The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-18

IL ouoJolhcu note or Robert Is. Scott,
Esq, president OF tho boatd of pulice
commissioners. is in all probability The
concluding Chapter OF the sensational
and amusing Case of Public Safety"
"Hcifare" 4 nd Justice" vs.. the mayor
and police of Roanoke.
'rne letter. contains Il full rehearsal OF
tie q ,,c, anu carries its own Comment
with it:
sol. FosTnH, ESQ,
''DEAk SIR: o.g leave to acknowl-
edge tho receipt of yours of tho 18th
hist, referring mo To the columns tho
evening World, Of that dAto, for u eply
" my not of LiIc l4th inst.
Il have seen u copy OF the paper re-
lerreu u anu nutic u Carefully " hat You
have 10 say, and you Will pardon mo
when say That am surprIS, Il that
YOU shOulu uecnnc the rec. ucs. ,ntul n, d
III my note.
AT Il meeting Of tho board OF rolice
)niinissivncrs uvld On the 9th uay of
January, 1871, You voluntarily ap-
peared as now understand at the ro-
quest of tho editor Of tho World, and
SEATED tnat you were the author vi CIR
TAIN ARTICLES that had app, Ard in that
paper LII It's Issue OF january 3, 1871,
wniCl ara C.cs 1t was stated Contained
serious Charges ugainstc itain members
vi The lOlice iuicS vi tLlS cILy-the
names OF tnc 'ilc ;Mion refer red " wore
not tnon ior natu thcy been given.
~ Ire you + II that meeting under
stood YOU ~ say that you Would appear
Ut thc IL M mte5ln. or the board. wlen
formal cla.gcs would be preferred, az
,ou'pHnl & " thu M,tntSs, ) to sustain
thcn, lt u. ing stated at tho tlnic by
me tnac the rrlu OF the huald was not
~ pat any pole nan on trial unless
"rit.cn cIarEes mad reen made and an
| opportunity given The accuS, To defend
iiinseii. In this action l understood
tnAt SOh distinctly c.l cured.
-. Tue MvAt III, ttln.g of II o bonld
you utd not appc4t, having IN. d is, u,
| a. Am ln.us.:.,d ~ your ATTORNEY that
.u.SMLch ~ you :.",- r'c we'd no &c al
summons yeu m.rc not Com, cl d to
attend.
"A cIpy Of tho Evening World how
ever, con .ainlhg u Z II iclcs Ill gu ,llon
under tnu nom do plane 'PIo.lc
| Safety WAS lad before III. L> ard uy q
certain Mir. DcnEelly.
THESE aiticirs hayo sine, read,
and SO far Us they relate 10 impropLr
c,uduct or inetcichcy ON the part OF
board desircs 10 have the III fully lnvesti-
| gated.
1T WAS With n view OF setting such an
investigation ON OF that tho nLte OF
Lnt l4;u inst. was wrIctcn.
~ must bu admitted by all fair
miIucd man that It would be unjust to
put any man Oh TRIAL for any oil, IL 80
UNFIT he Il Informed of tho tLurc vi the
Charge against nun, and hat an uppor-
tuni,y IL defend niius.lf.
"ine chief Of police W. S therefore in
struc ed to ascarl.in the names of the
| polio men rrtcrr, d 10, give them writ.
ten notice OF the chaig.s and summon
| the witnesses both Toe and ug.nn3t
them. This, Of course, could MT be
done until the naIaus nero given.
Nothing WAS asked q, you in my
note OF The 18th Instant but such in
| formation 10 vas absolutely nee. ssarv
Tor the purposes indie ,tcd
That notv, alter informing you that
| the Charges had been referred to the
cniei for investigation and report TO tho
board, stated that he would call upon
You Tor the names ot tho Witnesses and
sLcl other Information "a you may SEQ
| proper 10 give
IL can conc live Of no reason why the
names OF the witnesses MOULD not bo
NlllcSS iutJ D0 pcrSOu5
who can not be trusted, and this I am
| bound IL believe can not 10 the case
! here.
You ask TIC If ] have ever SO far
forgotten my duty to my clients as to
furnish to the adverse party the names
| of my WITNESSES and Gpl cal to my D. o.
fca>ional etpriicic. o. a jnstihc tiun
Tor you refuse to furnish TIM lin,s OF
your wicness,s y. On thls point | have
10 say that no client has ever brought
me- IL case supported by witnesses whuss
NAMES would be unwilling to make
| known TO the world, and no attorney
with whom l have Lpcn thrown i'll con-
tact has ever refused. no f.,l a. know,
to give the names OF his witnesses
when asked to do SO. Indie ID no $50 Is
ever tried i'll court that all the parties
interested c..nnot by applying To the
proper Officer ascertain tliu names OF
all the Witnesses summon d on either
side 1T any time before trial. More
over this right to know the names OF tho
witnesses who will be .llrd to testify
! against any accused person is guar
antcrd in all criminal cases by express
| provision OF law. For TO man can b.,
| put upon trial in this State for any
criminal oifensc except upon informi-
tion veriii, by the affidavit of u com
| petcnt witness, or upon au in.iio;u.en
uucly found, vt the foot OF VII ca must
| be VII ten the names OF all Tie Wit
ncssUs upon hose testimony il i, has d
The ST are the rights ut the common
| est criminal Surely these pol Get CT
are nLitlod to the same. In cumciU,ion.
| pc:lni; me t" FAY that wh.l- tho ,Nic
~c hold is pnrciy an honorary on, ANA
IA. ~ tlt, Al Il