The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-04-07
YHE POLICE DUTIES !
Result of An Investigation
Held Last Night.
SERVICE OF WARRANTS |
Under Which the Night
Police May Perform Such Duty-These
Ohoers and Constables Are Divorced
Removal Of Omser walaitis to be Asked

1t is quite evident that at least one
committee of the Borough Council does
not propose to let any charges which may |
be preferred against the borough officials |
grow cold and escape attention, and that |
committee is the one whose duties pertain |
to the lamp and watch. 1t is composed of
Councilmen Dougherty, Gable and Kane. |
On Thursday night three constables of
the town-Boland, Dando and Phillips
caused a petition to be presented to the
Borough Council praying that the night
police be enjoined against interfering
with the service of warrants and sub
poenas and other duties upon which the
constables depend for a livelihood. The
committee lost no time in taking up the
investigation ordered and last night met
the accused and accusers in the Council
chamber
In addi tion to the committee there were
in attendance Constables Boland and
Dando and all the police Councilmen
Straughn and kerns were also in attend
ance expecting that the DR. Szlupas
charges would be considered, but they
were not The committee will meet again
JO-0lRlU lOf lldJ PURPOSE.
Constable Boland was the first of the
accusers to take the floor and he charged
Chief O'Hara with going to Yatesville
one night to arrest a man for an act com
mitted at Yatesville. Chief O'Hara
admitted the charge, but said that the
place was but a short distance from the
borough line and 1t was case which had
! been represented as very urgent one
He was inclined to believe, however that
perhaps he was not justified in going
| beyond the limits and il the committee
was inclined to so decide he would take
MIR. Kane, for the comnuS,C
| it was not desired that any night police
man should go outside the limits OF the
| borough during his hours OF duty.
| The constables then called attention to
cases where the night police had served
processes when there were constables at
| hand to do the work and Policemen
| O'Hara, Casey and Dougherty directed
the attention of the committee to cases
| where constables had handed the police
warrants for services. The statements
and counter-statements led to a score OF
versions viewed from as many standpolnts
and finally Chief O'Hara said that the
police did not wish and would not take
any civil business, but it was frequently
necessary for the night police to serve
warrants, in cases in which the police
become interested through performance
Chief O'Hara told the committee with
some emphasis that should the Council
decide that the night police should not be
| allowed to serve any warrants 1t would
he a serious infringement upon the duties
of the police He also said that. almost
invariably the cases in which he TOOK
warrants from Justices were cases IN
which a constable could not be found OF
refused to serve.
Constable Boland finally stated that all
that he asked was that the night police
leave day business alone and that IN the
night time the Justices know where &c
. send for the Constables if they need them
1t WAS intimated that some Justices arr
= in the habit of holding warrants ISSUED
u during the day until the night police e
/ on duty and then request the police u
The police said the Constables FIRE
i uuently called upon them for assistance
to make arrests.
Y MIR. Gable took this up by telling thu
Constables that they should pull togethe
r and call upon each other or some citizen
for assistance when they need 1t, an
Le leave the night police to their own held
If night policeman is neglectlng nj
/. regular duty in serving a warrant
Justice hands him, he certainly neglect
Ofl his duty in leaving his beat to assist
constable in executing a warrant; an
If that in the face of the latter case con
plant that the police neglect their dut
by leaving their beats TO serve a Warial
did not seem founded on very goou grac
The committee finally decided, and wi
so report to Council, that the night pole
shall serve warrants only in connectio
with tn cir duties as officers OF the boroug
AS an illustrations If, while on nlgl
duty, there is a disturbance in which w
or more men are concerned and the polio
m man is unable TO arrest more than one
them. the officer shall have the power
, procure and execute a warrant for Il
lQ balance of the men. The committee al
decided that the night police shall ia
ell. their cases before the Chief Burgess, al
not before a Justice of the Peace and {
Is, police shall not assist cOnstables.
In connection with the latter INSTRUCT
Chief O'Hara said that of the ll2 arres
during the past year all but one of the
. were disposed of by the Burgess
After the Constables' petition was d
posed of all the officers except the Poll
p0lieeman. George Walaitis, withdre
The latter remained by request OF n
Gable 1t was stated at the last Coun
II, meeting that this officer was not eltiz'
Walaitis presented what appeared TO
his citizenship papers, bearing uate
Walaitis had declared his intention
become a citizen on September 8, 1891.
MIR. Gable asked Walaitis to state
year of his arrival in this country. w
aitis answered or years.
b | "Can YOU read 2" was the next questi
The officer replied that he could a
was asked to read aloud his own citlz
ship paper, He made an attempt a
read after some study BE it RENE
bered." He studied again and then
the paper (WHICH was the ordinary prin
form filled out with penmanship) q
said ~ can't read that"
Mr.. Gable then handed a slip of pa
upon which he had written some ii
q and asked Walaitis to read the writ