Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-04
DALEY is UPHELD
The Commissioners Act on the Fight
ing Sergeant's Case.
THE TRIAL BOARD OVERRULBD
Mr.. TruesdeIs Sharp Criticisms Of
Mr.. Dill.
A n o T II E r A E

The finding Of the Commissioners In the
trial Of Sergeant Daley, accused of circu-
lating false and disrespectful language
concerning LieIt. Gesaford and furnishing
news to reporters. was made public this
morning. Sergeant Daley is gently rcpri-
marded In the following language, and all
members Of the force are cautioned not to
continue Quarrels:
The finding AMI recommendation of the
trial committee IL set aside, and Sergeant
Daley and all members of the police force
are reminded that the Commissioners have
the power of summary removal which will
be promptly exercised against any officer
who foments or continues quarrels among
the members Of the force"
For two weeks Commissioner Truesdell
has been engaged In reviewing the testi-
mony In this case and when the board met
last night the report of Commissioner
Truesdell was transmitted and promptly
approved by the other Commissioners
The testimony taken at the trial covered
ITO pages Of closely typewriter evidence.
Trial Board Finding.
Commissioner Truesdelrs report on the
case leads off with the return of the trial
board. which consisted of Captain Austin,
rer. The charge was made by Lieutenant
Gessford and was conduct unbecoming an
officer" the specification being That ]. c.
Daley. sergeant on the police force, did,
on or about the 81st day Of October 1894
or thereabouts, seek notoriety through the
public press by communicating matter for
publication to the reporter of the wssh-
irgton News and disrespectful and fs3se
language concerning one James w. Cess
Iord, lieutenant on the police force OF the
Distrlct anr, OF Columbia; NIB to one r. G. Dill, jr.
wit: That the said Gcssford was In month
ly receipt CT bribe and shielded a lot
terry scheme" To this charge Daley plead
ed not guilty The trial board however
found him guilty and recommended that
he be removed from the force.
Dilrs Testimony.
Commissioner Truesdell in his actual re-
port refers to the fact that Daley and
Dill are the only competent witnesses as
to what passed between them He then
quotes Dilfs evidence before the trial
board in which he testified that previous
to the publication on which the charge
was based he had received information
that Sergt. Daley was going to make
charges against Gessford's official actions.
Following this he had approached Daley
In Mr.. Pugh's Office at the Police Court
and had asked him about II. At that
place, according to DILL Daley had said
that there was lottery in operation in
Gessford's precinct; that ii was the Kan
sas City Library Association, with head
quarters at 1902 7th street.; that he had
obtained one of the drawings. and that
he understood Lieut.. Gessford was pro-
tecting the affair; that he had informa-
ton to warrant a raid, but that the lot
terry people had obtained wind Of the affair
and had decamped According to Dill.
Daley had further said that his informant
was ]. w. Cotton, and that he had been
told that Gessford had been receiving
500 per month from the lottery company.
and that he was only waiting to get the
written receipt Of Lieut.. Gessford for that
500 in order to bring the matter to the
public.
Mr.. Truesiell says that on the following
day the article headed Daley Charges
the same day Dill wrote to Gessford
letter. in which he called the officers at
tention to the fact that he had given the
credit to the person from whom the story
came. and stating that he regretted the
necessity of publishing the affair, and
that he would be happy to print any de-
NAL which Gessford might choose to make.
further abstract from Dilrs testimony
shows that he testified that he wrote this
letter because Mr.. Harry Gessford, son
of the lieutenant, was a personal friend
of his. and he wished to satisfy him that
there was no animus In the article.
Another Witness.
Abstracts are also included from the tes-
timony of Reporter Albert A. c. Johnson
Of the Post who testified that he had also
heard rumors that Daley would charge
that Gessford had received money. He had
called on Daley, but the information he
obtained did not seem to him sufficient to
Justify story. This witness denied that
Daley had been in the habit Of giving out
information to the press.
The Lottery.
Mr. Truesdell states that a number Of
witnesses were examined by Gessford to
prove that no lottery had ever existed at
1902 7th street, hut Herman J. Martin. a
printer doing business at that number. re-
fused to answer certain questions upon
cross-examination. indicating knowledge OF
afraid to disclose. The trial board testi-
money was out before Dill saw Daley at
lively Dilrs testimony regarding a con-
versation with him in the Police Court, in
approached him in Judge Mller's court
and attempted to draw him out. which he
claims he did not succeed In doing.
Commissioner Truesdell says that the
testimony Of witnesses, especially that of
Johnson, shows that the rumor that Daley
might charge Gessford with receiving
money wah out before Dill saw Daley at
ALL Both Dill and Johnson. he says, would
seem to have gone to Daley to obtain con-
firmation of this story. johnson testified
that he failed to draw from Daley any ac-
cusation sufficient to justify him in print
ing the story. The Commissioner then
states that other publications made by Dill
showed clearly the existence of hostility
on the part Of Dill toward Daley.
After a Sensation.
The report then sums up as follows:
"Dill's object was to create a sensation
the greater the sensation the more valuable
the news to him. To accomplish this he
tried first to stir up quarrel between
Daley and Lieut. Vernon, by misrepresent-
ing both. He has been a fomenter of dis
cord and disturber of peace in the force
ever since, and, according to the testimony
of Lieut. Vernon where the truth did not
serve him, has shown a disposition to sub
stitute exaggeration and misrepresentation.
Having been informed by Wissner and a
private on the force, whose name he refuses
to reveal, that Daley knew something of q
lottery in Gessford's precinct, which, 1t was
rumored, would implicate Gessford, and
taking advantage of the bitter feud between
these two officers. he sought Daley, as John
son had sought him, for the purpose of en-
trapping him into the admission of some
thing which would Justify the publication
Of his story. written for the double purpose
Of creating a sensation and causing Cess
ford to prefer charges against Daley. So
intent was he upon publishing the news