Morning journal and courier., 1890-08-23
oFFrcERs REpUcED A GRADE.

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OFFICERS REDUCED A GRADE.
The Police Commissioners Reduce
Omcers Murphy and Stewart to
Grade b for Fighting Upon the
Street and .Omcer Shields for Two
Months for Watching Them Fight
other Cases to be Investigated.
Officers George Murphy and Joseph
Stewart were tried by the police commits
sioners last night upon the charges pre-
ferred against them for fighting upon the |
street and were each reduced one grade, |
from A to B, as a. result Of the investiga- |
ton. Officer Shields, who was present at |
the time of the fight and who was one of |
the chief witnesses Of the affair, was re-
duced one grade, to grade B, for two
months, chiefly upon his own testimony,
for standing and watching his brother
officers fight for about five minutes with
out interfering.
Stewart first told his side of the story to
the commissioners. It was substantially
as has been printed before. He spoke of
the GOODNESS which has been manifest be-
tween himself and Officer Murphy for the
past two years and told of their wordy
quarrel on last Friday night and of another
on Sunday morning when they were re-
ieved from duty at o'clock On the next
morning, Monday just after being relieved
from duty, the affray occurred. He was
walking with Officers Bissen and Shields
up Court street At Church street Officer
Murphy was waiting for them. When he
saw Stewart he took him by the arm and
said: 'tHere, young fellow, want. you to
take walk with me-" They went up
Church street few steps and Murphy be-
came abusive, called him hard names,
among them being s'cur," "nigger," "cow-
ard'' and a.few others. They came to blows
and were separated by the other officers.
Officer Murphy gave his side of the affair.
On the morning in question, said he, left
the Office with the rest of the o'clock
squad I walked slowly to let some of
those going my way catch up with me.
Officers Stewart, Bissen and Shields came
along. When they reached the green, he
said to Stewart, HJoe, I'd like
to speak to you a moment" They
walked along slowly together. He
asked Stewart the reason for the language
used to him few days before. One word
led to another and before he knew it he
was struck in the face with beer bottle.
They clinched. He wrenched the bottle
from Stewart and then this officer drew
his revolver with an oath and said he'd
put hole through him. Officer Bissel
jumped between them and they were final
ly separated.
When cross questioned the officer stated
that there had been three wordy encoun-
tiers between them recently. The first oc-
CURED last Friday night. He was sitting
in his chair before his closet in the patrol
mems quarters when Stewart passed
him. He was smiling at some
Gov ,k1r boz
Stewart thought he was smiling at him,
and asked him what was the matter
Stewart called Murphy "a thick-headed
son of an Irish nobleman," and other hard
titles. Murphy retorted with ''cur,"
coward" "nigger," and other epithets.
Sunday morning another clash between the
officers brought about similar inter
change of compliments, and Monday
morning came the street scene with it's
sensational climax.
Officer Bissell testified that Officers
Shields, Murphy, Stewart and himself
were walking towards the green when Off
GERS Murphy and Stewart walked aside.
The next he saw was Officer Stewart strik-
ing Officer Murphy. He rushed between
them, but saw no revolver. He thought
there was going to be serious fight and
strove vigorously to separate them, al
though he saw Stewart strike Murphy but
once. After he stepped between Stewart
struck Murphy on the chin with bottle.
He had not known of any ill-feeling be-
| tween the officers before. He thought the
words between the officers were not seri-
GUS and he even asked Officer Stewart if
they were not joking. To this Officer
Stewart made no really but slight laugh
and semed anxious to avoid conversation.
| Officer Shields testified that Officer
Stewart first hit Officer Murphy with his
fist. Bissell sprang between them and
| Stewart struck Murphy over BisselPs
| shoulder three or four times with beer
| beer bottle. This fell from his hand and
Stewart then hit Murphy with his dinner
pail. This was flattened and knocked to
the walk by Murphy, and Stewart then
pulled his revolver, pointed it at Murphy
and cried "You son of ---, I'll kill
you" Murphy then drew his revolver and
asked Stewart if it was go. Stewart did
not say more. He put his revolver back
in his pocket and turned away.
! Cross-questioned, Officer Shields stated
that he told Stewart to put up his pistol,
but he did not try to seize or hold him
back when he saw the pistol, although he
feared there would be some shooting. He
said he heard nothing said by Murphy to
provoke Stewards action
Officer Trip testified he went out on the
morning in question with one or two other
officers. They heard bottle smash and
saw the fight from across the street He
saw Officer Bissen holding Officer Murphy
He heard Murphy call Stewart a cur and
offered him $50 to walk up the street. After
wards Murphy remarked before Officers
Trip, Woodruff and Croker that the af
fair was good as $50 to him.
Officer Woodruff corroborated substan-
TALLY what Officer Trip had testified to-
He heard Murphy call Stewart ''cur" and
'nigger cur" after the fracas. He heard
Murphy say Stewart had drawn his billy
and revolver, but he was willing to use his
hands.
Commissioner Benton recalled Officer
Bissell and questioned him closely. He
said in reply that he thought both Stewart
and Murphy were ready for fight, and he
did not know which appeared the most
dangerous.
Both officers stated when questioned
that their differences could not effect theil
police work under any circumstances.
They said they would have gone to
each others assistance whenever they saw
it necessary, and had done so upon one OF
two occasions. Officer Murphy said there
were two or three cliques in the force. He
attributed the origin of the trouble be-
tween himself and Stewart to remarks
which Stewart had made two years ago in
relation to Officer Tghe. Murphy resent
ed these and Stewart has been unfriendly
to him ever since. He mentioned two OF
three other officers who were not friendly
with him for the same reason.
In executive session the board arrived al
the above conclusions. The commission,
ers are of the opinion that these unfriendly
relations between officers are a great Diet
riment to the efficiency of the force, and
the committee upon this branch was in
structed to investigate these differences
between officers and report to the board