Morning journal and courier., 1889-07-17
REDUCED ONE GRADE.

Omcer Gelst0n Before she Police Conn
missioners-Whiskey or Quinine3-
Druggist Brill Says q uinine-Guilty
of Conduct Unbecoming An Omcers
Officer James R. Gelston, who wears shield
No. 25 and Is attached to the precinct, was
before the police commissioners yesterday af-
ternoon to answer charges of intoxication
while on duty, which had been preferred
against him. Several witnesses were exam
ined, none of whom seemed able to say posi-
lively that the officer was intoxicated at
the time referred to.
Superintendent Bollman informed the
commissioners that he knew nothing of the
case personally, but that he had been in
formed that @. B. Nearing, of Saltonstall
avenue, his son.in-law, and daughter had
seen Officer Gelston Intoxicated on the even
ing Of Saturday, July Is, and that several
other witnesses were present who had seen
the officers condition. In his testimony Mr..
Nearing said that some boys had broken
parts of his fence, and seeing the officer
standing on the corner of James street and
Saltonstall avenue, spoke to him about 1t.
His daughter called him back, and when the
officer came along, the latter took hold of
Mr.. Nearing and his daughter and said he
would take them all in. The officer dropped
his club and acted as though intoxicated.
Later he went around toward little shanty
on Chapel street.
A young man named Connolly disclaimed
any knowledge of the affair, and Dennis ].
Howard was requested to impart to the board
what he might know of the matter. Howard
said he saw the officer and Mr.. Nearing talk
ing together and after the officer had gone
Mr.. Nearing came over and told him about
the matter. I shoald not judge, said How
ard, that he was drunk. Never saw the Off
Ger when thought he was intoxicated. May
have told my friends that he was full that
night, but 1 can swear now that he was not.
Mr.. Moses R. Osgood testified to seeing the
officer that evening leaning up against a
building Mr.. Osgood spoke to the officer,
but did not receive a coherent reply. He
thought the man under the influence Of
liquor.
In his own behalf, Officer Gelston told the
streets that he passed through on his beat
that evening. Said he strolled down James
street swinging his club, and that 1t did
drop from his hand. He spoke to Mr.. Near
ing about the boys and passed on. He had
not drank anything Intoxicating. While
near the lime kiln he felt very sick and
leaned up against the building WHILE He
had been taking for malaria a prescription
that Officer Schamp had given him, and pro.
duced the bottle.
Druggist f. B. Brill was the most impor-
tant witness. He said: want to say that
the amount of quinine Officer Gelston had
been taking was sufficient to make any man
feel somewhat intoxicated. He has been
taking great deal of late. On the evening
in question he had been in and taken ten
grains. I feel that if he was in
that condition it was caused by
the quinine. The druggist described
the effects of a LARGE dose of uuinine
and attributed to that cause the trouble.
John Foie testified to talking that evening
with the officer who claimed to be feeling
badly. Officer Roach said that when Gelston
came in to report that night he saw nothing
out of the way with the officer. Captain
Smith, of the precinct, told of admonishing
Gelston three or four months ago, but had
had no complaint since.
The board went into executive session and
voted to find Gelston guilty of conduct I'M
becoming an officer, and reduced him in
rank one grade for three months.