Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-06-26
DETECTIVE PROCTOR'S TRIAL
Police Board Looking Into His Peculiar
Methods.
Witnesses Who Testified Yesterday
Trying to Find Whether Proctor
Climbed Over Roofs.

The proceedings in the case of the Dis
trict Commissioners against Detective
Proctor, charged with conduct unbecoming
an Officer in arresting George Maxwell and
Annie lyman about midnight for an al
legged violation of the Edmunds law, were
begun at police headquarters yesterday af-
ternoon, as published in yesterdays Star,
and after a session of three hours the
members of the trial committee concluded
to adjourn for supper and to meet again
today. Detective Proctor had read the
charges made agar st him, and 1t was un-
necessary to have the document read again
in the scene behind the closed doors Even
the windows were closed in the efforts of
the representatives of the Commissioners
to keep dark the facts relating to the case
in which the taxpayers are taking so much
interest George Maxwell and Miss lyman
were conspicuously absent and it was
stated that both of them had left the city.
Miss lyman left soon after the midnight
episode at the Main boarding house on G
street. while Maxwell left before the pres
ent case was called. as he wanted to avoid
notoriety as much as possible
Mr.. Mains Testimony.
Mr.. Main was the first witness called. and
he made his statement about the case He
told OF his suspicious concerning the al
legged violation Of law on the part Of the
two young people and of his complaint
made to the police Mr. Pugh. the prose-
cutting attorney. who represented the Com
missioners in the case, questioned the wit
ness for more than an hour to learn II pos
sible whether or not Detective Proctor Rad
climbed about the roof and had looked
through the keyhole and over the transom,
but just what Mr.. Main said was not made
public.
When Main had been under fire for about
two hours Mr.. Pugh. who was suffering
fror he Of ha hoa lad 70
let him go and call another witness.
Mr. Mullowny's Evidence.
The prosecutors near friend, Assistant
District Attorney Mullowny, was next call
ed behind the scenes. and he gave his YER
sion Of the affair. so far as he was con-
cerned Detective Proctor and Mr.. Main
had laid the case before him. He remem-
bered very distinctly his Instructions to the
officer. which, however, are not exactly as
the officer remembers them, and IN this
regard the vital point at issue is dis
puted.
Warrant Clerk Washburn was called to
the stand when the prosecutor had been
excused. and he told Of having issued the
warrant. The writ was issued during office
hours and was issued the very date it was
served.
Annie johnson, the colored domestic in
the Main house, a decidedly unassuming
individual. next appeared in the room from
which the balance of the public had been
excluded. Her testimony was unimport-
ant. so far as the officers conduct is con-
cerned. for 1t related to the relations exist
ing between Maxwell and Miss lyman.
Their guilt or innocence plays no part In
the investigation, as the only question in
volved is the method employed by the OFF,
Ger to effect the arrest of the couple.
This concluded the testimony for the day
and the case went over until this after
noon to hear the evidence of Inspector
Hollnberger, Detectives Gallaher and
Rhodes, Reporter johnson and others.
Used n Ladder.
While this case was under investigation
Policeman R. L. C. Kopp of the eighth pre-
cinct made an investigation of a case In
volving two colored persons. Edmund Will
liams and Alice Wtdbbey. He did not look
over the transom or through the keyhole.
but he used a ladder, SO he told the prose-