The record-union., 1892-03-26
OFFICER MCLAUGHLIN.
The Police Commissioners Exonerate
Him From Blame.
Pierce's Statement insufficient to Es-
tablish the Charge of Attempting
to Fix the Tobin Case.

The Police Commissioners held a
special meeting yesterday to inquire into
the charge made by Frank Pierce-the
man who was robbed by one Minnie
Tobin- against Police officer McLaugh-
lin, of having approached him with a
proposition 10 settle the case. All the
Commissioners We're present, Mayor
Comstock presiding. The examination
was conducted by City Attorney Hart.
W. a. Anderson appeared as counsel
for the accused officer, and read an atfi-
| davit signed by the latter. in which gen.
eral denial was made of all the allega-
| tons in the complaint.
The first witness called was Frank
Pierce, the complainant. He testified
that Officer Mclaughlin called on him
| about 1870 o'clock on Sunday night last,
at the State House Hotel, and asked:
you're the man who was robbed,
aren't your
81 am,' replied Pierce.
How much did you lose ?"
zone hundred and sixty dollars"
"Well,' said Mclaughlin, ''Pm the
If you'll get up, put on your clothes and
come with me | will get you your
money"
q knew my money was safe enough"
said the witness, 80 | told him / would
not GO.
"McT.aughlin then asked me if l had
sworn to q complaint, and when / told
him ! had he said:
"'Then you cannot settle it-you'n
have To anDnar IN cOnrt-' and with that
he left me-
Pierce further said he did not know
who his visitor was until the next morn
ing, " hen he was informed by the hotel
people.
TO Attorney Anderson witness said he
had been instructed by the arresting ofli-
Ger not to talk about the matter with out
siders. Mclaughlin did not tell witness
that Officer Gibson had sent him to his
room; he merely said he was a partner of
Gibson's.
During the REORGANIZATION of the
witness Mr.. Anderson asked him how he
received THAT scar on his face" Pierce
denied that there was any scar on his
face, and he evinced considerable irrita-
ton at the attorneys mode OF examining
him. After some words had passed,
Commissioner Cravens told Pierce he
! need not answer the question, as it was
not pertinent TO the case.
money before this in the same way?
Pierce-I never did, and l don't pro-
rose to lose any more that way.
Andrew Eizler, clerk at the state House
Hotel, testified that between II and
O'Clock OH Sunday night Officer Nc
Laughlin called at the hotel to see Pierce,
and was shown to the latter's room.
Officer }. Il. Gibson testified that he
arrested Minnie Tobin on Saturday night,
at the instance OF Pierce. After the arrest
! he escorted Pierce to the state House, and
returned to his duty down town. Feeling
ILL., however, he went home. On Sunday
night Officer Mclaughlin called and
asked if he could DO anything for wit
ness. Some conversation followed, and
| before leaving Mclaughlin said he would
go to the hotel and see Pierce, and learn
| il he mad sworn to q complaint. Witness
had considerable fever, and forgot to in
form Mclaughlin that a complaint had
been filed.
10 Commissioner Cravens witness said
he did not request Mclaughlin to go and
see Pierce.
| E.J Clark, night jailer at the Police
| Station, was called TO tell what he knew
| about the case. He testified that he was
on watch on Saturday night when Minnie
! TObin vas brought in. About midnight
| Officer Mclaughlin called at the station
/ and he and witness had some conyersa-
I
! looked at the slate on which arrests are
| recorded, and expressed surprise that
| Minnie 1obin's name should appear there
with no complaint on file.
MIR. Hart then announced that the pros
! ecution had no more testimony to offer,
and Captain Lee was called by the de
| Tense TO prove that money taken from a
! prisoner cannot be turned over TO an Off
| Ger nor anyone else pending hearing
! Officer Mclaughlin testified in his own
! behalf that he did not attempt TO induce
! Frank Pierce to do an unlawful act He
! twitneSs) could not have returned him
| his money if he wished TO, as it was in
tie hands of.the clerk of the station.
Mclaughlin said he visited Oliicer Glib
/ son on Sunday and asked him if THAT
! fellow had sworn TO a complaint against
! Minnie Tobiu, and Gibson said he did
! not know Witness then said he would
/ go and see Pierce about it. lie did so in
! The interest of the prosecution, solely. and
! when Pierce told him he had filed com
plant witness said it was We'll he had
| done so. or he would not lee able TO re-
| cover his money. lie did this for Officer
! Gibson, the latter being too Ill TO look
| after his case.
Commissioner Cravens asked the officer
/ If he knew of any one having called al
! the police station several times on Satur-
| day night and inquired about the arrest
OF Minnie Iobin aud witness replied tha;
! he did not.
! Minnie Tobin was called. and denied
! that she had seen Officer Mclaughlin
! since two or three days before her arrest.
| and had not asked him to interest him
self in her case, nor sent any request OF
that kind to him.
The defense here rested. and the Com
missioners put their heads together for
/ about a minute, when the Mayor an
nounced that they had agreed that the
evidence in the case failed TO show that
the officer had been guilty of the charge
against him, and that he was exonerated.