at nv.
house. Mr. Blake stated Shockley was The
man who sworc out a warrant fer him. for
keeping gambling house. on the
| Saturday prcvious, aud that he brought
him down to my house so he could make
statement,as he did not wantto prosecute
him, (Blake.) Shockley said to me, In the
presence OF Peter 3. Blake and William
Morris, that he had been arrested on Satur-
day night, November IL, 1882, by police
officer at Front and French streets for being
drunk and disorderly that he was taken to
the City Hall, and that this charge was
made against him by the officer who
arrested him. He said that Chief Hawkins
spoke uD and asked him IL he
Knew Blake he said he did :
he asked him what kind of a
house he kept}. he said a gambling house ;
he asked him IL ne would swear out war
rant for him he said he did not know
Shockley then said that Chief Hawkins
telephoned to Mayor Wales that there was a
man at the Hall who wanted to swear out a
warrant for Peter 3, Blake for keeping
gambling house he eaid the Mayor replied
to send him up to his house NTH an officer,
and also TO send warraht ehe said he
went to the house Of come One, ne supposed
It to be Mayor Wales, but he Was SO drunk
he did not exactly know what he was doing;
he said he family ,recollected of swearing to
the charge and also Of making his mark, bat
he declared he did not know what he was
doing; he said he was released after maxim.
the charge and that it was the under
standing If he made the charge against
Blake be would be- released. Blake
asked him II Chief Hawkins told him
he would release him II he made the charge !;
he said he did. asked him If he was
sure 1t was before the Mayor that he swore
out the warrant, he said 1t was not before
Chief Hawkins, because he swore the
warrant out at the Mayors house. asked
Shockley If he knew the officer who arrested
him and he said he did not. asked
him If the officer locked him up !;
he said he did not; I told him If Ire had
been locked up, and had been released with
out hearing, he could have him arrested
for false imprisonment. He said again he
did not know who the officer was and that
he did not know what he was doing when
he swore the warrant out, for he said he was
drunk when arrested and tiIat he had not
time to become sober when he swore the
warrant out. He said he did not want
TO prosecute Blake and asked me
II he would leave the State could
anything be done with him. l
told him when he returned he could be
arrested for contempt Of court. l told him
he could make the statement he made to me
to the Deputy Attorney General, but did
not know whether 1t would have any weight
or not. also told him IT, the Indictment
was sent to the grand jury that he could
make the same statement there, but should
be sure and tell the truth, The reason
that Mr. Blake brought Shockley to my house
was because he had known me
for long time and he wanted me to hear
what Shockley had to say about the case
Shockley made his statement Voluntarily,
indeed, he seemed anxious to make 1t, and
so far Us could judge, was sober and self
possessed. WM. j. MAXWELL.
was present at the interview above de-
scribed at the request of Shockley aud
Blake, heard what was said and certify that
The foregoing statement Is correct
WlIbI4M MoRRIs.