Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-05-04
MIGHT HAVE NODDED
NickersOn Denies Hav-
ing Been Asleep.
THE POLICE TRIAL ENDED.
Board Says Rules Have Been Violated
i, and Recommends More Men.

The Board of Aldermen met In ad-
journed session at o'clock yesterday af-
ternoon to consider the charges against
Sergeant Nickerson and Officers Tompkins
and Taber.
Before that matter was taken up, how
ever, Alderman Winters, Chairman Of the
Committee on Police, said the committee
were ready to report on the pool and bill
lard table licenses. He recommended
that twenty of the twenty-five applica-
tions be granted, and made. a motion to
that effect.
Alderman Adams objected strenuously
TO the proposed action, and Alderman
Davis raised the point that their consider
alton was not in order. He was not sus-
tanned, however, by the Mayor, and'upon q
vote being taken the applications recoml
mended were granted, Alderman Miller
alone voting in the negative.
The victualling licenses were then taken
from the table, and after an effort was
made to refer them to special committee,
which failed, the following were granted
Messrs. Frank Marchetti, A. w. Mass
man, James Jennison, Allan Anderson,
Silas b. Havens & Co., Paschal M. Stod-
dard, G. Lotti, PATRICK Dempsey, Gelb q
Norton, Dominick Gusti, Franklin f.
Robbins, Magi Marsina. Hotel licenses
were granted to John Buckley, Robert
Wood, McKelvey q Hurley, David w.
Bucklin, A. Franz Donath, William IL.
Gurney. Petitions OF Lenehan & Alix for
hotel license, and OF II. Dainty, William
III. Nerr, Thomas Cunningham, Patrick
&. McHugb, John A. Meenan, L. Gannitt
for victualling house licenses were tabled.
Upon motion of Alderman Adams, it
was voted that these licenses date back to
April T. and that the fee for the year be
$40.
1t was voted that when the Board ad-
journ it be to Thursday evening, at
O'Clock.
The charges were then read relative to
the suspension OF Sergeant Nickerson and
Officers Tompkins and Tsber.
Alderman O'Reilly who made the charge,
was sworn and stated the circumstances
under which he had acted.
He was going to his store about $50 a.
m. when he saw Officer Taber leave his
beat and go to the station; soon after saw
Nickerson and Tompkins go home and
leave Taber in charge. The ordinances
say that Taber, who was a morning man,
should have remained on his beat until 8
n. m, and that the Sergeant should have
remained at the station until a. m.
7. w. Robinson was counsel for the
nI NJ
Tense
George w. Steere, a special officer, said
he was an officer for four years, and was
proceeding to testify to certain matters
when a contest arose as to the line of
procedure. Mr.. Osfeld wanted Alderman
O'Reilly ruled out of the investigation
but that was not sustained.
In answer to the Mayor, steere said he
frequently called on the Sergeant at the
station and found him, as he supposed,
asleep.
Officer Black testified that it was custo-
mary for Officer Taber to leave his beat
at $50 O'Clock in the morning and relieve
the Sergeant and Officer Tompkins.
When the officers reported at 2 a. m. the
Sergeant never Investigated to find
whether the men were all right or not.
j. Austin French, janitor of public
buildings, testified that he usually saw
Sergeant Nickerson when he went to the
station and frequently found him, as he
considered, asleep in big chair in the
Chiefs room, and once he was wrapped
up in blanket. He frequently entered
the station and no one responded, and, in
his judgment, they were incapable men.
the Sergeant in the easy chair and APP
parently asleep.
Officer William McCuslker testified that
he saw the Sergeant, as he supposed,
asleep in the chair above referred to;
went to the station some mornings and
did not see the Sergeant in the station.
The Sergeant never examined the men
when they reported in the morning.
Officer James Hand testified that when
it came his turn to stay in the station
nights he went up stairs and went to bed
but usually got up early as he ''could not
sleep" lie never found the Sergeant
present when he got up.
Roundsman Vananda testified that, In
hisopinion, there should be as many men
on after o'clock "a. m. as before that
time; did not ever find any of his superior
officers asleep in the station.
Mr.. Osfield objected to some questions
OF Alderman 0'Reilly and the latter re.
torted that chickens come home to roost
occasionally" Officer Sword was sworn
but to every question OF Mr.. Robinson he
invariably answered, "No SIR"
officer Bernard Mclaughlin testified
that when he was doing guard room duty
Sergeant Nickerson slept I'm the lodging
room twice to his knowledge from IL to 2
o'clock.
Upon one Of those occasions the Ser.
geant complained OF being sick but no
such excuse was made on the other occa-
sion. Once he (McLaughlin) was taken
OF his beat on North Main street and sent
to Hammond's Pond. At that time there
was another officer in the station whom
such duty should be assigned.y
Officer Wilbur was sworn but his tc,ti.
mony vaf inmaterial except that he never
saw tn, s~rgeant at the station after b:sc
O'Clock.