The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-12-28
PRICE FIVE CENTS
DID HE srEAL socKss
Such Charge Was Made Against Inspector
Williams,


Lexow committee Con called tho
nnmca OF Captains Martin. Mcakin,
Waghburn and Wcstorvclt IL was
Slated by lnap. Williams that Wcstor-
welt was sick Con- rctoftod, capt.
Wcntervelt was well enough Ia be &C
hla station two lours ago, when sub
ponnned," "Capt, Moaleim has been
NJ continued Con. but % police sur
ge0n has tcBuncd that his Illness. mus
chlar rheumatism, iH not serious enough
t0 prevent his attendance II he desires
% come. shall ask you 10 enll on
Capt. Mcnkini
III ho Is an h0noat man, and not
guilty ~ the corruption charged
against him he viii come here and tea-
tify. / hope these words Will reach him,
and that he viii weigh thcif aignin-
uhnce."
Inspector Williams looked perfectly
Composed az Con- began the croah-cx-
animation. Con asked, "Will you
swear that Perkins did not get a check
Tor $500 through you, when you were
superintendent of the street cleaning
department."
- will not"
Everybody who has testified against
you is perjurcr ar liar Now has
there ever been "a member OF tho force
charged with more corruption than
your"
II have not been charged with COR
ruption."
dwcre you ever charged with stealing
socks2"
"No."
Mr. Goff referred 10 a document and
sald; II ind that on March 20, 1878. YOU
were charged by Louise Smith, keeper
f.N A.. Nf.f
her slX pOcket.handkerchiefs one gold
headed cane. one pistol one pair OF Hllp-
pers. and one and One-half dozen pairs
1f soclos."
II don't remen Der H."
Haven't you read up your record Of
ten enough s,nce this committee sat
TO remember IL? Don't YOU know that
Superintendent Walllng brought these
charges against your
HE did not, The woman brought
themi'
Were you found gullty?"
Il don't think 30. ! can ind out by
referring 10 my record"
Il don't want your record. l wnnt
you 10 answer my questions. Don't
think because you wear gold shield
here. and are an inspector, you are
ness"
II know am not"
"Will you swear that. on Apr. g. 1886.
you did not go to police headquarters
and stand your trial on these chargesY'
II don't recollect."
did you not swear yesterday you
had been charged with offenses eigh-
these offenses2'
mo: can tell you by referring TO
my record"
III wish to say" said Con, that on
one charge brought against Inspector
Williams by Howard Crosby, the COM
mlssioners divided"
Coming 10 time Williams gald he
ibad then charge OF the Fifth precinct.
Con- asked witness II there were any
houses OF III fame there.
II found them there" he replied.
"And you left them therc?"
Eyes. because they were fashionable
at that time" was Williams extraor-
diuary reply.
Con then called the names OF many
notorious houses In Mercer, Green. Sui
Ivan and Blocker streets. Williams
said ne had heard OF Them and assisted
the board OF educs~ 10 close them
up. He insisted they were alleged
dsorderly houses, although he had
said he knew all about them at an In
quiry instituted by the board OF cdu-
cation,
would not give the name of the pro-
prietor OF "a cerain house OF ill-fame In
| 1874 because he considered the commits
tee not AN honest one. He testified that
he had stated ON "a former occasion that
houses OF ill-ndme did not inJure chill
dren going 10 school: said he had been
called the champion clubbcr; was not
| In the habit Of throwing people Off OF
the street as charged; never heard that
| 4 ttakIf hstI a
mlssal on account OF disgraccful con-
duct. The witness said he never told
| lies about respectable men. He said he
had a reputation for clubbing, but did
not deserve It,
Louis Streep a green goods man, was
called and created a sensation by tell-
ting a story Involving Anthony Com-
stock. He said two indictments We're
/ found against hdm In 1889. Comatock be-
ing prosecutor. Comstock wanted him
10 give up the name Of an accomplice,
which he refused 10 do. Afterwards
| Comstook told him that he would not
be prosecuted II he would give up 81 900,
saying the money was not In the nature
of bitbe, but "A subscription 10 a SO
ciety. He borrowed the money and
paid II. on the following Friday the
indictment was dlsmissT Said Com-
stock subsequently calle On him to E,,t
him to swear Bretl as an aocom-
plicc. He refused am 4 Threatened TO
bring him before IN United states
court, Brethel was trreated on the
charge OF stealing SlOf from the Ameri-
can Express company, lie WIS brought
before Commissioner Shields. Nogotla-
tions We're carried ON with him by Com
stock. and he paid Comstock s., 900 Tho
| following day he was discharged.
| United States District Attorney John
A. Mott also got $1,000 Robert strocp.
q brother OF Louls corroboratcd the lat
ter's testimony.
Gon said that the committee, whiie
! inquirlng into the abuses 81 the police
department had "A right 10 inquire Into
the administration of the law - far na
the state was concerned. and that was
| the reason he had submitted this cvi-
dcnce, II has been shown that green
goods operators could escape punlnh-
meut by briblng Comni0ck. the agent az