Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-11-26
THIRTY DAYS.
The Time for which OFFICER Harris VIII
Take Rest.

The Time for which Officer Harris VIII
Take Rest.
The Police Commissioners net at half I
past o'clock yesterday afternoon to hear
the arguments in the cases of police Off |
GERS Cunningham and Harris, against |
whom charges of misconduct had been
made. Commissioners Gregory, Buckley
aud Lee were all present. City Attorney
Church appeared as prosecutor, and E. G.
Hart as counsel tor the accused. Charles
T. Jones, Mr.. Harris associate, could not be
present, and Mr.. Hart agreed to have the
arguments made, Mr.. Jones to have the
privilege of closing in the evening.
Mr.. Hart then asked that the charges be
dismissed.
Mayor Gregory said there appeared tc be
no issue as to officer Cunningham, bat
that there was in officer Harris' case.
Mr. Hart said it had been contemplated
to ask to have the inquiry reopened, as GER
tain facts had come 10 light calculated to
strengthen the defense, but that it had I'm
ally been concluded 10 let the matter drop
and not start 2 new scandal.
Commissioner Buckley then moved that
officer Cunningham be exoneratei, and it
was SO ordered by the unanimous vote OF
the Board.
Mr.. Church proceeded to argue the case
against Harris. Some of the charges, he
claimed, had been satisfactorily proven,
while others had not. But on the whole
he argued that the accused should be dis
missed from the force.
Mr.. Fart followed in az eloquent and
powerful appeal for officer Harris. He de-
nouneed the character OF the testimony of
feled by the prosecution, and declared that
the whole thing was the result of care
fully eoncocted scheme, backed by the
wealth of the Frenchmah CASTOR, to bring
the accused officers into disgrace and secure
their dismissal from the force. All this, he
claimed, was done because they had insti-
tuted vigorous regime in the Second and
J. street quarters. He also spoke in the
seyerest terms of officer Harvey, who, he
claimed, had been guilty of the basest in
gratitude toward officer Harris, after the
latter had done him favor in lending him
money 10 tide over his pressing necessities.
Mr.. Hart continued his argument until a
late hour in the afternoon, when the
further hearing was continued until even
ing.
When the Commissioners reassembled
Charles T. Jones made the closing argu-
ment for the defense. He asked the Board
to discard all sympathy, prejudice or polit-
zeal feeling that they might have in the
matter either way. and judge the defend
ants upon the merits OF the testimony Of
fered. He called attention to the fact that
Harris and Cunningham had demanded
an investigation. Immediately upon the
allegations against them being made public,
and said that was not the action OF guilty
men. Policemen, he said, were an abused
set of men. They were ridiculed on the
stage, they were made the butt of jokes in
the papers aud they are everywhere looked
upon as dishonorable men. This, said the
attorney, is wrong. The people, rather than
cast ignominy upon their servants, should
honor them. Their lives and their prop
ertv are protected by the police, and Com
missioners usually were careful TO put
honorable men on the force.
Referring to the accusations against Gun
ninghsm Mr.. Jones denounced them as the
most limsy he had ever heard introduced
in trial or investigation, and that they
called for nothing but the complete exon
Grafton of the accused, He made vigor
Gus attack upon the Glass Of witnesses who
appeared before the Commission and tes-
titled, and maintained that they were all
preiudiced because of having been perse-
cuted by the police. Police officer Harvey
was roughly handled by the attorney.
City Attorney Church replied briefly to
Mr.. Jones, and then the case was submitted
to the Commissioners.
Mayor Gregory asked the other members
of the Commission if they were ready to
proceed.
Immediately Chief of Police Lee rose and
said
Mr. President move that officer Harris be
completely eXOnerated. In my opinion there is
not an ota of testimony against the officer. In
making this motion | wish to add that have
not changed my opinion in regard to this case
since its commencement think 1t is one OF
the most damnable conspiraeies ever coneocted
against man. 1t dates back from the arrest
and conviction OF Kitty Crowiy for vagrancy,
and the subsequent prosecution of the man,
Langlois.
There was some silence after the Chiefs
remarks, and all eyes were turned upon
the other two Commissioners, neither of
whom seconded the Chiefs motion.
Judge Buckley finally stood up, and
after referring to the importance of the
case, he reviewed the testimony at length,
and said there were many circumstances
connected with the case which forced him
to believe that Harris was guilty ofs3me of
the accusations. He believed officer Har
vey in preference to Harris, as The former
had acted in g manner which could not be
doubted.
Chief Lee took the floor again and spoke
in regard to the Harvey matter He said
he had q great deakof respect for the of
certainly did not do his duty as an officer.
Mayor Gregory said he would like to
second the Chiefs motion, but some of the
testimony did not look Just right 10 him.
Legally he said, officer Harris was not
guilty, but morally, be considered him
guilty The officer did not do his duty
when he ordered Bailey to leave town, and
then did not compel him to do so.
Another thing the Mavor found fault
with was the fact that Harris had drank
wine with an L street deniZen. The other
charges, however, he did not think had
been sustained. He was in favor of sus-
pending the officer from the force for a
period of thirty days.
Judge Buckley insisted that suspension
or a reprlmand was not sufficient punish
ment.
Chief Lee amended his motion 50 as to
exonerate the officer bat also to reprimand
hin.
The motion was lost, Buckley and Greg
DRY voting no.
Judge Buckley then moved for the dis
missal of Harris, which motion was also
lost.
The Mayor then moved that Harris be
suspended for thirty days.
Judge Buckley was the only one who
voted against this motion, but he subse-
quentlv changed his vote to "ave," making
the vote unanimous.
Before adiourning the Commissioners
announced that in future the Board would
meet once week-every Monday morn
ing-at which time citizens having COM
plants to make against officers could APP
pears and make them. Officers were also
warned not to leave their beats while on
duty.
MALARIAL fevers and effects quickly give
way to Simmons Liver Regulator.