Daily Republican., 1883-09-17
IHVESTIGATlN0,
the Police Committee OF Council
Hear Mayor Wales statement.

Last Saturday evening q meeting o
the Police Committee of City Council
was held in the Mayors Office at th'
City Hall, for the purpose Of investiga
ting the cause OF the differences which
have arisen between the police depart
ment and the Municipal Court. TIL,
Mayor, Chief of Police and several
officers were present, and upon thu
Mayor being invited to make a state
ment In reference to the causes which
induced the officers to take their prison.
ers before Squire O'Neill tor trial, In
stead of the Municipal Court, he said
that it was done by his orders, and
that all cases which could be heard be
fore the Squire were taken there by his
direction.
He stated that when the Municipal
Court was organized, and Mr.. Cummins
took his place as Judge, he treated him
with the greatest courtesy, and explain
ed everything in relation 10 the work.
ings OF the Mayors Court. He also in
structed the officers to do everything in
their power to assist him, but he so Oh
found that the Judge was inclined tc
treat them with contempt, and not give
them the slightest protection in the dis.
charge of their duties. The Mayor says
that when these acts were repeated day
after day, he felt justified in interfering
on behalf of his officers, and ordered
that the cases should be taken before
Squire O'Neill.
He said that he had a precedent in
the matter, from the fact that some
years ago when this city had a Repub-
lcan mayor, Democratic Legislature
gave the Democratic Justices of the
Peace jurisdiction over cases that pre-
vous to the passage of the act could
only be tried before the Mayor, and that
this was done for the purpose of taking
the business away from him. When
the police were taking their cases before
the Municipal Court, the prisoners were
either discharged or had nominal fines
imposed, and the result was, that in a
short time tramps and others who had
gone through the farce of a hearing and
been discharged, returned to where the
police had taken them from, and when
threatened again with arrest dared the
police to lock them up, and in some
instances invited them to take them in,
for they tauntingly said, call that will
be done with us will be to give us
something 10 eat and n nights lodging,
and then let us 60 in the morning"
The Mayor contended that it was a
saving to the city to have the cases
heard before Squire O'Neill, rs they
would he tried by him any time when
they were brought in, and the expense
nc vNril
. leasure Of the Court to hear the case
was saved. When the Court was first
organized, il Mas stated that it would
be in readiness TO hear cases at any time,
tut instead of that the session which is
held at O'Clock in the morning is the
only one during TIE day, as none are
held on Sunday.
If prisoner Is arrested for any Of.
fence whatever at 10 O'Clock on n Sat
urday morning, he must remain locked
upuntil o'clock on Monday morning,
unless he is taken somewhere else than
before the Municipal Court for a hear
ing. When case in taken before Squire
O. y ell it is often disposed of without
any expense for feeling.
Chief Hawkins also made a statement
of the indignities to which the police
had been subjected by the Court, and
claimed that ii had never given the Of
ticers the slightest protection in the dis
charge of their duties. The sergeants
and number of patrolmen were also
heard, and all made the same state
ment in respect TO their treatment by
the Court.
The committee then adjourned to meet
to. morrow evening, when it is probable
Judge Cummins will I've invited to be
present and make his statement.