National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-05-08
Detective RaT's Perjury Cnse In the
Police Court.


When after 10 o'clock yesterday the case
Of The United States VS.. Henry Raff,
charged with perjury, was called, the police
court filled up with officers, detectives,
lawyers, and court attendants. Mr.. Layen-
der, the prosecuting attorney, read the
warrant, which recited that Detective Ran,
on the 4th day Of May, swore IN the police
court, while one Clarence O'Brten was
being tried, that Frederick Miller, son of
ex Detective Geo. o. Miller, was thief,
and had been arrested in Baltimore for
stealing, which his father had to fix up by
going over there. These facts Mr.. Miller
swore to be untrue. Mr.. Darlington, coun-
sci for the defendant, conceded at once in
the opening that RafT may have made some
mistakes in bis sworn testimony, but that
he did not do so wlllfully, because he (Raffl
thought bis information to be true. In
substance, said counsel, every word was
true. He did not think the court would
send good man to the penitontiary for
just making mistake. The frat witness
was Capt. Prince, the clerk Of the court,
who testified that the case of
O'Brien was tried in the police court on
the day named, and that Raft testified as
charged in tho warrant. The next witness,
Mr. Gait, deputy marshal, testified Ia, the
same effect Mr. Olass, an attorney, testl-
fled that he was present, and heard the
bdlnts AuI. ~. ID. w hlllldulb, WHO
OBrien, testified as to what Ran swore,
and substantially the same as the other,
adding that Raft at first hestated to name
Miller, but was forced after he had called
him thief. Fred T. Miller testified that
since 1883 he has attended races ana worked
on horse race tracks, was never In his life ar
rested for anything, but had been, previous to
1888, employed In the sergeant-at-arms'
Office OF the House Of Representatives,
Ntfla hal ha1 NA r
money. AS reason for his discharge
there, he said that the change was due to
the coming in OF the Democrats. Pictures
were shown young Miller to establish his
association with disreputable characters,
but the court held that inasmuch as thore
was q specific charge against him, proof
must be directed to that point. John b.
Wolf, O member Of the Baltimore police
force, saw young Miller at tue race course
in October last, and, although he saw him
continually, never knew him to have
been arrested in Baltimore. Martin
Hagan, detective from Baltimore, testified
that he was regularly stationed at the race
course In Baltimore; was at the last Octo-
ber races knew Miller we'll; thought his
character to be good; and never knew him
to have been arrested in Baltimore. At
this juncture the court observed that the
government had made out case by ad.
mitting that Raff had made mistake.
Then Mr.. Raft was placed upon the stand
and testified that he did swear what he
could not prove from his own knowledge.
He thought he had a right to swear and
take for granted anything he may hear from
any official. Acting upon that assumption
he did swear, both that young Miller was a
thief and had been arrested In Baltimore
for stealing. He received his information
at police headquarters in Baltimore when
on a visit there last year, not officially, but
from the talk of some OF the officers. ae
did not speak Of it until forced to do so In
court and is willing and anxious TO retract
and make any kind OF apology demanded.
More detectives from Baltimore testi-
fed. to about the same effect,
when the court decided that young
Miller was not proven guilty of what Raft
had sworn Of him, and was therefore honor
ably exonerated; but, as In cases of perjury
the law requires that the false swearing
should be willful and malicious, the court
Thought there might be doubt upon that
point. Young Miller, the court held, had
clear case OF having been slandered by
'Raff, and his remedy lies in civil action for
damages---while the case was dismissed.
Some Of the passers-out OF the court room
remarked that judgment for damages
against Raff was a poor satisfaction, and
the general feeling was that a more con-
temptlble and pitiful exhibition of s'reckless
swearing" and seating crow" had seldom
been seen In any court room. "If,n said
an officer, ~ had sworn half as reckless I
would he tried and dismissed at once.',
.