Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-04-25
BROKE Up HUGGING.
WHAT A WITNESS SAID DAN. TURNER
DID ON CANDLES HILL.
His Investigation Begun Yesterday Eve
ning-No Evidence as to Inefficienoy.
The sacred-ueart Church AFFAIR.

a AAE nllbAhANh AAR"t VIZ
Council Committee on Grounds and Build
ings TO investigate certain charges against
ur. Daniel J. Turner. keeper of CANDLES
Hiill Park, met in the Office Of Mr. William
NJ. Turpin ct o'clock Yesterday evening.
There were present Messrs. Carter. Iur-
pin. and Mountcastle, members OF the
subcommittee Mr. Louis +. Bossieux,
the representative of the accused; MIR. II.
a. Atkinson. Jr. Mr.. TJrner, against
whom the charges had been preferred,
and several other gentlemen who were
more or less interested in tGe case.
Mr. Carter, chairman OF the body, eX-
piained the object of the meeting. Ihe
following notice. which bad been served
upon Dir. Turner, explains the charges
against him:
Dear Sir.-The enclosed extract copy Of reso-
luton adopted calling tor iuvestigationl from
tue minutes OF the Committee on Grounds ana
Buildings viii explain the object Of this note
We are directed t0 investigate your conduct as
park-keeper Of the Gamble's-hul Park ana also
tao charge brought against you OF being drunk
and disordorly OF the Church OF tho Sacred
Heart on Wednesday OF las. week. lou
are invited TO be present and make such deiehce
and statements az you may deem proper
THOSE N THE MEETING.
This was properly signed by the men,
btir Ol ilt NuD-tOulllltkEt. MI lpbNeitAA
asked what the charges we're and how they
should be proceeded with. lie was IN
formed that they were drunkenness and
ineflclsncy, and that if agreeable the lat
ter would be taken up first. No one pres
ent testified that Mr.. Turner had ever
failed 10 fully perform his duty at the
park. though Mr.. Carter stated that an-
other member of the Grounds and Build
ings Committee would testify "a TO the
CnQTun that rho QcqfIga1 InptflcIpnf "a
park-keeper, which was preferred In
communication signed Mrs. II. \. A., Jr.
TIE TESTIMONY OPENED.
Counsel for the accused was then asked
Il lie desired 20 produce any testimony as
10 Mr.. Turner's efficiency. Captain B0s-
sleuX noted exception to such question
going upon record when no evidence had
been produced TO show that Mr.. Turner
had not attended to his duties.
Tho defence then placed Mr.. Bruce
Cook. who lives on one of the corners a.
tho park. upon the defence. He testified
that be bad known Mr.. Turner since last
July and was first attracted 10 hun by rea-
son OF his great kindness 10 children. The
park. lie SAID. had been kept in good or
der, tho walkNays and grass having re-
celyed attention. These conditions exist
ed np 10 the present time. The witness
referred to the fact that the keeper OF the
park had broken up an old nuisance down
on the lower end of the plat.
rBoEE Up THE HUGGING.
Mr. Erwin l. Sutherland. who also re-
sides by the park. stated that he consid-
er-d Mr.. Turner a competen: and efficient
park-keoper. adding that the place was in
better condition now than 1t had been IN
the past. The witness went on TO say that
while the grass had only been ont q couple
of weeks It was now nicely mOwu and the
walkWays and benches We're IN first
class order. Mr.. Sutherland. in con
tinuinC his testimony. remarked that
Mr.. Turner had accomplished ono very
good thing since be had become
the keeper Of Gamble's-Hill Park by
breaking up the practice Of hugging ut
night. The witness added that Mr.. Tur-
ner had received several insults IN doing
this. but had finally succeeded. He had
never seen tho park-keepnr under the in
fluence Of liquor. and had not known any
rock-battles 70 occur upon the park, which
was one OF tho allie yatiOns III the commu-
nications from the unknown lady. No
more evidence was produced here as to
Ir. Turner'S efficiency. though the ac-
cused reserved the right 10 Introduce
other witnesses II deemed necessary.
THr sAcEED-HEAHT CHURCH AFFAIR.
The investigation was then turned TO
the charge of being drunk and disorderly
NJ Sacred Heart church. MIR. NOIris FER
ritter testified that hc heard some cursng
in the gostIbule Of the church. and, turn
ing, saw Mr.. Turner and another gentle
man IN @ disturbance. lie went over 70
them. caught hold cf Mr.. Turner and car
ried HIN 10 the lower landing of the
church. and told him If Ae re-enter-
cd the church no would have him
arrested. The park-keepor did not
como back IN the church. The wit
ness was under the Impression that
Mr. Turner W3 under The influence
Of liquor 0t the time. though he never
saw him take a drink. lie had heard seye-
ral persons say that tie other party 10 the
affair was named Atkinson. Witness
thought n was Mr. Turner who DID the
cursing. but he WAS not positive about
this. he knew nothing about the origin
Of the difficulty. he saw no one strike.
Nr. ". II. Higgins was the fourth wit
ness 10 testify. tic said that he was one
of the ushers ut SacrDd-lIcart church. and
that about $50 O'Clock on the evening re-
ferred 20 he saw a young man Int Mr..
Turner with an umbrella. and afterward
observed Mr.. FerTItar as he was carrying
Mr. Turner ont. In the estimation OF the
witness the outsiders made more noise
than those engaged IN the difficulty.
The uqrk-keeDcr subsequently, came
up to Mr. Higgins and stated tnat
he wanted 10 make an apollo
gy. Mr. Turner asked the witness 20
explain the affair TO Father O'Rellv and
ask his pardon. Mr.. Higgins declared
that outsiders seemed 20 have more TO say
about the affair than members Of the con-
gregation. He did not think Mr. Turner
was drinking. lie thought the accused
acted very gentlemsnly- fact. he was
specially impressed with his conduct.
The witness did not sec Mr.. Turner strike
a blow.
The policemen VINO were stationed at
the church testified that they saw Mr..
Turner and talked with him, and that they
did not think he was under the influence
of liquor. One or two other witnesses
were placed upon the stand. but thor evil
dence was cOrroboratiye of that already
published.
The investigation was continued until 6
o'clock this afternoon, when II VIII 10 re-
sumed in the City Engineers Oiice.