The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-08-02

The Mayors Office was the the scene
of holly contested case yesterday
morning. Charles Ormsby was put on
trial on warrant sworn out by Officer
Merriman charging him with using pro-
fame language at the Palace Hotel and
resisting arrest.
The court room was crowded with
spectators. Mayor Evans yielded the
chair to Mr.. Buckner, president of tho
City Council, saying that on account OF
some personal illusions, he did not care
to try the case.
Mr.. Merriman was the first witness
examined. lie and Mr.. Mabry were on
the RAILROAD avenue beat Sometime
after o'clock they passed the Palace
Hotel and servant came out and told
them there was fight inside. They
went in and found Mr.. Ormsby raising
some disturbance and told him to keep
quiet.
lady also came down stairs and
asked him to keep quiet or go outside
lie did so and pretty soon Mr.. Powell
drove up in a double buggy, and got out
leaving the young man with him in
charge of the team. Ormsby made some
remarks which this young man took ex-
ception to, and some words passed.
With this he invited Mr.. Orms6y in the
buggy TO drive out Of town. Ormsby
got in, but just then Mr.. Powell came
out and asked him TO get down, which
he did
Crmsby tfcn began talking very loud
and making boisterous remarks about
some one They went up and tried to
reason with him. but he struck him
tMerrimanl i'll the breast, knocking him
down. Witness then got up and sue
ceeded in putting the nippers on him,
and dragged him about 30 yards
The officer then detailed how DR.. Fry
camo down and protested against tho
treatment OF Ormsby.
Being cross examined the officer said
he had had nothing to drink all that
night He took one drink the evening
before. He was sharply cross examined
but could not recall the nature of the
disturbance caused by Ormsby other
than talking very loud. lie did not
bear him swear on the street, but heard
him use several oaths in the house
Officer Mabry testified in substance to
Mcrrlman's statement in reference to
the first disturbance. lie made Il very
careful statement, and did not say that
Ormsby was very boistcrous lie did
not hear him swear on the street or in
the house.
Mr.. Scott, attorney for Ormsby, asked
if MIR. Merriman had anything to drink
lie appealed TO the court to know if he
must answer the question. Mr.. Buck
ner said: Let it all come out"
Officer MabrJ then testified that he
and Mr.. Mcrriman had taken a drink of
n a hat iCbt al, >
o'clock. Neither of them were under
the influence Of liquor, however. Officer
Mabrys statement was straigh forward
w j. baldwin, Il boardcr at the Pal
ace testified to hearing a disturbance in
front Of the hotel, and on looking out of
the window saw the officers struggling
with man.
The defense introduced a number of
witnesses to prove that Ormsby was not
guilty Of raising disturbance Dr. Fry
testified to seeing the officers go TO
Ormsby after the vehicle drove off and
telling him to go away. He refused and
struggle ensucd. He considered tho
conduct of the officers very brutal and
rough in the extreme and the whole az
fail most outrageous. Ormsby was
seated in chair when they approached
him and tried to force him in the house
Ormsby naturally resisted and straight
ened out his arm or struck, he could not
say which, aud the elder of the two
officers measured his length in the dust.
They struggled With him for some time,
and Ormsby finally submitted when they
placed pair OF nippers on him and
dragged him along the street in brutal
manner. Then it was that no rcmon-
strated and was warned not to interfere.
He told them that Ormsby was able 10
walk and to bring him into the hotel
One OF the policemen ordered him away
and he went back into tho hotel.
Pretty soon ormsby was brought back
and told him he was under arrest. The
doctor said if this was sample of the
manhood of the Roanoke police he had
no respect for such manhood. Some other
remarks were passed, and Officer M,bry
told him he would hold him personally
responsible.
DR.. White told how the disturbance
originated with three persons in the
pool room. They followed Ormsby out
and angcrcd him He thought Ormsby
had been drinking, but was not drunk
Mr.. Ormsby detailed the whole cir
cumstance, tho substance OF which has
already been published. He declared
that he had been roughly treated, and
his arIn was still disabled from the eff
fects Of the nippers. One of the officers
also drew billy on him. They did not
ask him to go peaceably, but jumped on
bin and tried to take him by force. The
officers, he said, were also guilty of
swearing and had been drinking. He
had given them liquor on different oo.
casions.
Carter Lyons, Mr.. Kerney, Mr. Frazier
and Mr.. Quinn told of the origin of The
difficulty and did not think Ormsby was
to blame.
Lyons testimony was clear and con-