The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-08-01

One day last week Martha Taylor and
her husband, Jordon Taylor, were ar
rested on tho charge of stealing a lot of
silverwarc from tho residence of DR..
Hunter st. John. Taylor was locked up
in the city Jail and Martha was incar-
cerated at police headquarters in room
where there were no other prisoners
Martha is bright mulatto, OF comely
appearance and very tidy.
On Tuesday she admitted to Police
man John Eanes, who was in charge of
the station that day, that q certain officer
had unlocked the door of her cell early
Tuesday morning and forced her to sub
nit to his brutal passions. During the
day she admitted the same thing to
Chief Morris and exhibited fifty cents,
which She said the officer had given her
to keep the matter quiet.
The time at which the oirensc was
committed was easily arrived at. ~
number of officers gathered at police
headquarters about 9 o'clock in the
morning to drive some COWS to the pound
which had been left running at large.
Special Officer Martin was in charge of
the station house. A certain regular
officer was also present and Spt c;ai Of
ticer Eubank. This officer told Mr..
Eubank that as the latter was feeling
badly. he (Eubank) had better so home.
lie did so, and pretty soon the sound Of
police whistle was heard. Tho officers
were driving up the cows. They had
scattered in the lot just across Camp
bell street, and assistance was wanted
to get them together.
The regular officer ordered Mr. Martin
to go out and lend his assistance, and
help drive the cattle on to the pound,
which was some distance away.
Mr.. Martin turned over the KEYS to
the cells to the regular officer, and did
as requested No one was left behind
except this regular officer, Mr. Eubank
having gone home. 1t was after this
whistle sounded that Henry Coleman,
(who had recently been released from
the station house on n trivial chargc)
while doctoring sick horse at a stable
i'll the rear of the station house, saw,
through tho rear window, an officer go
into the room in which the woman was
incarcerated, and take her from the
cell and turn the light out. Henry sus-
pcctcd that something was going wrong
and the next morning he told Policeman
Eancs what he had seen
That officer went at once to the wo-
man and questioned her very pointedly
She admitted that such was the case
and added that the officer had been
criminally intimate with her. She fur
Their added that when she told him she
intended to tell the circumstances under
which she was forced to submit, he gave
her 80 cents to keep quiet.
Policeman Eanes informed Chief
Morris Of the case. lie talked with the
woman and She told him the same story
The chief laid the case before the mayor,
and on Thursday morning the woman
was brought from the cell. Every one
except the officers were put out of the
room in which the hearing took place,
and the proceedings were strictly secret
Martha was requested to point out the
man against whom she made the charge
After looking around rather carefully
She pointed out Officer Eubank He
denied positively that he was present
except when otler officers were around
In the evening the trial took place
After tho men had been assigned to
their beats, they were requested TO re-
main and everyone else to retire.
The proceedings were again conducted
in secret. Testimony was heard from
Officers Martin. Wolfe and others which
cleared Mr.. Eubank beyond shadow
of doubt. Strange to say Eubank re-
Semblcd the man whom Martha de-
scribed. Her description was very good,
and ever since the charge was ma6e
nearly all the officers had expressed
their opinion and named the man. 1t
was not Officer Eubank
At the close Of these proceedings the
case was dropped by the mayor, but the
force was still in a state of dissa tisfac-
ton at the result. knowing such to be
the case, and that The matter was being
talked Of on the streets, q representa-
tive of The TIMES called on tho mayor
yesterday morning and stated what he
had heard, and that from all informa-
tion CLEANED, full and fair investga-
ton had not been made. The mayor
promised to have another investigation
Of the case, but he would not promise
that any newspaper men could be pres
ent.
Later in tho afternoon the mayor in
formed TIMES reporter that lie had
talk with the woman He told her he
was going TO call certain officer in and
for her to be sure that he was the man
before she made the charge that he was
guilty lie then called in the certain
regular officer referred to, but the wo-
man would not swear that he was the
man.
Mayor Evans then stated that the in
vestigation had gone as far as he could
carry it. lie would not make q man
criminate himself.
The woman now tells the officers that
she was confused and afraid to swear to
anyone as being guilty. She had
picked out the wong man once. She
was afraid to swear to anyone again.
hn 81
ton seems to be that tho officer TO
whom SucpipiOn tyaS dirartod l., .