The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-22
BEN THORNTON is REDUCED
The Detective Is Also Severely Repri-
maDded by the Board of Safety.
He Will Send in His Resignation-Tried for
His Conduct in the Eysier Murder
Case-An Array of Witnesses.

colored member of the city detective force.
was tried before the Board of Public Safe
81 last night on charges OF conduct unbe-
coming an officer, and OF working detrI-
mental to the interests of the State in the
widespread interest from the fact
that Thornton is one of the best-known of
ficers on the force, and that the actions he
was charged with werc in connection with
the most celebrated criminal case that has
been tried In this county for decade. Nc
Afee and Parker were arrested by de-
tectives Thornton and MoGuff. There
was some doubt at the time
of the mems guilt. and Thornton
freely expressed himself in the belief of
their innocence. bssing that belief on the
investigations which he had made. The
men were subsequently, tried. found guilty.
snd are now in Jail under penalty Of death.
During their trial. and before it. Thornton
was said TO have taken an active
part in aiding the defense. and
IL was for that which he was tried. The
charges were preferred against him by pa
trolmen Hart, Carter and Ward. all colored,
and each stated that be had at various
times conducted himself towards them in
manner that would indicate that he was
jealous of the work which they had done
In the case.
The Office of the board was flied, last
night. when the board convened, with all
of the members present Among those
present were Mrs. Eyster. the widow of
she man who had been murdered; Judge
Cox. Prosecutor Hoffman and Dep
uty Prosecutor Cox. of the Grim
i ina Court Court Prosecutor Wright; .s OF
and Irwin. of the Criminal Court. attorneys
John Duncan, w. A. Van Buren,. John
Reardon and Martin Hugg. who acted for
the defense during the trial, and Terry
Cullen and n. 5. Byram. president OF the
a large number of colored people. many
members OF the police force and
she usual number of outsiders. Be-
fore the trial began Thornton made the
statement that he had number of
gentlemen to appear before the board as
character witnesses In his behalf, and that
IL the board would admit that his previous
reputation for truth and veraclty had been
oil that could be said for 1t, he would al
low them TO 20 home. President Hawkins.
of the board. said that would be admitted,
and Messrs. Duncan, Van buren, and Byram
left the room. the others remaining and
testifylng later.
The tirst witness called was patrolman
Ward. one of the officers who had filed
charges against Thornton. HIS testimony
was 10 the effect that Thornton had said TO
him several occasions since the arrest of
tbs men charged with the crime that he
ND not believe them to be guilty.
and that Thornton had used language
toward him that was profane and indecent
sfd's testimony was almost wholly OF q
" .ieral nature. Thornton. who was con-
.,.ting his own case. frequently requested
tbs board TO make the witness coDiine him.
Bolf to she facts. and w ard show a dispo-
sltiOn TO get angry at the interruptions.
Patrolman Carter next testified. and his
statements were similar TO those of w ard.
there being point OF disagreement be-
at the time he was met by Thornton and
MeGuff. on the day that Parker and McAfee
were arrested. but IL Was nothing that had
any great bearing on the case.
p Pa Hart was next put . on
Bame as that of the others. and on the cross
examination Thornton asked blm If be had
not made the statements that he had had q
conversation with Mrs. Easley. and had
reported that she had told him that Thorn
ton had told her that II Hattie Mitchell
had Kept her mouth ont of the case Parker
and McAfee would have been acquitted.
This Hart denied, but admitted that he
had had o conversation with the Easley
woman.
Deputy Prosecutor Cox. the clerk of the
grand Jury loom, was next put on the stand,
aud his testimony was the most important
Of the whole trial. He said that whe n
Thornton appeared before the jury to tes-
tify IN the Ey ster case. that he had started
out by saying TINT he did not believe
that bis testimony would do the State
any good. The witness then said that he
went on TO say that he did not believe that
Parker and McAfee were guilty. and that
ha Inr ha had haar
tured. He said that Thornton had talked
In a queer manner about the witnesses. had
said that one OF them was jail
bird, that another had wheels
IN has head. and that another was q -
fool Mr.. Cox also said that he had seen
Thornton In frequent consultation with the
attorneys for the defense during the trial,
and animated that he had disclosed Co
Shem the States case. as they were familiar
with 1t from The beginning TO the end.
Mr.. Cox WAS followed by Mr.. Hoffman.
who said that most OF his knowledge of
the ma tier as by hcarsay, ana he said IN
substance what had been told by Mr. Cox.
Judge Cox and ex-Judges Norton and
and each testified to the fact that
as long as they had known Thorn
ton they had found him to be- most BILE.
faithful and contentious officer. and that
never before had .hey heard of him doing
anything TO injure the cause for which the
State was working. This much had also
been said by Messrs. Cox and Hoffman.
Patrolmen Ward. Carter and Hart in their
testimony had said that the girl Hattie
Mitchell had said that Thornton had come
90 her aud asked her TO swear that it was
white men who bad shot Eyster she being
about the only eye witness To the event
She was put on the stand by Thornton and
she testified that there was not particle
of truth IN the statement
Hart also made the statement that n Mira
Easley had told him that Thornton had told
her that If Hattie Mitchell had kept her
tongue out of the case that Parker and Me-
Afee would have gone free She was put
on the stand. and size said that she had
never spoken TO Thornton IN her
life. Hart was called hack, and he
him that Mrs. Easley had told her so.
The Mitchell girl then said that that WAS
so. Mrs Easley was called back and she
said that it was . lie. but said that the
Mitchell girl had said 10 her. Beings them
two niRgers tmeaning Parker and McAfeel
il shooting OF their mouthe about me, I'll
hang 'em If | can"
Captain Splann. chief of detectives, testi-
he'd that he had had called TO his attento
the actions of Thorton, but did not know
of his own knowledge Just what he b ad
done. except that he had said that be did
not believe the men held for the crime
were the guilty ones Mrs. McAfee. the
mother of one OF the accused. testified that
Thornton had given no assistance to her
soD in any way that she knew of. and that
she bad not spoken TO him for long time.
for the reason that she believed he had
been doing all he could to ges her family
into trouble. Martin Hugg. one of Parker