National Republican., 1883-02-14
A PARTY NAMED SMITH.
His Charges Against the Police and Private
Citizens Fall Rather Flat
The Commissioners See Nothing IL
Them Worthy Of Their Attention
He Seems % Have Been Put Forward as a Counter
lrritanl by Interested Parties,
Some Recent Burglorics which the Grand
jury Is Investigating.

making certain charges against Lieut.. Arnold
and Capt. Vernon of the Metropolitan police
force, and other persons, which were pub
lisbcd in TIE REPUBLICAN, yesterday, Gre
ated quite a sensation. Both officers promptly
denied the allegations made and sent COM
munications to the district commissioners re-
questing an investigation. Capt Vernon, in
his note, said:
In reference to the inclUsod charge, published
in this mornings REruBuCAN newspaper of this
city, made by one JOhn l., Smith, have the honor
quiry aud investigation iu,o hat matter as well
as any other charges or allegations affecting my
character eitheras u man oruu OOhcerot the police
department WitnOut limit To time, place, or any
other circumstances.
Lieut. Arnold's letter is Ms folows
respectfully call your attention to an article in
this mornings REPUBLICAN, wucioin some State.
ments ARE made dcrogntJry 10 my cha uCter an
officer under your command. | deem that your
consideration for me could bGst be shown by ask
ing an Investigation, immediate aud thorough
without fear or favor, as such aspersinnS should Ut
once he removed from tho publC mind aud the
truth established.
jury Trusting that my request may be attended
TO at the earliest opportunity, remain, very re-
specially, &C.,
The commissioners, with celerity which is
not often employed in such cases,
MADE HASTE TO REPLY
TO the above communications, and without
granting the requests made for an investiga-
tion, which would have shown why Mr.. John
L. Smith preferred the charges, aud by whom
he was melted to write the communication,
sent the following letter:
Capt. Vernon and LGeg' Arnold, The commits
sioncns have received your communications, and
would state, in reply, that whenever charges
are made against any officer of the police by such
responsible persons as would make it incumbent
upon The commissioners to investigate the same,
they will be prompt in doing So but in the present
instance to which your communication refers the
commissioners find no occasion Tor such proceed.
ingS, the charges not being presented in u shape
worthy OF their notice.
Mr. Foster, who keeps the restaurant on
Eighth street, protests that his place is not
frequented by policy men, and the statements
of private citizens indicate that Smiths
charges in regard to the place are not more
worthy of belief than those which the COM
missioners have declined to notice.
In conversation the two officers represent
Smith as thief, man well known to the
police, and
WHOLLY UNWORTHY OF BELIEF.
Possibly these allegations in regard to him
are true, but il is believed that in this instance
he is put forward by the ex-detectivcs, who
are said to have an especial feeling against
Lieut.. Arnold and Capt. Vernon, because they
are reported to have aided the citizens COM
mittee in their investigation.
A reporter of The REPUBLICAN
INTERVIEWED MR.. JOHN f. SMITH
yesterday, who said he could produce wit
nesses to prove all the allegations made in
his communication. "Why," said he "must
Commissioner West accept my statement?
have mover been convicted in court
and have neyec been in Jail.
should think my word was as good
as either O'Learys or Murphy's They
are in Jail, but ! can aud WILL if necessary
substantiate every word in my statement
Here is a statement" said Smith, producing
roll Of manuscript that iutend to send to
the commissioners in the morning. 1t CON
tains what the one in THE REPUBLICAN, did
and more, On last Saturday night gave to
man named Thomas Lucas, Il private de-
tectivc employed by Mr.. John W. Thomp-
son, statement for Mr. Thompson
but Mr.. Thompson never received it
for instead Of Lucas taking it to him, under
stand he took it to Lieut.. Arnold, and was
told by him to burn it up, and l think he has
done So"
"What prompted you to make the state
ments you didP
"Well, simply told part of what / knew.
They have been dragging my name in this
affair, and / don't like it. If they want
There is lot more to be told.
can tell you of an occurrence that took place
in 1867, when Capt Vernon came to me
and offered mo money if / would swear that
Detective George O. Millerwas in league with
Ed. Jones, who kept the gambling house cor
ner of Thirteenth and j. streets, and which
refused to do. | can tell even more if they
want me to.
The reporter asked
EX-DETECTIvEs MILLER AND MELFREsH
what they know about the man Smith. They
said that Smith was crooked, but they
thought his word was reliable and could be
accepted. He had been mixed up in some cases
they had worked up, but his connection W tn
them was always proven to be all right. The
police state that Smith is II hard character
generally.
Several of those who have been engaged in
robbcrivs and other croOkGdnoss in this city
during the past few years have, since tho in
yestigaton into the charges against the eX-
detectives,
MADE CONFESSIONS
and those confessions, duly sworn to, will be
furnished the grand jury. The man Purkef,
who has been mentioned in connection with
some of the cases, hats confessed and told who
worked with him, and what connection the
eX-detcctyes had with the jobs worked by
himself and his cOniedcratcs
AMoNG THE RoBBERIEs
that have been committed here within the
past two years--WhiCh have been under inyps.
IlBdllOll, ana IHt CIRCUMSTANCES surrounding
which, including the parties who participated
in the work, whore the booty was disposed Of
and by whom the cases We're worked up, are
fully known-are the following:
A two-story frame house on the west side OF
Seventh street, from which silverware, lew
elry, money, and clothes were taken. Dono-
hue is said to have bought the silver and
jewelry.
House of Mr.. johnson on p street. in
Georgetown, from which lady's gold watch
and chain, lace pin, pair of earrings, u suit OF
clothes, two seal skin caps, ana small amount
of money We're taken. Alantz is said to have
bought all but the clothes.
House in South Washington, from which
silverware iewelry, Il pistol, and money were
taken. DOnohue is said to have bought the
silver and iewelry.
DIR. Whites house on Connecticut avenue,
whore a set of Cameos set of pearls, gold
watch, bracelets and other jewelry, sealsllin
sacque, and silver was stolen. DOnohue is
said to have bought all but the scalskin
sacque, which, it is alleged, was sold to
Mantz
House on L street, from which silverware
jewelry, ana money We're taken. DOnohue is
alleged TO have bought everything except hall
dozen teaspoons and forks, which, il is said
were given to Miller in MRntHs back room.
House near the corner of Fifth and NJ streets
from which jewelry and foreign coins were
taken, and which IL is said DOnohue bought.
House on X street, near Georgetown, where
jewelrY gold and silver medals, and other ar.
ticles were captured The iowelry Donohue
ID IN. hoN