The record-union., 1893-07-06
CONNHABLES ARE IN IT.
One of Them Has Paralyzing Claim
for Services.
That Little Ditch Riot on Grand Island
Proved a Bonanza to r. w.
Hanson.

The Board of Supervisors reconvened
In regular session yesterday morning,
and proceeded to examine bills. That OF
Constable Hanson for S472 80, for arresting
number of Italian laborers in order to
avert threatened riot on Grand Island
last spring, over cutting ditch bank to
let off water was, among them. Justices
Hart L. Smith and George Figg, as well
as the Constable, had been summoned to
appear before the board in reference to
the matter, but Justice Figg was not on
hand at the time specified and District
Attorney Ryan was engaged in the gamb-
ling cases in Justice Henry's court. sCon-
siderable discussion was had, as Justice
Smith was anxious to get home in the af-
ternoon and it was finally determined to
take his deposition.
He deposed that the warrants were ap-
piled for and issued and the parties ar
rested and released on their own recog-
nizance, telling them not to do any more
work till after the court had settled 1t.
The next day parties came to him and
said that parties were preparing to go on
with the work.
a riot was imminent and he issued
other warrants and told the Constable to
arrest the offending parties if 1t took
every man in Georgiana Township. He
did so by advice Of the District Attorney,
to whom he telephoned in regard to the
matter
He thought that the wholesale arrest on
the second day prevented bloodshed and
saved the county great deal OF expense
for trial.
Assistant District Attorney Jones
asked the witness some questions as to
the number of defendants arrested the
first day, and Mr.. Hart answered that
three or four were brought into his court.
tie thought there were about thirty-three
brought into his court the second time.
Other warrants were subsequently, issued
.1or the arrest of several parties but not
served. He had no personal knowledge
5pof what the defendants were doing at the
time of their arrest.
, The Assistant District Attorney thought
that the warrants only covered the arrest
of the parties named in them, and that
the arrests of the others could not be
charged for.
1t was finally agreed that Justice Smith
should send up to the board Il certified
copy of his docket, and also the COM
plants and the warrants issued.
George Figg, who was very anxious to
get back home, as it was in the midst of
his fruit season, was also allowed to make
deposition.
He stated that he was or the ground at
the time the first arrest was made. a
number of Italians were at work there
under his direction, as trustee for the
district, in cleaning out the dead trees,
ETC., from Beaver Slough. A dam was in
the canal connecting with the slough
which backed the water up and it was
taken out. The same night, or the next,
he found that another dam had been put
in by someone about 200 feet below the
other, and he ordered II taken out.
The Constable came and said he had
orders to arrest all the men engaged in
the work. He (Figg) told the Constable
it was done by his orders, TO arrest him
and there was no need of al resting the
men, as they were simply obeying or
ders.
The Constable declined to do so, and
Figg gave him the names of the men and
told him he would bring them to court if
necessary.
Eigg stated that he and two others went
down and appeared in court voluntarily,
no others appearing the first time. When
the Constable came the first time the men
were at work cleaning out the slough
The men told him that when the Con-
stable came the second time they were
lying under their wagons and were not
at work at all.
The Constable came to his house and
stayed all night and asked him to get all
the men to 60 down to the court, as he
told the men to go down and they Went.
He himself was never put under arrest
by the Constable. He offered to be re-
sponsible for the mems work as they
were acting under his orders, and told
the Constable he had better arrest him,
but the Constable said that he thought he
had no jurisdiction over him.
(The bill includes an item for arreSting
Figg on the first day, the 22d, and mileage
for sixteen miles.)
He said that he stated to the Constable
that the men were doing no mischief. but
were trying to clean out the ditch under
his orders in order to get the water to
the pump. The men were peaceably in
clined and had no weapons and made no
demonstration of resistance.
The board then took a recess till
7:30 P. NJ.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
r. W. Hanson took the stand in the
afternoon, and testified that when he
went the first time Figg said that he was
responsible for the work, and that
Hanson had better arrest him instead of
the workmen, and that he answered he
did not know whether that was best. He
consulted the person who swore out the
complaint and ask led him if it was neces
sary to arrest them all, and was told that
all was equally guilty, as they were try
ing to drain the water onto his crop. He
then went back and read the warrant to
the men and was told they understood il.
He considered that he placed them all
under arrest
The second time he made arrests. he
did so under instructions by Justice
Smith to arrest all he found at work
there. When he arrived at Beaver
Slough, the men quit work and began to
hitch up and get ready to go home They
refused to 60 with him but he told them
they must go with him to court, and they
then went with him. He thought there
would be trouble, and saw several shot
guns in their possession.
a. Grossi testified that when Hanson
came down the first time there were
about forty-hve men at work cleaning
out the slough. Figg told him that the
men were under his orders, and as he
was the responsible party Hanson had
better arrest him and let the rest 90.
Figg, himself, and one other went with
Hanson to Isleton. He was not there
when the other arrests were made.
The board then took the matter under
advisement until the papers were sent
up by Justice Smith.
on motion of Supervisor Jenkins each
Justice of the Peace in the county will
be provided with such volumes Of the
Codes and Amendments as are neces-
sary to make up his set, and also a blank
book for his Office, on his proper demand.
The board took a recess until 10 A. NJ.
to-day.