The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-07-19
E1-MAToR MATTHEW'S TIeHr.


than D.. Matthews of Boston appeared
before Police Commissioner Parker to-
day as complainant against Policeman
Penney. He made a charge against the
policeman of wrongfuly compelling him
to pay a telephone charge and of hav-
ing threatened him with arrest. This
occurred on May 25, on which day Mr..
Matthews was in New York. The eX-
mayor gave this version of what oc-
CURED between Penney and himself:
ION the morning of May 25 l stepped
into a drug store on Forty second street
opposite the Grand Central depot and
called up Boston on the telephone. This
was about quarter-past nine. I had
purchased tickets for Boston and my
train was to leave at 10 o'clock. Before
going wished to communicate with my
wife In Boston. asked for my con-
nection. but could not hear anything,
asked the young man in the drug
store to try the telephone, but he could
not hear anything either, Then went
over to the Grand Union hotel to get
breakfast, leaving word in the drug
store that / would be back. While
was at breakfast the boy came over
and said that had had connection with
Boston and there was 50 charges. L
told him would be over as soon as
finished breakfast I went back to the
drug store and asked the boy to try
again and get Boston for me, but he
refused unless paid the 50. This de-
clined to do and / crossed over to the
depot. 1t was a few minutes of ten as
I was entering the passenger room.
Penney stopped me and wanted to know
why refused to pay the 81. said it
was none of his business and then l
understood him to threaten me with ar
rest. l had just three minutes to catch
my train and I decided to pay the
charge and settle the matter afterwards.
gave the boy 81 and took the officers
number. At the time was in the drug
store carpenters were at work and there
was a good deal of noise. I question
that the officer had any right to threat
en- me with arrest in a civil matter"
When Mr.. Matthews concluded his
testimony Policeman Penney said:
"I'll prove that his statement here Is
false"
Louis Marks, the boy in charge of
the telephone, testified that Mr.. Mat
thews was in the telephone booth full
ly five INMATES and that after he went
away Central told him he had been
talking with Boston. Marks then ran
over to the Grand Union hotel, where
he found the ex-mayor and demanded
81 from him Subsequently Mr.. Mat
thews returned, the witness said, and
wanted another connection with Bos-
ton. When he left the store I called
officer Penney and we went over to the
Grand Central depot, where we found
Mr. Matthews, and demanded the ST.
I told him 1 must have the money and
he paid it. I wanted to have Mr.. Mat
tews arrested for defrauding me. The
officer did not threaten Mr.. Matthews
with arrest.
Penney denied that he threatened the
ex-mayor with arrest, 'All had to do
with the matter" said Penney, was to
ask MIR. Matthews why he did not pay
the $2 He looked at his watch and paid
the money, saying that he was ac-
quainted with the president Of the teie-
phone company. I had no conversation
at all about arresting him. l made no
threats. Mr.. Matthews said the reason
| he did not pay was because he failed to
| get connection with Boston, but the tel
ephone boy informed me that he had"
General Manager Bethel of the Met
ropolitan Telephone company appeared
| in Policeman Penney's behalf and said
he was prepared to show that ex-Mayor
| Matthews had an Intelligent communi-
cation over the telephone with his wife
| in Boston and that he received his mes
sage and responded all right. Mr.. Beth
| ell said that if necessary he would bring
the operator from Boston to prove that
such was the case
The ex-Mayor said he was also pre-
pared to show that his wife did not re-
ceive an intelligent communication from
| him and that mot word was heard at
either end.
| Commissioner Parker said he would
not go into the question of whether or
not Mr.. Matthews had connection with
Boston, as it was not material to the
| charges against officer Penney. The
only question to be decided was whether
or not Penney had threatened to arrest
| him and whether he had any right to
| interfere in the matter at all.
The hearing was then closed. Lawyer
w. A. Abbot appeared as counsel for
| the ex-mayor.