Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-14
THE UNsAvORY BELT CASE.
The Trial Of Policeman Harper ON .
Charge Of Giving False Testimony.

The Trial OF Policeman Harper on q
Charge Of Giving False Testimony.
To-day at police headquarters, the trial board,
Capt. Vernon and Lieuts. Green and Guy, had
before it the case of Private Joseph Harper.
charged with having, in the case of Mary Alice
Belt against Eugene Belt violated rule 9, para
graph 9, of the police manual, by giving false
testimony before the commission taking evi.
dence in this city. Mr.. H. Wise Garnet APP
peared to prosecute the charges, and Mr.. Har.
per was represented by Mr.. c. S. Moore.
There are nine specifications setting out that
Harper testified that ne had been sent in citi-
zen's dress by Lieut.: skippen; from the third
17O6 L street, which was suspected OF being ga
loose house," that he conspired with w. T.
he testified to seeing a woman at the door who
looked like the photograph of Mrs. Belt, &C.,
knowing such testimony to be false.
of those who occupied the house in question
was excellent, and that there was no occasion
for the house being watched.
DIR. A. II. Witmer, OF the Government hospital
for the insane, testified that Lieut.. Skippon had
been an inmate of that institution since June
time.
Mr.: Harper. on hearing the charges and speci.
fcations. said he was guilty of some, not OF
others, but he filed a plea of not guilty.
Mr.: w. H. Smith, the stenographer who took
Mr. Harpers testimony, was sworn. and read
Harpers deposition, which is to the effect that
In 1879 he was detailed in citizens dress by
Lieut.. Skfppon to watch the house. and did SO;
that he went first and saw lady at the door,
who looked like the one whose photograph was
exhibited, and that Officers Lamb and Benton
told him who lived I'm the house; that he went
a second time on a like errand and saw hack
drive up to the door and so reported.
Mr.. John A. Carson testified that he had re-
sided in the neighborhood of the house men,
toned since 1873. and the reputation of the
lady and the house was excellent, and there
were no houses of doubtful character in that
neighborhood. From the point from where
n a N q tn a
house an air line would be fully $50 feet. The
house had a bay window, and it would be diff
dusk it would be impossible for him to dis
inguish features at that distance.
Mr.. William Woodvile testified that he lived
In the house in question; that the reputation of
the lady and her house was first-class; never
saw Mrs. Godfrey or heard of her being in the
house. Admiral Stanley lived at the house.
Mr.. H. T. Butts testified that he had been at
the corner of 18th and L streets, and, standing
there, could see the door jam and part Of the
door.
On cross-examination witness said he thought
IT he had gone back to the wall he could have
seen I'm the door.
Observation-Disclosures was at the house in 1880:
never heard OF Mrs. Godfrey being at the
house.
officer D. w. c. Lamb testified that he was an
officer of the fourth precinct in 1878 The state
ment made that he, with Officer Benton, in
| formed Harper who lived in the house was un-
true; don't Remember ever seeing Officer Har-
per watching house from the corner of 18th
and l. streets: never heard a word against the
ness, had he seen an officer from another pre-
cinct piping house on his beat, would have
noted 1t.
Lieut.. John A. Swindells testified that he
succeeded Lieut.. Skippon in charge of the third
precinct, he thinks, in April, 1879.
testify to the good reputation of the neighbor-
hood and the house in question was admitted
It was shown that Benton was an officer in the
third precinct from 1878 to 1882.
Mr.. Harper insisted that Notwithstanding
this it was true that he met Benton in the
he ss1 9so
| referred to 1873 or 1879, and it may have been
in 1873, Lieut.. Skippon being then in com.
| mand.
Mr.. Smith read the testimony of Benton (ta-
ken after Harper testifed) that he on the
beat beat In the fourth precinct In 1879; that he
he found the door open; on one occasion find
Ing lady and gentleman on q sofa. Several
portions of the testimony were denied by Har-
per. This closed the testimony.
Mr.. Harper was sworn and testified that he
was sent by Lieut.. Skippon to watch the third
house from the corner. Saw nothing the first
time. and was sent back six or eight days after
wards and saw the hack. but saw nothing to
preached him until he got the subpoena. Muir
rell had asked him II he knew the lady. He
said be did not know her. He insisted that
and Benton was true. On cross-exainination
win said he had not been approached by
Golly or Ferguson. When he wentto Cunning
| hams office he was shown a picture, but he did
not id nifty 1t with any one. Had no CONVEX
sation with any one about money. Was in
Cunningham Office between and minutes
! AS for the statement that he had identified the
woman he saw in the door, it was mistake
Mr.. Garnett, addressing the board, said that
the order sending Harper to the fourth precinct
was unknown; that they had shown that Benton
was not in the fourth precinct, and he claimed
that Harper must have known that the teSti-
mOny he gave was false.
The board took the case under advisement
Alexandria Affairs.
| Reported for THE EVENING STAR
NEW SCHOOL PROPoSED.-The city school
board was called together last night at the re-
| slider the subject of establishing eigth-grade
school, He introduced resolution that Wash
| ing school No. be established an eighth
| grade school; that second seventhgrade
school be opened at a room TO be rented in the
Friends meeting house, with a teacher at $50
per month, and that the proper desks, black
| room. He had, he said, procured the services
of nighly-competent teacher, who was willing
| the hope OF future advancement. Messrs.
| Strauss and Vincent favored prompt action on
| the plan. President Stuart thought that the
finances of the board should first be consulted
The superintendent said that the matter was
one which the board should thoroughly con-
E, slider. TheresoutiOn was referred to the finance
| COMMITTEES, with instructions to report next
| Tuesday evening.
| CoRPoRATIoN CoURr-The corporation court,
VIM. Fountain has been convicted, with Ran
dali Fountain, OF assault on police officer.
|
| to Jail for 80 days and the latter for 60 days.
A. ID. LyieS has been convicted OF forgery and
| sentenced to the penitentiary for two years.
| The case of Samuel jackson, indicted for as
| sault with intent to kill his wife, has occupied
| the court since noon.
| NOMINATION.-The republicans of city and
county met ut JOhnsons hall, in Alexandria
| county, last night, and nominated A. c. Har-
mon for the house of delegates.
| SCHOOL BOARD.-The school board last night
| elected Chas Brown janitOr of the Peabody
building. The candidates were Alexandria
| Douglas, Jane Green, John Dogan, G. A. Lump
| kin, Chas. Brown, Mrs. q. l.. SeatOn, D. Middle
| ton and Moses Simms. The board directed
| adjoining owner, in having the west fence wall
| OF the Peabody school yard rebuilt, offers from
S6S to $50 having been laid before the board
The superintendent was authorized to have q
bronze Peabody medal engraved to commence
| rate the coming centennial of Washington
| school. A lantern was ordered for the janitor
| OF the Peabody building.
| Observation-Disclosures Fisher, q well-known
| colOred barber, on King street, near Washing
| ton, died this morning.
| ACCIDENT. - II. jackson, of Fairfax, was
brought into town to-day for treatment, having
| cut himself badly with an axe.
| POLICE REPORT-There were two prisoners at
the station house last night-Elizabeth WASH
| warrant and then not attending the trial; and
Nan Lucas, for disOrderly conduct.
NOTES.-The flood of yesterday morning has
substded.-An unknown man passed 81
| check, signed ]. H. ID. SmoOt, on Mr.. GIL Simp-
son last week. Mr.. Simpson on Monday found
that the check was bOgus.-An old white
woman named Mrs. Kearney died yesterday in