Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-12
GUY IN THE LAWYERS, HANDS
The Testimony Closes With . Remin.
tscence Of the Shuriand Case.

| Ano testimony Closes With . Remin.
tscence Of the Shurland Case.
COUNSEL WILL HAVE couprr oy pAYs-rHr
DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS p1rYxl As TO raE
HIaRr OF THE ACCUSED TO Possess HIMSELF
OF COL RCBRRT's PRIVATE INFORMATION
When the hearing of the Guy case began at
10 o'clock this morning in the board room OF
the District building it seemed to be the gen.
erai impression that the case was rapidly ap-
preaching conclusion. What the result will
be Is mere matter Of conjecture, for so far
the case has been almost entirely one Of state
ment and denial. Every bad story that has
been presented against Lieut. Guy has been
promptly denied by witnesses for the de-
Tense, and so the whole case has run until it
has become almost q question Of the credibility
| OF the various witnesses. For very many OF
| the witnesses on either side other witnesses
have been brought to prove that they we're re-
| putable people and that their testimony il
worthy of all belief.
MORE LIGHT ON THE sHURLAND CASE.
Mr.. Will C. Wilkerson now station keeper Of
the fourth precinct station house, but keeper
10 Lieut. Guys precinct at the time the raid
was made on Mrs. Boyd's house, in which
Officer Shurland participated, was the first wit
ness called by the district attorney today.
Milkerson was asked about the instructions
that were given to the officers on the occasion
| of the raid. Some witnesses have testified that
| Guy ordered the officers to get a couple of
women and 60 to the house to make a case,
and offered them the use of his Masonic en-
blem to enable them to enter the house. Others
have been just as positive in denying this
| story. Wilkerson testified that he was in the
room at the time the instructions were given
| to Shurlsnd. He said that conversation had
taken place between Guy and Shurland
with reference to the matter of a raid on Mrs.
Boyds house. He was not sure. however.
which one of the two had spoken of the plan Of
getting tho women and then going to this
house. He remembered very well that day
or two after this conversation he heard Lieut.
Guy ask Shurand il he had gotten the girls, or
could get them. Lieut.. Guy. according to
Wilkerson's teitimony, said that the whole mat
ter was understood by Maj Dye and that any,
thing that Shurland and Maddox might do
would be all right
"Were you a witness in the Shurland trial?'
asked Mr.. Claughton.
"Yes, SIR"
. Ibid you give this testimony at that trial'"
"But were you not called upon to tell the
truth?"
Eyes, sir. But was only called upon to
answer certain questions was not asked to
lands counsel did not ask me about this matter
that you refer to-"
That will do for you You may CO."
TIME TO CONSIDER THE TESTIMONY.
This was the last testimony offered in the
Guy trial. Mr.. Hazelton at once asked for an
adjournment until Thursday or Friday in order
to give the counsel chance to review the tes-
timony and to prepare their arguments, but
Mr.; Claughton said that he thought the case
had drawn on long enough and that he was
willing to go right ahead and finish it up at
once. But this was not the decision of the
court for the case was adjourned until o'clock
Thursday afternoon. The hearing this morn
ing lasted less than half an hour altogether.
RAISING THE POINT AGAIN.
matter Of very considerable Importance in
this case was the question that arose very early
in its course as to whether or not the knowl-
edge that Col. Robert received in his private
investigation before the trial began could be
admitted as testimony in this case Some days
ago when one of the witnesses was asked
question bearing upon Col. Roberts prelimi-
nary investigation the district attorney at once
entered vigorous objection and Col. Robert
also insisted that the information he had re-
ceived in the capacity Of a public officer deal
Ing with the conduct of subordinate could
not be properly introduced into a hearing of
this nature. Mr.. Douglass sustained him in
this position. 1t became very evident this
morning. however, that Mr.. Hiue did not agree
with the other two Commissioners.
COMMISSIONER HINES DISSENT.
As soon as the discussion on the question Of
adjournment was completed Mr.. Hine said that
he wished to give his opinion on the matter Of
secret testimony and ''state secrets" and he
wanted Stenographer Forrest to take down his
remarks in full. as he could not subscribe to
the general decision in this matter. He said
that he thought the Commissioners should be
only too glad to furnish the counsel for Lieut.
Guy, whose good name and future standing
with the community might be considered to be
at stake, with all papers and other
information that bore on his case
and which might help him to
clear his name. He entirely repudiated the
idea that the Commissioners could be con-
sldered the custodians of state secrets which
they we're empowered to keep from the public
knowledge. Whatever tended to the public
welfare it was their duty to do While it was
true that they might have dismissed Lieut..
Guy without any trial at all. still, as they had
begun trial, 1t was the duty of all concerned
to carry it on in the regular way, under the
rules that have held for hundreds of years as
the only safe ones to govern such cases. In
the face of all this Mr. Hine said it was absurd
to say that the Commissioners had the right to
withdraw from the defendant any testimony
made to any one OF them to which the defend
ant might wish to have access In order to sus-
tam his own case or to impeach the testimony
OF the witnesses for the prosecution.
Mr.. DOUGLASS VIEWS
MIR. Douglass then read his decision on the
question involved in this discussion. He said
that Col. Roberts investigation was the act of
superior officer dealing with a subordinate
and consequently what he had learned in that
investigation was not proper matter for
discussion in this trial, although it might
be that the trial based upon the in
formation that Col. Robert had re-
ceived. Whenever the day comes that a
person cannot come before the Commissioners
and tell Of what he thinks are abuses in office
without being called upon afterward to testify
to that conversation In an open court then it
would certainly be that the Commissioners
would lose much of their ability to remedy Off
cial abuses The Commissioners might have
dismissed Guy without any trial, but having
given him one he must not complain if he were
compelled to abide by the legal restrictions
that they migh impose.
TWO TO ONE.
Col. Robert had nothing at all to say during
all this discussion, but his vote was naturally
on the side of Commissioner Douglass. The
opinion of the majority was too much for Mr..
Hine, and what Col. Robert knows about the
Washington police force, in addition to what
has been made public in this trial, will remain
forever hidden in his breast unless he chooses
to divulge it himself.
Attacked by Sharks.
Raymond D. Odell Of New York, who is
spending the summer with his family at