St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-07
THEY DARED TO DIsOBEY.
Two Police Officials Suspended by
Helm.
NOW, WHO IS TO BLAME ?
4 Prisoner Released Prem the Station
Contrary to the Commissions
Order. al

in police circles yesterday dlteliioon
when it became known that Lieut..
Thomas Nelson and Jailor Michael
Kennedy, of the First precinct station,
had been suspended from duty by Supt.
Helm for disobeying a recent order OF
the police commission, which stated
most emphatically that no police officer
was to release any prisoner from the
city lookup without an order from one
of the judges of the district or munich
pal court. When Lieut.. Nelson and
Tailor Kennedy returned from dinner at
1890 they found on their desks the
letters notifying them OF their suspen-
sion. Both officers took the matter as
coolly as could be expected under the
circumstances. Supt. Helm was eX-
ceedingly reticent in regard to the mat
ter and refused to say anything further
than that he had suspended the men for
disobeying the orders of the police COM
mission.
Lieut. Nelson was next seen. 'Ihe
whole matter" said he, twas this:
Tuesday afternoon l was sitting in
headquarters when PatrOlman James
Allen, on duty at the union depot.
brought in a man whom he arrested on
suspicion of running for the Garfield
hotel without having a license so to Go.
The young man claimed that he had
license, and l sent Patrolman Allen
over to the station with him while the
matter was being looked up. About
twenty minutes later the proprietor OF
the Garfield hotel came into headquar-
tiers with the license. Capt. Harvey
had Just came on duty, relieving me,
and both the proprietor OF the hotel and
I talked the matter over with him.
After relating all the circumstances OF
the case to him, [ asked Capt. Harvey
what to do, and he told me to go to the
station and see that the man was re-
leased. l went there with the hotel
proprietor, and at my order JailOr Ken
nedy released the man."
HJailer Kennedy removed his black
skull cap and smiled grimly when ques-
toned about the matter. ''Yes," said
he, 81 released the man at the order OF
Lieut.. Nelson, who came in with the
proprietor of the Garfield hotel. About
$50 Patrolman Allen brought the man
in, and I booked him for running for
hotel without a license At $50 Lieut..
Nelson and the hotel man came in, and
Lieut.. Nelson told me to release the
young man. AS the lieutenant is my
superior officer. l did so. At the time |
released the man, supposed, and
naturally, too. that he was to be taken
over to headquarters, where some eX-
PLANTATION was to be made. l had no
intention of disobeying any order OF
rule when obeyed Lieut.. Nelson and
let the man out"
Capt. Harvey said, when asked about
the matter: II remember having a
talk with Lieut.. Nelson and the propri-
etor of the hotel in regard to the arrest.
1 said at the time that the arrest was
mistake, but do not remember having
told Lieut.. Nelson to have the man re-
leased, although I possibly may have
done so. AS near as l can see, the
whole business is mistake, and will be
properly explained at the meeting OF
the commission. / will say. however,
that the TAILOR had no right to let the
man go, even if he was ordered to do so
by superior officer"
The suspension of these two officers
is likely to bring up all interesting
question; and that is, what is all officer
to do when given an order by one ofshis
superior officers to do something which
some one else in authority has forbid
den. 1t is case of disobey one Or the
other. and one of the first things man
is taught when he goes on the police
force is to obey his superior officers in
all things. Should he refuse to obey he
knows it means dismissal, or at least SO
severe reprimand that the offense will
not soon be repeated.
Tailor Kennedy has been connected
with the police force for nearly seven
years, and has the reputation of being
one of the most trustworthy, careful
men on the force. He ran beat on
Washington avenue south for long
time, and when he was transferred
the merchants petitioned to have
him returned. He is good
officer in every respect and his
friends hope to see him cleared.
Lieut.. Nelson, or Tom, as he is gener-
ally called, has been on the force nearly
eight years, and has risen from patrol
man to his present position. He keenly
feels the position he is in, and declares
that there was no intention on his part
of violating any rule.
sit seems odd to me-" said disin-
terested police official during the after
noon, "that any man should give an
order to release prisoner just after the
police commission has forbidden any
one to allow a prisoner to go except
upon written order from one of the
judges. A man must be fool to go
against that order, eyeh if he knows
that there is no case against the man
under arrest. l cannot blame Jailer
Kennedy much, as he had his orders
from superior officer and was obliged
to obey them. Then l understand that
be was never notified that the police
commission had made such an ORDER"