The Evening critic., 1883-02-13
THEY WON'T HOLD WATER.

non and Lieutenant Arnold Are
G0nd-What liz said About Them
ana Their Author.
The Republican of this morning published
q sensational statement, purpOrting TO give
the substance of letter written by one
John L. Smith to the press and the public,
the Commissioners and the Citizens Com
mittee, with the object of showing alleged
irregularities in the Police Department
The publication was as follows:
The communication alleges that policy
shop firm here, composed oftwo Baltimore men
and one William Wagner, or Bill Woodyard,
has been exempted on the general raid, be-
cause Lieutenant Arnold and Wagner are warm
friends; that Wagner come time ago made
Arnold's daughtera n present OF gold watch
which was stolen or won by the two monte
men, OLeary and Murphy that although
Arnold claimed that he did not know whore
the watch came from, and so reported to
Major Brock, he was cognizant of who
sent II, and after keeping II for a
while sold 1t for SO. Tho number of places
which have been occupied by Wagner In his
policy business are given always In the Fifth
Precinct, and his men are now said to be To-
Gated at Fosters Rest, on Eighth street.
Lieutenant Arnold is also charged with hay
ing received $25 for recovering $4,000 In
drafts for d. A. jenkins, who lost them at
bunko, and the same amount from a soldier
who had been robbed OF large sum of money
by a couple of street-walkers, which money
Arnold recovered
1t is also charged that Arnold and Captain
vernon compromised felOny with Two crimt.
nails who "worked" member Of Congress by
the "badger" game. Capt. Vernon Is charged
with having received plain gold ring from
monte aasn ne nePt an 'he e1a hsn
turned It over TO the property clerk; also to
have received gold watch and chain from the
monte mon, and beautiful watch seal from
Brockway, the forger.
what Arnold and Vernon Say.
A CRITIC representative saw Captain
Vernon and Lieutenant Arnold this morn
ing, and interrogated them concerning the
charges.
Captain Vernon said that he would pre-
fer to make no specific statement for pub
lication, except to deny emphatically and
positively that he had done anything in
consistent with the honor and integrity of
conscientious officer. The charge that
he had compounded felony with Lieuten-
ent Arnold was false. The case alluded to
had been compromised with the knowledge
Of the higher authorities, and in way that
was perfectly honorable and unavoidable.
There had been no dealings with the
criminals in the case.
The Captain said that he had nothing to
say concerning the reception of the gold
ring and turning it over to the property
clerk except that he had done so and could
not have done otherwise and pursued the
honorable course in regard to the matter.
The remainder of the charges were totally
false, and those referred to were innocent
and legitimate actions tortured into crimes
by malicious persons who had sought in
vain for evidence of guilt on the part of
himself (Vernon) and others.
Captain Vernon Immediately after reading
the published article addressed the following
MANLY and straightforward letter
to the Commissioners;
To tie Commissioners Of the District Of Columbia
GENTLEMEN: In reference to the fnclOsed
charge published in this mornings Republican
newspaper, of this city, made by one John L.
Smith, have the honor TO request at your
hands the most searching inquiry and investi-
gation into that matter as well as any charges
or allegations affecting my character either as
man or an officer of the Police Department,
without limit, as TO time, place, or any other
circumstances.
have the honor to be, gentlemen,
Most respectfully yours,
CHARLES II. VERNON,
Captain and Inspector.
The author of the letter, John L. Smith,
is said to be notorious professional thief
whom no jury in this District would be-
lieve on oath. He has been sentenced to
Jail repeatedly for larcenies; has been pros
ecuted as thief, as a monte man, and a
suspicious character, and is now out of
Jail on bail, awaiting trial for stealing
watch from an intoxicated companion at
Godfrey's, for which he was sentenced to
Jail for six months by Judge Smell and APP
pealed. ...... ,-,i.,I.
Lieutenant Arnold was Seen
and made full denial of the charges, and
said that he also had applied to Major
Brock TO ask the Commissioners for an iu-
vestigation. He would substantiate Cap
tain Vernon's statement, that they had
never compounded felony or done any other
| corrupt act. The Lieutenant said that he
| hoped that he would be allowed a public
| investigation, by which it would be shown
| that all his official acts had been straight
forward and honest.
Among the charges against Arnold the
principal is his friendship for the policy
man, William Wagner, whom it alleges
always locates in his precinct, is never ar
rested, and was excluded from the recent
general raid. The malicious falsehood of
these charges is shown by the fact that
| Wagners writers" aud other employees
have been repeatedly arrested in the Fitch
Precinct by Arnold and his men, and that
through the instrumcntality of the Lieu
tenant Wagner has been frequently obliged
to pay fines. At the recent raid Wagners
place ,raS raided but was not found to be in
operation.
The Watch Story.
The charge of Lieutenant Arnold's re-
ceiving gold watch from monte and
policy men is very contemplate when it Is
known that the watch in question was de-
livered at the Lieutenant's door during his
absence by an unknown messenger and
that he endeavored to find where it came
from and finally advertised in daily papers
of June 90 and 81, 1881, that he had no
right to keep the watch and would return
it TO any person who would establish their
claim to it.. No one responded to the ad-
vertisement, and Arnold, by permission OF
the Chief of Police and Commissioners, re-
tanned the watch.
In the case where the Lieutenant is
charged with receiving S2j for recovering
$4,000 he has the receipts and documents to
show that he recovered the money by very
shrewd detective work, and when the
owner pressed him to receive the reward he
took ii and turned it into the police fund
In the other case the Lieutenant has re-
ceipts for the full amount recovered. All
persons who have been conscientious in
their interest in the detective investigation
are anxious to have any evidence brought
out or corruption in any branch Of the
Police Department but they are equally
anxious that no official should be victim
ized by false, malicious and groundless ac-
cusations. H.
Prosecuting Attorney Moore stated thi'
morning "John i. Smith can make nj
statement rejecting upon Lieutenant Ar
mold which will be received as true by any
person who knows Smith and who know!
how diligently Lieutenant Arnold has en-
deavored to rid this community of Smitl
H.. - Ii, ,..4a 4 !