The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-12-09
THE JA|LOR'S DISCHARGE
A Council Com mittsse 10 lnvestigas-
ing Some Charges Against
the City Marshal
T. B. Percell Explains What He
Meant by q Communication
to the City Fathers.
The Marshal says He Eliminated ths
Tailor because He Cou'd Not Trust
Him In the Of1cs.

Al The last meeting Of tho city oosnoil T.
b. Ps,osll, formerly city jailsr. addressed .
communication to that body. stating that
no had been psremptorily discharged from
his office Nov. 10. 1899. n n,ne p. M. while
Of, duty. by the city ma, shal. and that the
only reason no could give for suoh dis
change was that he had intsrisrsd TO pre-
vent the city marshal from sending an in
noosnt man 10 the psnitentiary By tbs aid
Of a stool pigeon. The subject was referred
10 the committee on police. with iustruc-
tioas TO investigate. Yesterday that csm-
mittse. composed of Chairman Collins and
Aide. men Borgard and Walker. met d tho
council chamber aud began their work.
The Witnesses will all subscribe to thsis
testimony.
Mr.. Percsll was the first witness. His
story was to the effect that 20 far % 10 was
ava: . no had been discharged without just
cause. Referring to that portion OF his
ohsrQes. in which he alleges that the mar.
shall was going to send an innocent man to
the psnitentiary, he said that for several
weeks previous to his discharge a one
armed man named Hamilton had been
around the Jail. At the same tins James
Milford, known as Slim Jim, was in jail.
The night Of the discharge Psscsll said
Slim told him that Hamilton wanted to got
him (slim) into trouble; that he wanted
him to "stlinR' q man who WAS In tho Gen.
al beer hall. PeEcell then told Of going
70 the beer saloon and finding Hamilton
there with the man Slim had described.
How. afterwards. Hamilton followed him
(Percel) 10 the Worlds fair besf garlen.
and later 10 the Central. Later tbs mar
shall came in. called him ont and told him
he WAS discharged. In reply to 9 question
said he took into consideration the fact
that Hamilton was friendly with tho mar
shal. the story that Slim told him. the ap-
parent spottina. By Hamilton. and his
discharge following. 80 he was led TO be-
lieve that bis d,.oha 60 va due to MS ;.!i
bought several meals for Hamilton because
the latter kicked about the food At the j,i !;
that Hamilton was not . prisoner. but slept
at the Jail. and he saw him with tho mar
shall, and to prevent trouble be had bought
Hamilton meals.
Committeeman Walker asked the witness
If he intended to charge that the marshal
was in tho job to lob the man In the sa-
loon. aud the witness said no, but his dis
charge looked auspicious. owing to the time
1t WAS made.
john Plumm, a cook. said be knew Ham
ilton; that the latter told him he Was broke;
that he was stopping at tho city jail. anu
vas solid with the marshal and ssrReant;
that Hamilton told hin the city marshal
said the crooks had got to 80 and Tom
might az we'll 90 with them. :.
Jas. Griffith, another witness for Psrcsll
testified that he was locked no with Hamil-
ton ut tho city jail; that Hamilton told him
Pereell was discharged because he told the
crooks to look ont for a stool pigeon. bus
he did not say who the stool pigeon was.
I've other witnesses told about the mar
shall calling Perosll ont of the Central beer
hall the night Of tho discharge.
Mr.. Psrcell then introduced two deposi.
lions. one from a man named SCOTT. now
man named Dsvins. They look to the sub
stantian of his alleged talk with Slim. The
latter IL In tbs county jail.
In his own behalf Marshal NoCann tssti-
fed that he had discharged Purcsll because
he interfsrsd with affairs that no had no
business with. because no neglected his
work and allowed prisoners 10 escape. in
STANDING ono case whsro Stone, Sims part
ncr, had been allowed to 20 by ths jailor,
the day after his arrest. A. to Hamilton.
piled as the office for lodging, saying he
wanted to work. The marshal said he got
him several jobs to saw wood, and as for a.
he could could tell he was an honest man.
He told how Hamilton came to him and
told him. of his v free will. that Slim
hUlu NJ 6uN AlD phIbuSA u y S0SAo VI
j wslry in G'eat Falls they. were going to
raise. The marshal said no told the
county attorney about 1t the day Hamilton
told him, and concluded to write TO the
marshal at Great Falls. asking him to
w. a.n out there ts' TO S, 1s;.: .b ss''G i:..,,, IT.
tbs marshal at Great Falls, and this letter
Percell gave to Slim to mail, explaining,
when the marshal taxed him with il, that
hs did IL by mistake.
Continuing. tho mRyshal said Peroell had
taken money belonging ~ prisoners several
times. and he had told the mayor about II.
Ihe mayor asked him to bear with him and
to witch him closer in the future. The
marshal also said that Percell was neglect
with him until his patience was exhausted.
Tie day he finally discharged Psrcell hs
laid him of IN the morning. owing to the
letter incident. but had. at Peroslps re-
quest and promise to attend to hts business,
resoindsd the ordor. One great trouble
with him was his association with the pris.
onsrs. Slim was discharged from custody
the day OF the letter incident. and that
night Officer Quentin came TO the office
and told him Percsll and Slim woe down
concluded IL was NO use to Try any more
with Perosll. and 90 he went down. called
him out. aud discharged him.
Officer Quentin told the story of how he
alleged PeRoell took money belonging TO
prisoners. He had the property book OF the
Jail. and no told how ON June IL he had ar
rested a man who had 25 cents In his
pocket. This money was put In an en-
velope BY Psrcell. The next day tho man
came to him and complainsd that he could
not get his money. The money was not
found afterward. Quentin said no did not
tell the marshal. because he thought there
might be a mistake. but he kept "A watch
after that. The next time was Aug. s, when
no arrested a man who had $3.50 in his
pocket. This Quentin says he counted, and
Percell put it in an envelope. putting the
amount down in the property book. The
next day the prisoner was discharged and
he went to Quentin. saying his money wal
60 ceats short. Quentin sold tne man he
should receive $3.50. An examination OF
the book. Quentin testified. showed 3d.
to the mans credit, Quentin alleging that
Percell had changed the figures. Then the
officer told the marshal. The next case was
two days later. when = prisoners money
dropped from $1.15 to 95 cents. There wal
another case on Aug. II. Without con.
eludinR the examination the COMMITTEES
adjourned till to morrow afternoon.
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