The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-05-24
TIE CASE DISMISSED.
Mr.. Wilson Did Not Sustain Charges
Against Policeman Godbold.

The investigation by Mayor McDonough
yesterday morning into the cases of Mr.
j. N. Wilson and his son, Julian, who, it
was alleged, were ill treated by Police
man Godbold put the matter in differ
ent light from that in the first reports,
and practically resulted in the exonera-
tiOn of the policeman.
The evidence showed that Policeman
Godbold arrested young Wilson Saturday
afternoon for playing ball on the South
Broad street green. The little fellow re-
ported to his parents that he had been i'll
treated. This naturally incensed Mr.
Wilson, and Sunday morning he and
Policeman Godbold had some words over
the affair, with the result that Mr.. Will
son himself was placed under arrest. He
claimed the policeman had also ill treated
him and Mayor McDOnough determined
to probe the matter to the bottom
The hearing was private, in Chief
Green Office, and lasted an hour Hon.
w. w. Osborne represented Mr.. Wilson
and his son. The case against the boy for
violating the city ordinance in playing
ball on the street, was first called. Po-
liceman Godbold testified that he was
ordered Saturday afternoon by Assistant
Chief Reilly to break up a ball game
among crowd of boys on the green near
Abercorn street. The Wilson lad was the
largest in the party and he determined to
arrest him. The boy ran and the police
man followed him into York street There
the boy fell and was caught and taken to
! the barracks. Policeman Godbold added
that he treated his prisoner gently, and
neither struck nor pushed him down.
Under the cross eXamination by Mr..
Osborne the policeman reiterated en-
phatically that he never thought of VIC
lence to the boy and was several feet from
him when he fell.
The defendants statement corrobor-
ated Policeman Godbold. He admitted
having played ball and said he ran away
from the policeman. AS he was falling
he felt Policeman Godbold's hand touch
his back. He could not specify any vio-
lence and did not remember having been
! struck or abused
| Mayor McDonough dismissed the case
with reprimand to young Wilson about
| playing ball in the streets in the future.
The really interesting case was that
against the father, who was charged with
cursing the police department in the
presence of officers. 1t was in connection
with this arrest that the charge of bru-
| tality against Policeman Godbold arose.
! The policeman's story was this:
sunday morning Policeman Davis and
l were walking through Oglethorpe
! square on our way to the barracks, when
| VIC ilACb MI w lSOu. ne waved MS mana
! to Policeman Davis and said; Davis
| what kind of a - -p police force have
! you got here, anyhowl My boy was ar
| rested and illtreated, and / propose to
have the matter investigated He then
4 asked who had arrested his boy and |
| stepped up and answered 4 arrested your
| boy, and treated him kindly, and | now
arrest you for cursing on the street. !
took hold of MIR. Wilson by the collar OF
the coat and told him he was under ar.
rest, and he began to abuse me, calling me
a scoundrel, brute and other names. ]
/ told him he might curse me as much as
| he pleased while was IN citizens clothes
! but did not propose 30 allow him TO do 50
| while ! was in uniform. Policeman Davis
/ tried TO quiet Mr. Wilson and asked me "a
/ let him 80. / did so, but he continued his
| abuse and placed him under arrest a
second time. He tried to pull away from
/ me and called upon Policeman Davis ID
/ assist me. Each took an arm and started
! toward the barracks with our prisoner
1 but upon Mr.. Wilson agreeing 60 goquietly
we lei 80 our hold aud he walked with
u.s.
DIG you use any violence III arrestlne