The herald., 1895-07-03
Officer j. N. Baker May Then
Be Tried
MANY CHARGES AGAINST HIM
Baker Had the Best of II Up to a
Certain Point
The White Charges Were About to Be Dis.
missed When q New Set Of Allega-
tions Came in

The first thing considered yesterday by
the board of police commissioners was
the charges filed some ten days ago by ].
L. White. charging gross cruelty against
| Officer J. M. Baker of Boyle Heights. For
the purpose of conducting the trial the
| board met half an hour earlier than usual.
There was host OF witnesses in attend
ance.
The first witness in substantiation Of
the charges was 1S-year old Harry Gregg,
who told how one day while he was COM
ing from school, Baker mad kicked and
slapped him. He and Bakers son of his
own age had quarreled and he had gotten
the better Of the argument when the
father took hand and did what young
Baker could not do-lick Harry Gregg.
THE boy told straightforward story and
was followed on the stand by his mother.
| Mrs. Gregg told that young Harry was
| for several days lame where Officer Baker
| had kicked him. "One day Baker came
| to our home." said Mrs. Gregg, land
told me that Harry had spoilt a tree in
| his yard and he wanted to know what
| intended to do about it. l replied that if
| any damage had been done | was willing
| to pay the bill. Baker was boisterous.
Upon cross-examination Mrs. Gregg de-
MED that she had ever repudiated her
| signature to the charges. Baker had been
to her house with paper for that purpose.
Charles Ollie was the next witness.
some timidity in telling his story. His
version of the battle between young Gregg
and young Baker did not differ from that
| which had been told before. He had been
| an eyewitness Of the punishment which
| Officer Baker later inflicted upon Harry
H. k-n 4
you came up here today he would give
you dollar?" asked Officer Baker.
"No, sir" was the reply of the wit
ness inl, a sturdy tone of voice.
Leslie White, son OF the complainant,
testified to the episode on the evening of
May Sth last, when Baker went to the
White residence for the purpose Of "giv-
ing him talking to- because he mad
that day kicked Baker junior Witness
| denied the alleged kicking and then told
of the quarrel regarding the disputed
fence between the White and the Baker
property which White was tearing down
| about May sth and for which Baker
| threatened to arrest him. Mrs. White
corroborated her son and then the case
| of the prosecution closed.
Baker for his own part tried td prove
| good character by the testimony Of sew
eral brother officers, which testimony
| was, however, not admitted. Officer John
| Stevenson stated that White had escaped
prosecution for malicious mischief in the
| police court because he had "stood in"
with the judge. The charge of '.stand-
| ing in" the commissioners allo we'd to go
unohallenged, in spite of Whites protest.
The defense sought to prove that the
reputation of White among hisineighbors
was that of o quarrelsoms person, sew
| eral police officers giving testimony upon
Bakers behalf regarding this subject.
| Through Mrs. Baker the accused officer
sought to impeach the testimony Of Harry
Gregg. She was positive that Baker had
| not kicked:young Gregg. She knew be-
cause she had witnessed the whole trvu-
BILE. Baker upon his own behalf denied
| all of the charges which had been made
against him. The gist Of the matter
appeared from the evidence adduced to be
neighborhood quarrel. the bottom of
which is certain alley recently ordered
opened on Boyle Heights by the city
| council.
II can bring evidence here.'' SAID
| Baker in his testimony. that Mr.. White
has made the statement that he had $21,-
900 to spend to be elected councilman
| from the Ninth ward, SO that he canlget
! Officer Stevenson and myself off the
| force"
The comm issioners. after delibera.ing
| for some minutes. proceeded with the reg
| ular business. 1t had been about decided
that the charges had not been proven,
when Executive Clerk Walter +. Parker
| leisurely picked one particular document
from among his file and proceeded to
read it's contents. Those present were
much astonishedlto find the paper to be
brand new set of charges made against
Baker by Rev. E. r. Brainerd of the Pa
citic Cycle company. Brainerd alleges
that one of his employees was few days
ago without cause arrested by Officer
Baker, who was extremely overbearing
and insulting at the time. The charge
could not be substantiated and the case
had to be dismissed, and others verbally
made charges made against Baker
Even then the members of the commits
sion Eesitated. On motion of Mr.. Web
Der, Baker was finally suspended, pend
ing an investigation into the. several sets
OF sworn charges.
The mmissoners granted saloon Ii
censes to ]. H. Bridges at 1888 San Fer.
| nando street, and referred the application
of f. Conrad for a saloon at 112 CONNER
cial street to the chief for Investigation.
The saloon license recently graneed to
Brown q Schwergert at III East First
street was revoked. the owner of the prop
erty having protested against the saloon.
| 6. NJ. Axtel, superintendent of build
ings and janitors of the school depart
ment, filed an application as special
officer to serve without pay, and Thomas.
Riley asked to be- appointed city dog
| catcher. Both applications were referred
| to the chief.
The applications OF Joseph "A. Anchor
and E. N. Jenkins for positions upon the
regular force we're fleo.
! The various demands were approved
| and ordered paid and then Cotnm issioner
Webber said tnat he had matter which
he wished to bring up. Last Saturday a.
week ago about O'Clock in the after
| noon. he was driving along First street
| near Nam. He saw a large crowd at that
point, ana when he arrived on the scene,
a free fight was in progress. There was
no police officer present. Officer Hill
stood on the corner Of First and Spring