Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-12-04
FOR ARNOLD AND KELLY.
The Committee Of Ten Call ON the
Commissioners.

The Committee Of Ten Call on the
Commissioners.
PAPER PRESENTED, ASKING RECoNsIDERAT ALTON OF
THE CAsE-wHAT WAS SAID AT THE INTERVIEW
THIS MORNING.
televen O'Clock to-day Messrs. P. F. Bacon,
Martin +. Morris, Allison Major, Wash B. VIII
hams, James L. Barbour, o. G. Staples, Edward
Temple and Henry W. Garnett, OF the committee
OF ten appointed by Chairman Riggs according to
the resolutions adopted at meeting last Sat
urday night, called upon the District Commits
sloners IN felatlOn 10 The eases OF of eutS. Arnold
ana Kelly. All three OF the Commissioners were
present.
Gen; Bacon introduced the committee and pre-
sented Mr.. NJ. +. Morris, who read the following
paper to the Commissioners:
THE COMMITTEES STATEMENT
WASHINGTON, ID c., December 4, 1885,
IOhe Commissioners OF the District of Columbia.
Gentlemen-At pubic meeting of representa-
tive citizens or this District, held on Saturday the
E. +. Riggs, esl., was authorized and directed to
appoint committee OF ten citizens to lay before
you respectful protest against the action re-
Gently taken by your honorable board in regard
to Lieuts. Arnold and Kelly, OF the police force
and to request from You reconsideration OF the
case. In pursuance OF this authority, Mr. Riggs
for the purpose Indicated, and We accordingly
come before you to express to you what be believe
TO DE the sentiments OF an overwhelming majority
OF our feli0W-citiZenS OF the District OF Columbia
The citizens OF the District have taken unusual
and extraordinary interest in this matter The
officers in question have become well known to
them by many years OF faithful and efficient service
In positions OF trust in which they have been SUBJ
lected 10 the severest tests and have always been
the sentence now passed upon them very seriously
affects the best interests or the District Without
at all questioning the HONOR the integrity and the
sense or justice with which they believe every
member OF Your honorable board TO be animated
the citizens OF The District are not satisfied that
justice has been done to these two officers They be-
nd h1nr, 1n1i
error in regard TO them by feeling of Indignation
for the IMPROPERLY the suggestion OF which has
gwen occasion Tor SO much scandal They are
fully convinced that these officers are guilless of
wrong, certainly OF any intentional wrong; and
that In any event the punishment visited upon
them Is harsh and excessive.
Inspired by these views this committee on he
hall OF the dizens OF the District whom il repre-
sents, respectfully suggests that your honorable
body would do well TO take into careful cOnsidera-
ton the wishes Of the community over whose
affairs you have been selected to preside and they
feel that you will not do wrong in acceding to
those wishes. In the name or those for whom we
have been chosen to act on this occasion, we re.
spectfully request you TO review and reverse your
action In regard to Lieuts. Arnold and Kelly.
very respectfully,
PETER F. BACON, Chairman.
NJ. +. MORRIS,
JAS L. BARBOUR,
HENRY WISE GARRETT,
EDw. TEMPLE,
WASH. B. WILLIAMS,
O. L. STAPLES,
A. Major JR
MI MOTIFS said that DIR. Lincoln would have
signed the paper but II Was taken to him too late
Tor his signature.
"These gentlemen" remarked Mr.. Webb with
an accent OF Interrogation, .'whOse names are
gned 70 is paper were not at the meeting
MIR. Barbour said he was not. and Mr.. Staples
ana Mr. Temple said they were not.
can ! ask" said Commissioner Wheatley,
~
=, Two or three members Of the committee said
they had. ~
Mr.. Barbour, Mr.. Staples and others said they
had not. '
Commissioner Webb said that this case had
more consideration at the hands OF the Commits
SiOnerS than any case that has ever come before
them In relation to police matters In the first
place 1t was the only case that he had known of
where Il Commissioner had presided at the trial
Col. Ludlow and himself had never seen the testi
m0ny until the official report OF it was placed in
their hands and they had then read and cad it.
or course the Commissioners
would consider any good reasons presented why
they should reopen the matter ''We want you to
he added, that what we have done,
we have done only after the most careful consider
alton OF the whole matter"
sac col Ia Ludlow repeating Mr. Wheateys question:
Salu ne InOugnC IL lair TO ask how many OF
the committee had read the testimony
~ nave read the testimony as printed in the pa
pers, remarked Mr.. Williams -
.'Ihe testimony was not printed in the papers"
said Col. Ludlow. ff"
Mr.; Garnett said that he had the same facts be-
W - iiAAti uS lie laQ also
report OF The testimony from the same StenOp-
rapher. He had it Yesterday before the gentlemen
Q! the committee and fully explained to them all
that had been proved. They were fully aware OF
everything that had been testified to. At the
nearing, he said, the counsel had been informed
tnat That was not hearing, but the testimony
was being taken, as it is taken, by an examiner In
fhals &c. really according to the record
sn l gentlemen mad not hearing, as the CON-
mls,ioners had refused to hear the counsel
II declined to hear counsel" said Mr. Webb.
because did not want to hear argument on q
question of fact
Mr.. Morris said they had not come to argue the
case; they had purposely avoided it In their writ
ten statement but simply to represent that the
community was deeply stirred over this matter
and to request reconsideration 1--WE simply ask.
you, " he said, "to consider our report"
The committee then withdrew.