The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-10-31
man, but think it was Mr.. Mabry; but
wont he positive

NV Duo OiiiCcTS NcSG ana 1ASnWOrth.
Officer Vest testified: II saw Mr..
Patterson raise his fist to strike Mr..
browning and | rushed over to his
assistance. when he caught hold of my
coat and held on. tearing it in the back.
! CThc officer here showed his coat, which
had long rent in the back.) | did not
strike him with my billy, for had none
| with me. struck him with my fist to
make him let my coat loose. tried to
get him to the mayor, hut they pulled
him the other way. He was resisting
from the beginning to tho end. He drew
his arm back but did net strike Brown
ing made only one effort. don't think
Patterson was back against tho crowd.
Ashworth and several other officers were
there, don't remember who they were.
Several policclnen had hold of Pattcr-
SON.
Questioned BY the Mayor: Il helped
to put him in the cell. Mr.. Ashworth
and several others helped to take him
back. locked the door of the cell"
| Questioned by Mr.. Scott: My in
structions from the chief are TO lock up
! any ono arrest on the street"
! Questioned by Mr.. Dcrr: ''Icould not
| hold Patterson in one place and get in
structions from the mayor. locked
MN up to sec the mayor. We could not
get him to where the mayor was. / con-
sidered that Patterson was guilty of
contempt OF court"
The mayor: Il think it the duty of
the police to bring any one creating a
disturbance in this court before mo-"
Officer Ashworth was sworn and tcsti-
fled as follows: The crowd drifted to-
wards me. My object in taking hold
| general row, and my intention was to
keep order Patterson held onto Mr.
Vest. He was resisting all he could.
had hold of him. He was very stout,
though an old man. do not recollect
what other officers assisted.
Questioned by Mayor Evans: II choked
Mr.. Patterson to make him loosen his
hold on Mr.. Vest. | did not order him
to do anything. Don't think any one
did. We were trying to get him out of
the court room. think my hands did
the choking. ] caught him just where
could get hold of him.
Continued: "Our orders are to arrest
and lock up any disorderly person so
that they can he brought before tho
mayor. do not know who WAS To blame
for this disturbance"
Officer w. \. Vest testified: Il heard
someone speak, and saw Patterson
throw his head back. The crowd gath
ercd round. Ashworth and Jasper Vest
had hold of him. started TO assist the
officers. but could not reach them
Officer Mahry testified: II didn't sec
the beginning of the difficulty. first
saw Mr. Vest taking Patterson back
through the crowd. saw Vest strike
Patterson, who had hold of him. l do
not know that Patterson struck anyone.
never laid my hand on Patterson.
| saw Ashworth, Vest. Browning and
some other officers there, but do not re-
member who any were hut those
named"
Mr.. Browning said he wanted an ar
ticlc in THE TINES correctoyl. lie was
fiot highwRyman or anything of that
kind. The mayor said he had no au-
thorlty III this matter.
The mayor then rendered tho follow
ing decision: First thi,ak in this mat
ter Mr.. browning was too hasty and in
discreet in not referring this matter to
the court which was tkcn in session
Sccond-'Dflicc Vest l1d Ashworth had
nothing To Justify thon in striking IL
man, except in sclf-iefcncc there
fore suspend all Of them for thirty
days vii hout pay, AMI fine As,worth
and Vest - each, referring the matter
In the '.ncantimc to the police commits
sioncrS
The fgcstigation into the conduct of
OiiS'iS div" hliiS- NcSJ ana NShW0rth
was taken up by tie board of police
commissioners conn i'll the evening. Practi-
caily tive same Testimony was given Nv
the witnesses who appeared before
Mayor Evans in the morning.
Mayor Evans himself stated his
knowledge of the occurrence. and that
ne had given instructions to the police
to bring offenders before him. lie had
seen little of the flair, as at the time
his attention was distracted by the pro
fuse bleeding of cut finger. as we'll as
the business before him. He had
ordered the disturbance to cease, and
had tried to call them back. The whole
thing was over in II few moments A
policeman has no eight to punish He
| Is expected to preserve order. Mr. Pat.
terson i have knouN, since 1881.
Chief Morris testified that he had
| known Mr.. Patterson since 1852. and
that he was fine anan and a law abid-
ing citizen.
After argument Of counsel the com
mlssloners were not long in arriving at
their de cision. They verified Mayor
Evans Ct cision as to Browning, ;asd in.
creased the suspension of Vest and Ash
worth To ninety days.
Tried to Fok the Bank.
OLTvET, :. d., Oct. So Special IA
robbery vas attempted at an early hour
yesterday morning op the Hutchinson
county Treasury at this place The
| burglars made hole through the brick
wall of the vault and secured an en-
trance. Ire outer doors of the cafe
which was fCl the vault, had been left
open an account of some trouble with
the combination lock, and the inner