The daily gazette., 1883-04-05
HENNIS' BAD TEMPER,
ANOTHER PECULIAR DECISION
BY THE MAYOR.
AN IMPUDBNT PoLICEMANs ACT.
starting Row and ArrestinR His Victims
An Illegal ActiOn-Invading a Mans
Property without u Warrant.

Officer Hennis was in his war paint and
glory last evening when he succeeded In
having John and Henry McGrath tried be-
fore His Honor for assault and battery.
The officer, by his own testimony, showed
conclusively that he is no fit person to keep
the peace. His statement was as follows
II was informed about 10 days ago that
should get the names of ali persons
who had in their keeping unregistered
dogs. Pursuant to this order l informed
McGrath, on Sunday last, that be had better
get his dog registered. On Monday morn
ing, about o'clock, had warrant issued
for the arrest of McGrath; did not serve
the warrant but gave 1t to Officer Green who
went there and found that the dog was
registered; Green returned the warrant to
me and said should go and see for myself
| went to McGrath's house and asked him for
the receipt. He said l should find out from
my book learning | then said If you had
not been so bull headed there would have
been no trouble. | then started away when
the boy said Twas bull headed said that
they should not be SO damn bull headed
then started back after him when the father
aud daughter tried to keep me out. / sue
ceeded in getting in the yard the boy
threw two stones at me; one struck the
girl, the other hit my hand fired up in the
air to call Officer Green's attention.
Officer Hennis had seven witnesses, who
testified to various things, but none testified
that the McGraths had started the row.
The testimony of the McGraths was sub
stantialy as published in Mondays issue of
the GAZETTE.
The Mayor was very much one-sided in
all his remarks and was in favor of giving
the officer the benefit of everything in
doubt, in direct opposition to general law,
which gives the prisoner such advantage.
Harry Sharpley represented the defend
ents, and made strong address, contend
Ing that the officer had no right to enter the
McGrath property without a warrant.
"Now they are tried here for disorderlY con-
duct, while the testimony of all the witnesses
fails to show where there was any disorder
on the part of the defendant. When are
people secure or safe If not ou
their own propertys The boy would
have been justified in killing the
officer, for they had a perfect right to
keep out the officer who insisted on forcing
his way into the yard without warrant.
The officer is supposed to be a conservatOr
of the peace. He is not supposed to break
the peace. l therefore ask that the case be
dismissed"
The Mayor decided that they must give
| security for court in the sum of 500 each.
OFFICER vICKERs' CASE.
The case of Officer John Vickers against
John H. Quigley, a collector for the late
| firm, of George Kelley & Company, for
assault. aud battery, wac then taken up.
Vickers testimony was as follows
Yesterday morning about 10 o'clock
while was standing on French street below
| Second, talking to ex-Police Officer
| Sewell about team which
had halted because it was overloaded, my
step daughter called TO me from my house
and said that this man, pointing to the
| prisoner, was there again, insulting them
1 went to the house and this man turned to
me and said you are the man want to see, ,
and added, i want the bill you oWe tht
firm He said that if the bill was -. ;
he would see the Mayor and have me dis
charged, and also that he would put an edi-
torial in the paper. told him he was talking
to gentleman and ordered him to leave the
| house. / repeated the order twice. when he
refused 10 go; so 1 took hold OF him and
pushed him out. When he struck the pave
ment he turned round and said you are
dirty beat (here the statement differs
slightly from that of Quigley' who said that
the remark he made was, your uniform
does not allow you to treat
man like that.") l then went off
the step and took hold of him
by the shirt collar, when he hit me three
times in the mouth. forced him up against
the post and officer Thomas came up and
took hold of the man, and told him to go
| along quietly which he then did,"
The testimony of officer Thomas was sub
stantially the same as that OF Vickers with
reference to the assault, other than
that, when he took hold OF
Quigley's hand, he said; ''Give it
to him Joe," and that Vickers then hit the
prisoner once in the face.
Several other witnesses were examined
when Harry Sharpley, counsel for the de-
fence, addressed the Mayor, holding that
the officer was trying the new way for pay
ing old debts, and claiming that Vickers
had no right to lay violent hands upon the
prisoner first, which he had done, from his
own testimony.
Mr.. Sharpley addressed the Mayor at some
length on the rights of the public and the
authority of an officer, at the conclusion of
which His Honor fined Quigley Sc and costs,
the bill amounting to S16.60.
A member of the firm of Geo. Kelley &
| Co. paid the bill.