The Portland daily press., 1888-02-08
A POOR WITNESS.
The Authority on Which Gen. Dow
Makes Charges,
And what Mayor Chapman Says Of
the Witness.
The following appeared In yesterday morn

The following appeared In yesterday MORN
lng's Argus;
Ii is not a pleasant thing ~ me 10 NEEDLE in this
matter Of the relation Of our city government to
the grog shops here My reason for doing so is
this; That these places ntct great mischief and
suffering upon many of our people, and the per.
mission TO them to exist Is very great hindrance
to The rapid spread OF temperance and prohibition
LhroGgnout Tie nation, Canada and Great Britain.
am aware there are in Portland a great many
most respectable, people who are disturbed by the
of the authorities with the grog shops, especially
as the city election occurs pretty soon and such
ventilation OF the matter will be likely to affect
the votes OF conscientious men The fofowiDg
disclosure by Mr.. Steele contains but small part
OF what he told me-mllch OF I far more damaging
thah anything mentioned In In ne me .r papsr, r,ant
was formerly ON the police force under Bridges,
Andrews, Decele, Andrews, and the present Mar
shal, Hawkes.. / aal informed by him that he
made detailed statement in writing, as to many
cases of bribery among the policemen, mention
ing their names, This paper he carried to the
mayor about July last proposing himself as Wit
ness. The mayor said he would give 1t TO the
committee on police.
from Ward Four. one of the committee, who said
he had heard nothing of it. Afterward the alder
man told him the Mayor had mislaid the docu-
ment, he could not find it. Mr.. Steele is perfectly
willing TO tell the aldermen what he knows in the
bribery matter. Mr.. Steele gave copy OF the
paper TO Colonel Fay who said he would give il to
Alderman Smith, also one of the committee on po-
lice. About month after Colonel Fay said he had
given it TO Alderman Smith.
All OF this was in the latter half OF 1887, and
nothing has yet teen heard OF 1t.
Will somebody rise and explain?
NEAL Dow.
made this statement to Mr.. Dow, calling at his
Louise 70. thai purpose
THOMAS s. STEELE.
Mayor Chapman made statement with
regard TO the above matter, to a reporter for
the Advertiser yesterday morning. The
Mayor said that Thomas s. Steele was some
time ago discharged from the police force.
hat is, was given chance to resign. The
Mayor called him into his Office one after
noon and told him that charges of drinking
and incompetency had been preferred against
him. Steele was told that he might resign or
that the charges would be brought before
the committee on police. He promptly re-
signed. Later the Mayor received a letter
from Mr.. Steele, which stated that he had
found out what officers had brought the
charges against him and that he
proposed to revenge himself by disclosing
some of their evil doings. He then told, in
vague way. OF something that these officers
were supposed to have done contrary to the
police rules, as far back as 1880. The Mayor.
hhoWthS Vic dHiuiuo VI biiio CudiSc dSdiuob
two officers who had never been suspected Of
wrongdoing, and who were regarded as two
of the most faithful men ON the force,
thought it not deserving eff any attention.
He told the committee on police of Mr..
Steele's letter, and they agreed with him en-
tirely in ignoring the communication. But
it was remarked then, that If Mr.. Steele had
any charges to bring against any member OF
the force, he had better appear in person be- I
fore the committee, aud they would listen to
what he had to say. They are also ready to
do the same thing now.
Alderman Smith corroborated the state
ment of Mayor Chapman in every particu-
lar. He said that Mr.. Fay showed him a
copy of Mr.. Steele's letter to the Mayor.
Mr.. Smith was familiar with the matter, al
though he had not seen the letter until that
time He told Mr.. Fay that when Mr.
Steele wanted to come before the committee
on police to make any charges, he should be
ready to listen to him.