The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-09-17
POLICE REFORM.
Chanceman Doo1ey Fined
Five Days Pay---The Case
Against Him Not
Clearly Proven.

The trial Of Chanceman Thomas
Dooley, of the Second precinct, accused
Of unnecessary violence toward a prisoner
and Of conduct unbecoming an officer,
monopolized most Of the time of the
Police Board yesterday afternoon.
Dooley was detailed for duty at Gale
donian Park on the afternoon and even
ing Of September TO- to protect a picnic
given by ST. Johns German Evangelical
Church, of Fairview avenue. About
eleven o. clock that night Dooley, while
drunk, dubbed a half-witted fellow
named Charles Loedke, and because a
friend of Loedke. Henry Shipman, inter
fared, he too was dubbed. Pastor Gott-
heb Andrea attempted TO interfere, and
Dooley drew his revolver and fourl5hed
his club. Justice Wanser next morning
discharged the prisoners, and Shipman
swore out warrant for Dooley's arrest
on a charge of assault and battery.
Pending Dooley's trial, Inspector
Lange suspended him from the depart
ment Pastor Andrea, though in COM
mand of nearly a dozen witnesses. did
not substantially prove the charges
against Dooley. It remained for Mr..
Frank Sutherland, reporter of. the
Euent1.g Journal. who attended the pic
mic with his family. to testify that Dooley
was positively under the influence OF
liquor. None of the other witnesses, ex-
cept Mrs. Westervelt, who testified she
saw Dooley drink at the bar the contents
of 3 beer glass, upon the top OF which
was a thick white foam, could testify as
to Dooley's sobriety.
Pastor Andrea, at one stage of the in
vestigation, declined to call more wit
nesses, excitedly telling President Fee
ney that it was no use, as if he brought a
witness to swear he saw Dooley drink
beer, the board would invariably rule
that it was only ginger ale.
Pastor Andrea called the Boards atten-
tion to the fact that Justice Wanser re-
marked at the hearing next morning that
shat man" (referrlng to Dooley) ''shows
by his face that he has been on drunken
debauch all night"
Inspector Lange testified that Dooley
denied next day that he was under the in
fiuence of liquor or that he used unneces-
sary violence. He had made an arrest
and crowd attempted to rescue the
prisoner. The Inspector further testified
that Dooley's mind was not altogether
clear when he denied the charges against
him.
When Pastor Andrea was called Presi-
dent Feeney put him through fire Of
cross-questioning The pastor judged
from Dooley's actions that he was drunk,
but could not swear to it. He was be-
hind the bar talking business with the
cashier when he heard the row. He went
out and saw the chanceman's club de-
scend upon the head of Henry Shipman.
proprietor of q liquor saloon, who inter-
fered with the chanceman while driving
a harmless but annoying half-witted fell
low away from the bar. He saw no
crowd around trying to rescue the pris-
oner A number of ladies connected with
the church were imploring the officer to
desist. Dooley remarked to him when he
remonstrated:-"If you don't get away
I'll do some dirty work, " and drew his
revolver 81 went far away. to give him
as much room as possible said Pastor
Andrea, amid general laugh
Counsellor Daley, who represented
Dooley. made an effort to prove that the
pastor and his congregation had all been
| imbihing and that an agreement existed
between the church folks and Manager
Harmon that if q certain amount of beer
was sold the bar privileges should be free
| Commissioner Benson objected on the
ground that the Board was not trying
| the church on charge OF drunkenness.
But Counsellor Daley said his object was
| to prove that the pastor was intoxicated,
and his testimony therefore not credible.
The pastor acknowledged that Mr..
Harmon asked him to go out and keep
the crowd off the policeman.
Shipman was next called. He could
not say the chanceman was drunk. He
asked Dooley why he dubbed his friend.
| Dooley knocked him down with his club
and then struck him again. A crowd
gathered around but did not try TO get
| him away from Dooley.
Manager Harmon, of the Park, testified
that Dooley was perfectly sober. He saw
the row, but could not positively identify
| Shipman, but thought he was the same
man who had been giving his walters
trouble all day.
Dooley, on the stand, said the bartender
asked him to remove that simpleton, y
referring to Loedke. He put his club to
| Ioedke's breast and pushed him away
Shipman grabbed the man with one hand
and him with the other. A crowd gath
cred. He told Shipman to let go. He lei
90 the simpleton and pushed Shipmar
away, but didn't knock him down. Then
he placed Shipman under arrest. He was
drunk and disorderly. The crowd tried
to get Shipman away from him. He drew
his pistol and told Pastor Andrea to keeL
the crowd off or he would do some ol
them.
Dooley was fined five days pay.
Sergeant Wilsheusen, of the Sixth pre-
cinct who, during an honorable record OF
thirteen years and nine months on the
force, had never been before the Board
upon any charge, was fined ten days pay
| for being found asleep on duty. The
|
| the keys of the cells might have beer
stolen and the prisoners set at liberty
The sergeant said he was not well on the
night in question. He took smoke, and
afterward found it impossible to resist 6
drowsy feeling which came over him. He
dropped off into dose before he knew it.
Patrolman Gaynor, of the First Pre-
cinct. was fined one days pay for being
absent without leave; Chanceman James
Kielt, three days pay for being found of
his post; Chanceman Kenny, three days
pay for being found off his post; Chance
man Charles McDougall, three days pay
for being found absent from post Severa
other policemen were to have been tried
| but the trials were laid over until nexl
meeting The payroll was passed.
William S. Moore was transferred from
the Second precinct to the Fourth pre-
cinct, and Alonzo Sturgiss from the
Fourth to the Second.