Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-14
POLICE TAKEN TO TASK.
GETTING AT THE FACTS IN THE
POWELL MURDER CASE.


There was an unusual display of blue
cloth and brass buttons in the Mayors
Office yesterday afternoon. T1e lnFesu-
cation by the Mayor and Police Commit
tee of Council of the conduct of the police
In the Powell murder case was begun.
An account of the murder, which oc-
Cured on the night of Oct. /, appeared IN
the News the following day.
At the Sst meeting Of Council Capt.
Fred NJ. Hull. at whose house the murder
was committed, charged the police
with q derelicuou OF duty. and asked
Cor an official investigation. The mat
ter was referred to the Police Committee
ana the Mayor. The Chairman OF the
committee, Alderman O'COnnor, and
Aldermen Hamilton aud Nell, with
the Mayor, composed the court
ioi inquiry which met yesterday.
chief OF Police Gen. Anderson. Assistant
Mounted Police Mikell. Townsend an
DIVER, and Patrolman Fleming, who was
first at the house after the murder, Capt.
Hull and W. Hampton Wade, Esq,
were the witnesses.
THE INvEsTIG ALTON.
The investigation was held In the May
lor's room at the City Exchange. Chairman
lO'Connor, before beginning the investiga-
aion, read the statement of Capt. Hull 10
tthe City Council. Capt. Hull was then
tput upon the witness stand, and made
substantially the same statement before
isbe committee. except that be had mis-
itakenly used the name OF Mounted Officer
Mikell for that OF Officer Townsend. he
identified Patrolman Fleming as the Off
Ger who was first on the spot after the
shooting, and whom be said was helped
into the room where the wounded woman
Law. The rest of his statement
was substantially the same as
that given IN the MORNING NEWS.
The charges be made against the police
were that the shooting was not reported
promptly at headquarters and that no
effort was made by the mounted men to
capture the murderer.
TAKING THE TESTIMONY.
W. Fl. Wade, Esq, who lives next door
TO Capt. Hull, heard the shooting and
reached the scene of the murder before
Officer Fleming. He was IN the room
when the officer came in. After returning
from the hospital, where he went for
physician, he saw the officer still there,
and going up to him be said: This is no
place for you. Your business is to ne
| after the murderer" He then gave the
officer description of Powell and pointed
lout the direction in which
he went. the officer made no move, and
Capt. Hull, after asking him twice to re-
port the case to headquarters, finally or
dered him out OF the house. The rest OF
the witness statement in regard to what
transplred corrOborated Capt. HulPs
testimony.
PATRoLMAN FLEMING's STORY.
Officer Fleming was then put on the
stand. He was on duty in Forsyth Park
of 10 mi W OF
fthe fountain when he heard the shot. He
ran in the direction from which the re-
mort came. and located the shooting in
Cant, Hull's house. He went in and saw
the woman who was shot, but did not
think she was dangerously wounded. He
then went out into the street and blew
his whistle for assistance. He denied
that anybody ordered him out OF the
house
why didn't you report the case to the
barracks?" asked the Mayor.
81 did"
"When?"
"When 1 was relieved from duty at
i2:l5 O'Clock"
"What did you reportr"
That negro woman had been shot at
Capt Hulrs house."
"where were you when you beard the
shooung?'
sat the fountain in the park"
What time was 1t then~
"a quarter before H."
"What time was it when you reported
at the barracks"
"A quarter past 12.'
"Why didn't you report the case at
once!
II could not leave my beat.'
"'Who was on duty at the barracks
when you reported there:'
''Sergt. Lee"
THE WOUNDED WOMAN.
'sDid you think the woman was badly
woundedE'
"So! DR.. Coldiug told me she was
not"
Ibid Capt. hull ask you to report the
case at the 5arracks?"
~ told him l would report it when
was relieved"
"Did YOU blow your whistle"
Yes
'.What for?"
'.For the mounted men,"
did anybody blow your whistle for
your"
Eyes"
"Whyw
Because they thought they could blow
It better than | could"
"N no were the mounted men that came
10 the house."
''Mikell, Townsend and Dwyer."
did they all go away together7'
Gone OF them went before did and two
of them at the same time that did"
"Why didn't you tell the moGated men
10 report the caseT''
~ did. Officer Mlkeil SAID he would
report IT,
There was some conflict IN the witness
testimony as to whether any of the
mounted men started for the barracks, or
whether they resumed their beats.
OFFICER MIKELL's STATEMENT.
Mounted officer Mikel was put on
the stand and told a straight forward
story. He was riding on East Broad
street when be beard a report that
sounded like a pistol shot aud then a
whistle. When ne got TO the house he
saw Officer Fleming there and Mr..
Wade. who told him what had hap
pened and gave him a description OF the
negro. IL inquired" the officer said, ''if
Capt. Hull wanted the woman taken 10
the hospital. and was told that be
did not. l then rode of with.
out saying whether / was going
70 the barracks or not. | did not have
any conversation with Officer Fleming.
After following through the lane towards
the Savannah, Florida and Western rail-
road, IN the direction in which MIR. Wade
said the negro went, and failing TO get
any clue, started back 10 the house. II
was then IL 80 O'Clock. On the way Imet