The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-05-04
POINTS ON PAWTUCKET.



knvsstisstIon Of the Charges Against sus-
pended Police onicers.
The Board OF Aldermen held special
session Yesterday afternoon for the pur-
uose Of investigating the charges made
sg.ipst Sergeant Nickerson and Omcers
T,omntius and Taber. The council cham
6er wac filled with interested spectators
srha hoard was called to order at O'Clock
~ His Honor Mayor Carroll, and the
clerk read the charges against the sus-
pended officers
Alderman Winters said that the com
miftee ON police were ready TO report up
on the applications for pool table licenses.
Aldermen Adams and Davis objected 10
ANYTHING being taken up at this meeting,
which had been called for special pur-
nose. The Mayor said they could be taken
up by a majority vote OF the boafdi on
The licenses were gaanted, Aldermen
Winters and O'Reilly voting In the ai1ir-
NATIVE and Alderman Miller alone voting
in the negative.
II was then voted to rescind the vote
taken at the last meeting whereby the
were laid on the table, and Alderman
Adams moved to refer the applications 70
n special committee. He did not want TO
grant licenses to people he knew nothing
about.
The licenses were taken up separately,
and a few who were unknown TO the
board were laid on the table. The follow
ing were granted: Victualling houses
Frank Marchetti, A. w. Massmaun,
James .Jennison, Allan Anderson, Silas
Il. Havens g. Co., Paschal VI. Stoddard,
G. Lotti, Patrick Dempsey, Gelb q Nor
ton. Dominick Gusti, Franklin r. Rob
bins. Magi Marsina. Hotel licenses were
granted to John Buckley, Robert Wood,
McKelyy * Hurley, David w. Bucklin,
A. Franz Donath, William ii. Gurney.
Upon motion of Alderman Adams 1t
was voted to date the granting OF the
licenses back to April Z, ana tnat tne lee
be SIC.
The hearing on the charges against the
nspended policemen was then begun.
Ehe Mayor explained the charges, and
Alderman O'Reilly began his statement,
when Joseph Osfield, Jr, who appeared
on behalf of the officers, requested that ne
be sworn. No objection being offered the
Alderman was sworn. He described how
he found Officer Taber off his beat. I'm
mediately Sergeant Nickerson and Officer
Tompkins came out. He went into the
station, saw Officer Taber, and asked him
Or Officer Tompkins. He was
told that they had gone home.
Officer Taber was in charge. The alder
man asked by whose authority he had
left his beat and was informed that II
was by the authority OF the chief lie
asked Officer Taber who covered his beat,
and the officer replied that il anything
epecial happened the officer at the other
end would attend to 1t.
On cross-examination by Mr.. Osfield
nome sharp talk was INDUCED In by the
Alderman, who became provoked at the
puestions of the opposing counsel, ana at
one point wanted to know IL he, (the
counsel) took him for d fool.
The MAYOR called for Sergt. Nickerson,
and Officers Tompkins and Taber to be
sworn, and Mr.. Osfield objected, as they
were the defendants In the case.
Thomas w. Robinson, counsel for the
-ssproseeution, IL called upon George Il.
Bteere, who was sworn.
He Sergt. Nickerson was in charge OF
the station nights. He was never there in
the evening when the sergeant was not.
Mr.. Steere continued his testimony.
and said he had never seen the suspended
officers do anything to violate the duties
of their Office. He thought he had seen
The Sergeant asleep, but could not say so
definitely.
Officer Black said he had been police
officer four years. He met the sergeant
syery morning at about 2 o'clock. He
never found the suspended officer asleep:
Alderman O'Reilly asked who pulled
the signal boxes from TO in the morn
ing. Witness said the boxes didn't work
half the time.
j. Austin French was sworn. His SER
vice as janitor formerly covered the po-
lice station. He knew Officers Nicker-
son and Tompkins. They generally left
the station about $3.50. For several years
they left Officer Taber In charge. Wit
ness had been janitor at the station for
twelve years. He had sometimes found
Nickerson and Tompkins lying down.
Should Judge they were asleep. Officer
Tompkins was in the guard room; was
always up when he Qot there. He had
seen him on the table. He had never
found the station left alone. Officer Ia
Dor generally came to the station
about $50 O'Clock in the morning.
He had never had any words with the
sergeant that he remembered. They used
60 find fault with the dust, and he had
considerable trouble sweeping out. He
thought it possible for anyone to go into
the station without being challenged.
he would employ. He would very seldom
see the sergeant. He sat In an easy chair
in the chiefs room, and could not see
who came into the station.
Officers McCusker. Hand, Sword, Will
bur, Roch-o Murphy, McDuf, O'Brien,
Donnelly, Nemity, McGlone and Dwyer.
all testified to the effect that they never
found the Sergeant or Tompkins asleep
at the station, that they were in the habit
of leaving the station at between $50 and
BIAS A. NJ, and Officer Tabor left his beat
10 relieve them.
Roundsman Vanander and Officer Nc
leuRhlin were sweFa but added ne new
facts.
Officer Jeffers testified that he had
found Sergeant Nickerson in the arm chair
in the Chiefs room, with his feet i'm
another chair and an overcoat over him,
snoring. This was the only time he saw
him asleep.
Officer James II. Smith testified that he
had seen the Sergeant asleep about 3
o'clock one morning last January.
Detective Haberlin was sworn. He is
IN and out of the station at all hours of
fbe night and day. Never found the sta
tion officers asleep.
The mayor asked him IL he thought it
proper to leave that beat uncovered from
b:30 to 8 A. NJ, and he replied No. lie
thought that the morning force should
be increased to ten men at least. There
are but four on at present. In regard to
the police call boxes he said the system
was worthless
At the evening session Mr. Osfield
called Chief of Police Perry TO testify.
The Chief said IL had been the custom for
l..G q a m AZ