The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-30

/ sham. "O'Nein was very plainly drunk.
/ Malphus did not seem 10 be drunk. The
I policeman in uniform paid no attention and
/ took no more interest than If he had been
l a post. ] had no intention Of interfering
/ with the men, and did not interfere. Of
I fered 70 walk Up TO the barracks by my
+ self OF with either one OF the three police
| men, in order not 20 have to submit to
l the indignity Of riding in the police wagon,
but they paid no attention TO my request
I Houston had been in my employ seven
years, and is a well-behaved, respectful
/ negro / never knew him to get into any
trouble OF this kind"
Mr.. LeClaire said that he was merely
walking down the street on his way 10 the
! Office, when he saw a crowd around the
box and stopped to inquire what was the
matter. ONein ordered him 10 move on.
He moved on about thirty feet and stopped
TO speak to James Davis. a cOlOred bar
Der O'Neill came up. caught him by the
shoulder, swung him around rudely and
told him that he was under arrest. O'Neih
then went back and struck Davis in the
face. He was bundled into the wagon
and taken to the barracks without being
given chance to explain that he had
nothing 10 do with the affair and knew
nothing about IL.
Mr. James S. Ross. clerk at the ware
house, and that Houston ran into the ware
house with his nose bleeding. He asked
him what was the matter. Houston lean
ed over the desk and started to tell him
about the row, when two white men came
in, seized hold OF him and commenced
beating him with their fists They beat
him numerically. Mr.. Ross protested
against their treatment Of the negro and
O'Neiu cursed him and called him a ne
gro-lover. As they got to the door O'Neill
kicked Houston in the stomach several
times. ONeiu was acting like a wild
man, he said, and seemed to want to
arrest everybody.
Dan Houston was put up to tell his story.
Dan did not look badly dishgured. He had
two pieces Of court plaster, each about the
size of quarter on the back of his head,
where the end of Malphus' pistol struck
him. He said that he had a number of
other sore places, however. He gave a
graphic account of the affair. He said he
walked across the street from the car
shed with a strange colored man who
wanted some information.
Il saw these two gentlemen standing in
front of the store laughing and enjoying
themselves" he said. "A little colored girl
came along and Mr.. O'Neill tipped the bas-
ket from her head. 1 helped her pick up
her fruit. While 1 was doing that d woman
came along and he knocked the basket off
her head, too. said, gentlemen, don't do
that. These people are working for a liv-
ing With that Mr.. O'Neill cursed me and
struck at me. I tried to ward off the blow,
but it caught me on the nose and the blood
spurted all over my shirt Then both of
them caught hold of me and beat me. 1
broke away and ran across to the green,
where they caught me and commenced
beating me again. Mr.. Malphus drew his
pistol and put it in my face. l caught hold
of it with my hands. l tried to take it
away from him and 1 would have taken it
If l could. 1 would have struck back at
them, but was so busy keeping the blows
off and trying to keep him from shooting
me that l was afraid. Then 1 broke away
and ran into the freight shed and they
followed me there and beat me again. 1
did not know they We're officers when they
spoke to me. They did not say they were
officers until they got me to the box"
Houston was inclined to wander in his
testimony and make side remarks, which
caused his audience to laugh. Even ONeill
and AIalphus Joined in the laughter. They
did not laugh long, however. Mr.. Clay said
he thought enough evidence had been in
troduced and that in view of the evidence
he did not consider it necessary to make
any argument. Mayor Myers agreed with
him.
1.-THE cases are dismissed and the pris-
oners discharged" said Mayor Myers.
The mayor then called O'Neill and NAL
plus in front of the stand. Il had intended
giving you a hearing on the charges
against YOU" said the mayor, but enough
evidence has come out at this trial to
make that unnecessary. You have both
shown that you do not possess the char
aeteristics requisite for members of the
police force of the city of Savannah. You
are discharged from the force"
"Your honor. 1 would like to make a
statement" began O'Neill.
Il don't care to hear anything from you.
I have heard all that is necessary" said
the mayor as he turned to go. O'Neill
made some remark to the effect that he
could do it like a man." but those around
him did not catch the full remark.
Mr.. Habersham has threatened to take
out warrants against O'Neill and Malphus
for assault and battery and tresspass and
prosecute them in the city court.