The morning call., 1894-06-27
GAViGAN'S FALL.
His Authority Called in
Question.
He Wanted Two Girls Released From
the City Prison and Was
Thrown Out.

Dan Gavigan. clerk of Police Court 3, is
again IN trouble. apd in ali proba bility he
will be asked to explain his conduct to
the Board of Supervisors
About half-past 2 o'clock yesterday
morning Officer F. A. HolbrooK of the So
ciety for the prevention of Cruelty TO
Children and Assistant Secretary Gibson
of the Society Tor the Suppression of Vice,
went to raid notorious house on Sixth
street. where they had learned young girls
who had run away from their homes were
in the habit of frequenting. In front Of a
saloon near the lodglng-house they saw
three young girls and several young hood
lums acting in disOTderly manner. The
officers arrested the three girls and started
with them TO the City Prison.
About fifty oung hoodlums followed the
officers and their prisoners, and at the
corner of Mark ct and Jones streets they
made n deter mined effort to rescue the
girls. Policem a O'Dea came to the as
sistaDce OF Hol brook and Gibson and they
beat off the hOwling gang. ODea arrested
Ivan Wyland, one of the party, and took
him to the City Prison.
The girls gave the names of Mary
OConnOr. II years of age, Maggie Eagan,
20. and Grace Ronald, 16. Eagan was
booked tor vagrancy and the two others
for some public institution.
Clerk Gavigan made his appearance at
the prison about half an hour after the
girls were booked. be was laboring under
lag" and astonisheG Sergeant Shields
by demanding the release OF Mary O'Con-
nor and Grace Ronald. The sergeant told
him he must be joking. but when GavIsaD
wrote out and presented two orders of dis
charge Shields saw that he meant busi-
ShialRs cd ont IN him, hat ho
could not release the girls. as they were
booked for public institution, but Gavi-
gan was obdurate and raved and stormed
a such rate that finally ne was thrown
out of the prison.
Sergeant Shields yesterday morning left
written report of Gavigan's conduct with
Captain Stone, but the captain has not vet
forwarded it to Chief Crowley.
The girls we're allowed to go home with
their parents yesterday, who promised to
keep more waichful eye on them in the
future. Wyland was fined S5 or twenty
four hours imprisonment for disturbing
the peace.
Gavigan's version of the trouble in the
prison differs from that given by Sergeant
Shields. lie says that an uncle and two
cousins of one OF the three girls came to
his house about 3 o'clock in the morning
and asked him to get the girl out on bonds.
AS they are all reputable citizens. the
uhOiO bCAub WOItn dUOuI he
wanted to Oblige them and they accom-
panied him TO his office in Police Court 8,
where he wrote out the bonds for the three
girls, as they said they might just as we'll
go on the bonds of all the girls. Still ac-
companied by them, he went to the prison
with the orders of discharge and presented
them to Sergeant Shields, who questioned
his authority TO order that the girls be dis
charged. Gayigan told him that the bonds
OF reputable citizens had been accepted
and that he was acting within his author
itv and ii Shields said he was not he did
not know his business.
"rhis angered Shields." said Gavigan,
land be told me TO attend TO my'own ousi-
ness. l replied that was just what was
doing and he said he would put me out of
the prison. / then handed the orders of
discharge TO the girls uncle and told him
TO present them to Shields and IL he Ie-
fused 10 release the girls the uncle would
have his remedy. Then l left the prison
All this took place in the presence Of the
men who were with me. | deny most en-
phaticaIly that was under the influence
of LIQUOR"