Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-05-08
80 80 80 coMMIssloN
Report sf the Committss 40 Regard -
the Shooting CT Uil r1eart

aaoost u the Committss 10 Regard .
the Shooting ot oin rear.
Tile fe.nlar s1esung of tas E9hee 4Ao
Fare Coalill ls-ioll-i- 49, neld yesterday after
l,ssii. 4l1l C1alanl--iol4F kslho.l Efa-ia-
.as ssld Canllll ls-loaers aase. Hifhsg ala
IS estes present -alerlDtsil1elt retgius
house appeared before lhe beala s.4l-.l tlat
6aaes ~. 3 snd g se sel ~ opposite side
og street fr-n snefe loa located oalef-a-
tsndent reFrs appeared before lle beard Ia
AFFAIR. pertaining lo hi- aepaEtmzlfi also
presenting has auuaal tsgort The tello@
iug cea4ll gnicaiiols Eefe received snd re-
fefrsd 81 appropriate committees FROM
Marshal Lealoin. reports ~ nrs on Mag 3.
recommending sale ~ bloek- taken lroin 40.
{ engine house floor. and report of CON
pieton " repairs on the several engine
houses. From Superintendent Perry, re-
commencing the rvappolntmsnt of ms pres
eni police foece tne ensuing year. report u
sac condition u street Aghts tor the week
ending Mar 8. reporting suspension Thomas
Robbins derelicti0u II duty. From Or. 4.
f ~ saunders, application for position ~
veterinary surgeon OF the respective depart
meats. From &. seeleg and John AcCof-
T mick applicati0ns for position GA tns police
+ force.
The following aecouat- we're approved
Police iepartmsut pay roll toF ApuL So
E 56I.l0, nrs department pay roll fof Apni,
Z 8 e5.5s, Rice Moore, 55 cents, NJ. Kin
nsy. $3.50. r. 81 Catlin. Ssl6. A.
Z Hunter. $500 B. t. McReyuolds. 5000;
F Grand Rapids Electric Ilgh. Company,
flsS Supphe- were ordered purchased
( sor the respective departments, and the
pltcing Of alarm boxr 5, s and H.. ordered
4- accommodated by the Superintendent or
Fire Alarms. The committee % whom Was
referred the invesngation OF the SHOOTING of
Vim. Heart, reported ss follows I'VE have
carefully examined into the matter ard ind
that there j. no doubt that the arrest 81 Nm.
T heart was lawful, ~ a warrant WAS Al the
uus ne the hands OF an officer. Ii. then. the
arrest vas lawfully made, and the prisoner
Expressed his willingness % accompany the
officers. promising 10 70 with them 20 the
T station house without trouble IL they would
not pat the handcuh- on hinl. he certainly
violated ms word .n making the attempt 90
7 escape. and it Is highly important that all
F persons who are IA the custody of an officer
should understand that any attempt to do so is
dangerous. and at their peril Your committee
I feels that IN this case It vas the plain duty OF
the officer IN charge 10 have put the hand
cuffs ou the prisoner and 80 prevented the
attempt 10 escape and the necessity Of using
fire arms, but that when the prisoner NO
lated the terms in which he vas allowed 10
proceed without the disgrace of hand cuffs,
Il was plainly the duty OF the officers % re-
capture him. and in 80 doing the officer
must be allowed 10 act upon the case a. it
seemed best to him at the time. We DO not
believe that either CT the officers IN charge
intended To do the prisoner any bodily IN
/ jury. but merely expected TO bring him 10 q
stand BY their firing. In the excitement Of
the chase. after dark and while the officers
we're ON the run, the chances would be a
thousand % one that neither of them could
have hit a barn door il they had aimed at it..
I Your committee therefore believe that Is
was one OF thoss unfortunate acci-
dents which sometimes occurs and that
while IN this case the officers who fired
the fatal shot may suffer from the knowledge
that ne has taken a human life. his con
duct was not such "a to call for any blame
at the hands of the Board"
The petition of Patrolman Frank Fee for
increase of salary was reported on adversely
/ The rules governing the Board for three
preceding years continued in force for the
present year. under which Commissioner A.
D. Rathbun viii Oticiate as President until
the expiration of his term OF Office. May /,
1856. The following committees were an
nouzced; On Finance, Commissioners
Weston and Rose; on Property. Powers
and Withey; on Men and Discipline. Whitney
and Powers: on Rules, Rose and Weston.
The annual report of Supt. Perry was refer
red 70 a special committee for consideration
and report. The secretary was instructed to
extend TO Mayor Curtiss the compliments Of
the Board aud invite him 20 visit it, sessions