Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-08-22
IS 1T FACT OR FICTION?
Mrs. MueIIsr's Story Concerning a
Police tfficer.
A Summary Of the lntelligeneer's Article
and Some Of the Events and Com
ments il Called Into Being.

Something akin to q sensation was oeca-
stoned among our citizens in ge-e'sl and
the police force in particular, yesterday, BY
the publication, in the local columns OF the
Inteliseneer, of series Of serious charges
against Lieutenant Of Police Stephen John
ston. The information was furnished the
Inteligencsr by Mrs. Susan Mueller,
widow lady, who keeps coffee house at
Nos. HAS and ll47 Market street, and the
story, in effect, is as follows:
That Lieutenant Johnston had on one oc-
casion visited the premises occupied BY her
in the morning, between 5 and o'clock be-
fore the landlady was up He got drink
OF beer in the bar, and then went on through
the building and
DOWN INTO THE KITCHEN.
There he met the servant girl, Miss Yesger.
What transpired in that apartment does not
appear, but the girl drove the Lieutenant
out OF doors with poker. Mrs. Mueller
saws she asked the girl what the Lieutenant
said, and she replied tina. she did not give
/. him chance to say anything. She refused
to talk further on the subject.
The next point in Mrs. Mueller s story lsan
allegation that the Lieutenant held up the
saloon for free beer. We quote Mrs. Muel
lers language:
The FIRST break he made was to tell me
that the neighbors were complaining about
NV selling beer on Sunday. l asked him
who was complaining, but he refused to
tell; asked several times, but never got
any satisfaction. All this time he had been
getting his glasses of beer for nothing, and
now he began sending his boy over at night
tor bueketful. No,
HE NEVER SENT ANY MONEY
With the boy or paid for the beer he got
himself. never charged it either; I'd as
soon thought of putting it down on piece
of ice You see was afraid to charge 1t
after him telling me about the neighbors
complaining OF the Sunday selling.
The third count in the Indictment is the
most serious We again quote from Mrs.
Mueller's story:
He Lieutensnt Johnston) came over
here one day, and says he, 'Whoisit thatplay
he piano over hereY Says |, No one; its
tie piano across the street you hear. And
lhen he said No, it was over here. Well
We got no piano, and tod him that ht
Guild 90 through the house and see fol-
7imselt. Then he says, You have women
ONE in here sometimes, and | said, Yes;
hey come in here sometimes and get
lass Of beer He said, Where do they
20? and told him they sat back in the
dall there. Then he said
l HAD ROOMS UPSTAIRS,
and tod him l hadn't; that is. you know,
| hadn't EN- for what he wanted of EN-
Then he asked what I kept two girls here
for if hadn't rooms"
Again, Mrs. Mueller says, in reference tc
this same charge: well, then he said when
iris from the Holiday house-Ids Holli-
dsy's-came in should telephone over for
BIN, and that if could fix hum up a room
upstairs, the Sunday business would be al
right; that a room where he and the girls
could go. would be money for the bar, and
I'll such talk as that told him | WASH,
N that kind of business, but since his both
ering my girls and after talking with some
OF my friends, I'm sorry | didn't fix up the
room and get him up there; then
I'D HAD HIN FINED SURE.
never telephoned for him when the women
aas here. was going to once or twice, bu
[ never cot the chance. You see all this
time / was afraid of what he told me sbou
selling on Sunday; but after his bad breaks
Sith the girls, | said, that settles it-ht
don't get no more beer here"
The fourth charge in the series is, thai
one Saturday morning Lieutenant John
ston came in early got beer from Annie
Buckley, the nurse girl, and asked to open
up early the following morning Sunday
Mrs Muellr says that after that she shut
down on the Lieutensnt's tree beer
ard stree then be had not been about.
AS has been stated, this article created
quite stir in police circles and among tn,
public generally, it being
THE UNIVERSAL TOPiC OF CONVERSATION
on all sides, many of the rumors which
have filed the air of late being incident
ally referred to. During the early part OF
rbe day Mayor Grubb called on Chief Of
Police Smith and held an earnest consulta-
ton with him. BE also saw Lieutenant
Johnston and told him that if he was
guilty he had better resign, and that if b.
did not he would be compelled to prefer
charges.
This was followed by one or two long
talks between the Chief aud Lieuleuau'
johnson. What trsnspired g. the inter
views is only impertectly known, but abou'
two clock, when REGISTER reporter saN
the Chief in his office, he said he had beer
up to see Mrs Mueller, but that she wa,
not at home, and later, he said that b.
thought Lieutenant johnson would re-
sign from the force, and that the stor,
Was Of
VERY SERIOUS NATURE.
In the evening Mayor Grub and Captain
Smith had another long consultation in the
Chamber OF the First Branch of Council
When the interview was over, reporte
asked the Mayor what had been
said. Mayor Grub said the Cap
the subject, having expressed no decided
opinion as to what the outcome would be
The Mayor further stated that if the Lieu
tenant did not resign or was not dismissed
he would be compelled to prefer charge,
against him, and ask Council for an inves
tigstion of the subject. He had told tn.
Captain that if the charges were not true
the Lieutenant had some excellent materis
upon which to base libel suit
The reporter soon after met Captain
Smith in the lobby of the City Building
and asked if Lieutenant Johnston hac
offered his resignation. Hessidh he had not
but would probably do so to-day.
Has that been finally determined on be
tween your
NJ aid H. Cooto;, uh,k shat 81