The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-19
FIGHTING FOR HIS PLACE.
The Trial Of the Charges Against Lang
Begun by the Commissioners.
The Superintendent Tells the Story Of His
Visit to Questionable Resort-Oficers
Testify to the Condition Of the Force.
LANG ON TRIAL.


cially given to the almost interminable run of
comment relating to police affairs the past year.
The charges against Superintendent Lang hav-
ing assumed proper form, the Commissioners
took them up for investigation, with an audience
comprising minister here and there. citizen
of law and order not far away, the man about
town in near position, and more than one poll
tician of ward Importance trying to
get q place to hear all that was
said. There was also q fine array
of legal talent, including the gentleman on be-
half Of the prosecution and defense Gas By
field appeared as the legal adviser of the Com
missioners, while Prosecuting Attorney Har-
ding. Mayor Denny City Attorney Taylor,
Lawyer Bernhamer and ex- Cocs missioner Nor
rison sat near the center Of interest attentive
spectators. The valiant Sim Coy, however, was
not present in person. He held up the fire plug
at the corner Of Alabama and Washington dur
| ing the early stages of the proceedings One Of
the commissioners remarked the other day,
"Sim Coy is troublesome nobody. After all
| this is over he will want to claim the glory Of
getting Lang's scalp That is, if the charges are
sustained. He puts himself forward and makes
himself obnoxious. The Commissioners are not
inclined to consider Simeon at all in this matter
Perhaps Coy had az intimation of this feeling
| and thought it the part of wise politician to
gst nearer the place Of investigation than the
| fre-plug at Perry's drug store corner. There
| fore Mr.. Coy did not illuminate the proceedings
with the glorious halo Of greatness that over
tops his cherubc form. He preferred to do the
statesque outdoors with the assistance of fire.
plug An innocent stenographer, though. who
made his first appearance yesterday among this
well-known portion of the community, wanted to
know who the gentleman was in the tar corner.
THAT is Colonel Downing, police commits
sioner."
II thought it was Sim Coy"
Half-past o'clock was the time fixed for the
beginning of testimony, but a long wait occurred
for the coming of Mr.. Byfield and Judge Clay
pool, the latter being Of the attorneys for
the superintendent. To brief statement from
Mr.. Span, for the prosecution, that he had no
personal feeling in the investigation aud did not
wish to prosecute any man, the defense, through
Mr.. Elam replied that they were anxious for
thorough investigation. and that they would Of
| fer no Instructions in the way OF preliminary
motions or objections. Mr.. Spaan said some
witnesses wanted to escape too much publicity.
| as far as they were concerned, but he would
| have them before the board If there is any law
to bring them into court With this the testl-
mony began with that from Superintendent
*,
He said he was appointed to his present Office in
December, 1883. He remembered going to the
house of Flo Ballard. West Maryland
I street, one evening last summer. Major Rob
| bins and gentleman who claimed to be his
brother-ln-law, from Florida, accompanied him.
| He did not know the gentleman's name He
considered the visit something of an official
character. Major Robbins called to him that
day and asked witness to meet MIN at o'clock
that evening. The Major wanted to go to the
Ballard house to see about horse and buggy
the sale Of one to the woman. He wanted the
| superintendent Of police to 60 with him, as he
| did not wish to 60 without an officer. The Major
| thought the presence OF that officer would give
| the affair more dignity. Flo Ballard keeps
| house of prostitution, but he did not think 1t
| particularly notorious. They met at the Bates
House but did not 60 directly 70 Billiards..
| They first went to the Zoo. Witness had no
official object in going there He had no process
! to serve The frst mention Of the Ballard
| visit occurred at the Zoo, and it was there Rob-
bins first spoke Of the buggy trade He saw at
| Billiards. two or three well-known business men.
| There were, besides the woman Of the house.
| two other women. Witness sat down, as did
| Major Robbins and his brother-in-law. Il
| simply sat down, and got up when we were
| ready to leave" said the Superintendent II
| talked very little to the Ballard won an /
| heard Robbins say to Miss Ballard something
| about having buggy to sell. bus she replied
| that she and the gentleman who was to buy the
| buggy had fallen out. We went there little
hour was on our return to the Bates House. 1t
| was then 1045. Possibly We were gone an hour
aud half After being at Billiards. few
minutes asked Robbins if he was ready TO co.
He replied yes, and we started to the front door
| 1t was raining very hard, and we then waited
until it ceased l saw no dancing, but beer was
| drunk. The gentlemen paid for it, presume
| The woman claims to have United States
| license, but cannot tell whether or not she had
a city license. All of the gentlemen were in the
room all the time"
| The evidence then turned on an interview the
| Superintendent and Sergeant Quigley had few
| days later. The Sergeant reported to him that
short time after the visit referred TO there was
| noise in the house, and he went to the door to
| tell them to keep quiet
did not the Sergeant tell you that Ballard
| said the Superintendent had just left, and that
| it was all rightW
there but did not say that said 1t was ali right.
| did nothing further in the matter after the
Sergeant reported to me-"
| The superintendent said he was acquainted
| House saloons. II have heard he continued
| shat they keep open on Sunday. went to the
places named six or seven times on Sunday
| during the year. l instructed the men
| to watch them. and they reported them
all in good shape. gave special instructions, it
is true. to Detective Mcmillan to look after these
| saloons In general. Officers Joyce and Conkln
were also instructed in the same work, but did
| not tell them to pay attention to any one saloon
| more than another. don't know officer
| that the saloons in the hotels named are kept
| open on Sunday, nor do know 1t as citizen
On Christmas day do not know that these
| saloons were open. / made special efforts to find
out by sending officers to the places. / went to
| the Bates House saloon three times that day and
| did not find that the law was being violated. I
have paid special attention to the Denison House
bar"
The Meek-Wa!sh affair was then taken up
| The witness said that Meek was not arrested at
| the time of the shooting. and not until two days
| afterward. The arrest was not made on his or
| ders. He remembered James Walsh the attor-
| ney, speaking to him about the matter. Meek
| was suspended the day after the shooting He
| took the same interest in Meek that he would in
| any other officer of the force He did not know
| that he would have ordered the arrest of any
! citizen had he done the shooting. The matter
| would have been investigated. He did not act