The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-03-11
CAN'T BLAME THE POLICE
FOR THE DEATH or c. N. SWICb6ooD
Tho Ipvestjratiop st the first station by the
Board OF Commissioners Resulted In tho
Exoneration OF the Offcers.

The Board Of Police Commissioners met at
o'clock last evening at the First police station
for the purpose of examining into the case OK
c. NJ. Swicegood of Salisbury. n. c., who
was incarcerated there last Thursday in a
supposed intoxicated condition. and who died
later in the day. Mayor Ellyson presided
over the examination, and Messrs. Charles II.
Phillips. Joseph Laube. c. Ct. Bosher, J. b.
Welsh and L. c. Fgg were present
The case is familiar already to The TINS
readers through the report o. the death and
the verdict OF the coroner's jury. This ver-
diet exonerated the police from blame IN the
matter but the board desiring 10 get at all
the facts determined upon an Official Invest
CATION.
THOSE PRESENT.
Wban the meeting was called TO order by
Mavor El.ysOu there were present. besides the
members Of the board. Coroner Taylor ana
DR. Bosher his assistant. the reporters anu
tie police officers on duty the day OF the &C.
currence as well as many others. IL WAS the
first case Of the kind 10 Richmond ponce
annais and much interest was manifested IN
tile investigation.
Officer J. 4. Otey was the first witness ex-
amined. He testified that he took the man IN
charge by request of q messenger VINO tolu
him drunken man was iying al the bottom
OF the steps at hls house on Main street. ne
was i'm q helpless condition and had to DC car Z
ried to the station, where be WAS put III a cen
on the floor He smelled strongly OF WHISKY;
/ mentioned 10 Sergeant Whitlock that be ha1I
blood on his head. but he examined MN ana
could ind no injury. The blood came rom
his nose We frequently have such cases ana
| thought nothing OF Il. ] saw HIM ~
o'clock and again in the middle OF the day.
MANY SUCH CAsEs.
Sergeant Howard said that in his expe-
rieuce he had seen not less than two thousand
such cases. lie thought this was one OF u
LARGE number Of cases Of dead drunk with
which they had TO deal and was greatly sur
prised when be heard of his death.
Sergeant WhitlOck said ho examined him
closely when lie was brought III and looked IN
al the 90 again between II and Il o'clock
He sneled OF whisky and seemed to be
sleeping heavily. There was nothing 10 indl-
cato that 1t WAS any more nan an Ordinary
case.
Sergeant George w. Matthews saw Swice-
good in the cell about = o'clock and shook
him by the arm. lie did not stir. but seemed
e. be sleeping Just as "A drunken man would
do. About o'clock Captain ri asants asked
about him and when be WAS told that we had
tried 10 wake him and that he had not stirred
he said we had better give him the benefit OF
the doubt and call the ambulance" visited
him three times IN all.
CAPTAIN pLrAsASTs' TESTIMONY.
CAPTAIN Peasants testified that he did not
see him until 1 =. VI. lie was then sleeping
heavily but naturally. We frequently have
person. here who sleep all day. aud such cases
90 not create any suspicion Of their besg III
danger.
Or. Robinson. ambulance surgeon. testified
that he was diving when he arrived. / could
not tell the cause OF his death. 1 smelied
whisky on his breath.
Mr. Iaube asked If his condition would In
dictate 10 an ordinary mind that IL was more
than a case of drunkenness. The Doctor re-
piled. do not think il would.
Dr. Taylor the coroner. stated that 1t was
very difficult to find any injury to the body by
external examination The post mortem. how
ever. showed that the skull was fractured on the
inside across the base. 1T was one OF the
few cases / ever saw where there were inside
fractures without the injury showing on the
outside
HARD TO FIND.
Il was very difficult for physician to find
any in Jury, and | and the jury thought that
an unskilled person could not he expected 10
discover the injury and that no blame should
attach to the police. DR.. Bosher confirmed
the above evidence and testified that the in
dicat0ns in cases o. IntOxcatiOn and those of
a comatose condition were very similar. and
almost impossible TO distinguish between.
especially where whisky was present. as IN
this case
The evidence brought out the fact that the
man mad been visited at least five times be-
tween 7 A. NJ and 4 Z. M. The following.
offered by Mr. Joseph Laube. was unani-
mously adopted
After iul examination Of the evidence
presented to the board as TO the crcum-
stances attending the incarceration and death
of c. NJ SwicegOOd on the I'd day OF March,
d Errat Go
BE it resolved The officers and members
Of the police force are hereby exOnerated
from all censure IN the matter.
The board will probably take action at its
next regular meeting on the suggestion made
by the coroner's jury that all prisoners con
fined at police stations he visited at stated
periods during their incarceration.