Morning journal and courier., 1883-11-14
ScurusI xuN Gourisr.
Wednesday, November IA, 1883.
The Police Investigation.

sherfdan's DsFense-His De-
 niaI of the Charges.
 NEW HAVEN, Nov. 13, 1883. To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER
 I should like small space in your journal to say few words in my own defense, as I see, on reading theSmorning papers, that was tried by the Board of Police Commis- sioners at their meeting last evening without even having received @ notica to be present and hear what my accusers had to say. I write this statement simply to let my many friends in this city whose confidence have always possessed, and who, T have every reason to believe, will not withdraw that con fdence at this time, know just what was the cause of mJ resigning my position on the police force.
 Last Sunday morning, while alone in the Grand street station, was surprised by the sudden appearance of five men, who rushed suddenly in the door. They had scarcely en- tered when three of them, to wit: the chief of police and two strangers, commenced &C., cusing me of not having given all their money to said strangers I was, it is useless to say, thunderstruck, but denied the accusation ss strongly as I WI able. Suddenly the chief became confidential and taking me by the elbow asked me upstairs, where he assumed a very friendly tone and informed me that he had come down for the purpose of sus- pending me on those outrageous charges made by the strangers, and advising me as a friend, in order to escape the disgrace of suspension and trial on such scandalous &C., cusations, to write my resignation, which would be accepted, he assured me, on Mon day night very quietly without even the knowledge of stCatlin and Bollman." I aI i'm inv onTko Tuh I resign for, as I had been guilty of nothing. But he answered that to save my family the modification consequent upon such suspen- sion and trial had better own up and follow his advice. Messrs Hart and Sloat then came up and on hearing from the chief what he had proposed expressed their concur renee in the programme. begged of the com missioners for time so Rs to recover myself and see some friends, but they gave me to understand that it must be done at once. I had dread, although innocent, of the anxie- ty and trouble for myself and friends which would be caused by the suspension and trial before the police commissioners, es I had had on 8 previous occasion taste of it and never wanted any more.
 would say here that whatever was done or said by me after our going upstairs was while laboring under very great excitement and consequently I do not pretend to give it as it occurred. We finally went down stairs and I, with a trembling hand, and to great extent under compulsion, wrote my resignation. What I wrote did not ex- actly suit the chief, who has, as everybody knows, very keen literary taste, and at his command I wrote another, partly dictated by him, both papers being handed to Comuis- sloner Sloat.
 The chief then told mo, so as to save trou- ble and exposure, to give to the strangers what money they demanded, and I, comply inr with hilr rxuiah Had fn and some change of my own money. I would say, in conclusion, that during my residence of over thirty-sx years in New Haven, over two-thrds of which have served as 8 mem Der of the police department I have always tried to deserve the reputation of being an honest man, and now, at the age of al most ffty-four years, I certainly did nothing to forfeit it. The different boards of police commissioners have showed their confidence in me by promoting me from time to time, and, although I have made mistakes, have endeavored to the best of my ability to do nothing that would bring disgrace upon me or my position. Since being placed in charge of the new precinct it has been my ambition to show the Board and the people of New Haven that decided change for the better had taken place in that locality, and that from bearing the reputation of being the most lawless part of the city it might compare favorably for peace and good order with any other portion or equal population within the city limits. How tar l succeeded in bringing about this state of affairs i am willing to leave to the judgment of the men doing DO lice duty there and the residents of the terri tory embraced within the precinct.
 In regard to the charges will again state as solemnly as I can find language to convey it, that there is not the slightest particle of truth in them. I have with my fam fly lived, in the past, sometimes on very meager salary, and always succeeded in living within our means" while lately my wages, with other legitimate sources of income, have been more than enough to SUD- ply our needs without my resorting to the mean and petty expedient of taking iron. the property of drunken men placed in my custody.
 The foregoing is substantially the state ment which I would have made and sworn to, if had been, as I certainly think l ought to have b. en, notified to appear at the meeting last night I now see, as could not see on Sunday, the grievous blunder I made in submitting to tEe bull dozing and blandishments of Chief of Po- lice Webster. But, as I said before, I was so astounded on being accused so suddenly of such an offence that I fairly became un- nerved, and while in that condition did what now and always will regret as the greatest mistake of my life. RegrettiDg that have taken up so much space,
 am yours respectfully,