Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-03-28
AN INVESTIGATION
BY TIE COUNCIL COMMITTEE on POLICE, LAST
EVENING,
Into The Case of Officer Henry Snider-The Chic
Sustained in Els Action, and the Officer
Reinstatsd on the Evidence.

OuceT ntuIy DuiOSl, S~SPSHN -
Chief McNichol on the Goth inst, for
alleged neglect of duty.
The finding OF the Committee was that
the Chief was right in his suspension,
but that the allegations were not sus-
aimed, and Council was recommended
To order the reinstatement OF the officer.
Chief McNichol was the first witness,
he being called after several sections OF
the Department Rules, bearing on the
case, and a petition signed by about one
hundred First ward citizens, had been
read. The petition set forth that the
signers could prove by five witnesses
that 1.-THE charges are false and un-
founded" and that Suider had always
been an alert and careful officer"
Chief McNlchol then made mis- state
medt, saying all he knew Of the case
was what others had told him, promi-
nent among them being Councilman
Zoeckler. A message had come to the
City Hall that car had been taken
from the driver, and Lieutenant Gaus
went up, stayed couple of hours and
when he returned said there had been
trouble and he was afraid Officer Snid-
er was mixed up in 1t, as no one had
been arrested. The Chief telephoned
TO Officer Desmond and he arrested
Gosney, the man who hit Driver Slater,
and brought him down. Slater said
Gosney had dubbed him and hit
him, and that he went down street
and met Snider and told him
about il, and the officer said be couldn't
arrest any one, because he didn't see
the row. Slater said he asked the OIL
Ger TO go back and protect the car while
he got warrant, and Snider said he
couldn't go back unless Slater went
with him. Slater did so. Slater said
Snider asked him if he was going 10 get
warrant, and when Slater said he
was the officer advised him not to do so,
saving he had better not, as he wonld
get the worst of it. The first trouble
was about ) o'clock, AMI there was more
att. The Chief said he lad talked to
Snider and scolded him. Councilman
Zoeckler told the Chief that every
man, woman and child" in the ward
knew who it was hit Slater, that Snider
didn't do mis- duty, and wouldn't do 1t,
that there were constant complaints by
citizens, etc. The Chief said he had no
fault to find with SnideH outside of this
matter; he had been at the Grand Opera
House while he was an extraman and
did we'll there,
Councilman Zoeckler was called, and
restated what he had told the Chief.
He said there had been trouble two or
three times, but SAider never seemed to
know about it, or paid no attention to
it, The Saturday before a man had
Jumped on a car. The officer told him
to get off and walked up street with
him. when l asked him who l was,
he said he didn't know" On the 18TH
Slater was beaten, and ran down street
bare-headed, while some one let the
mules loose from the car, and
they ran down street as hard as they
could and were caught and hitched
at nv place. This was at 8 o'clock, and
at 2 there was more trouble, boys start
ing TO run the car into the eriVer.
Officer Snider came In my place after
wards and called up headquarters, and
while he was there | told the Chief over
the telephone they had better send up
policeman who would do something.
l told Snider at o'clock Slater had
been hit, and he said that was the first
he heard of it, although he walked
six squares up street with Sia-
ter. At Z o'clock they would
have run the car down on the 'Pewiky'
track If it hadn't stalled against a water
pipe. | told the Chief 10 get another
officer, as Snider wouldn't arrest any
one. Snider said he didn't know who
hit Slater, but there were fifty people
on the street who did. He knew the
man as well as I did, although he said
he didn't" Mr.. Zoeckler gave de-
tailed account of all the trouble on that
end OF the line.
Slater, the car driver, was next called,
and tole his story. He said Gosney
choked and hit him, and threatened to
Kill him, he went to Sixth street, met
Snider at John Koch's, told him about
the trouble and told him Dan Gosney
had hit him, and said he wanted him
arrested. "Snder said be couldn't ar
rest him because he didn't see 1t. l
told him to 20 up and protect the car.
and he said he couldn't unless | went
l
A warrant, and he said no, don't do
that; they're drunk, and you'll get the
worst OF it, / then went back with
him, got the mules at Zoeckler's, and
went up to the car. got another man
TO drive and went to Peterman's and
got a warrant for Gosney. Then Gaus
came and told him about it, and Sun
| day | got summons 10 appear In Police
Court Monday. l have known Gosney
nine years, and we were always friends.
! Snider was al ways with the strikers and
their sympathizers and | thought be
always sided with them. The State
warrant has never been served"
Officer Snider was called in his de-
/ Tense. He said at o'clock he was talk
ling with John Koch, at No. COG Main
street. "when Slater came and tapped
! me on the shoulder and said they had
| taken his car from him and wanted me
to 20 up. / said, 4 just came from
there He said, they aid it since then.
and again asked me to 90 up. said
all right and started. A little further
M 2 third party joined US, aud Slater
and he talked all the way up. He didn'i
! sneak to me. or tell me who il was, oil
even that he had been hit. Ididn't know
about that until ZOeckler told me, at
o'clock. l didn't know lick had beer
| struck before that. Slater never said {
word 10 me about warrant
or what had happened. When
came down to kOch's / me
the car at the foundry, going up.
went on 10 Koch's, and I was there
when Slater came up, and when W.
went twenty or twenty-five yards TIT
stranger Joined us. l went as fast as
could without running. AT ZOeckler'
I told Slater TO get his mules and wen