Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-22
CHARGES AGAINST OFFICERS
Are Preferred by the Father of James
Mcclure.
DEREllCTloN OF DUTY is ALLEGED
Ed Mcclure Places the Cause of
the Dcnth of His Son ut
the Door of the
Police. ..I

Yesterday morning charges were filed with
the Fire aid Police commissioners against
Captain H. p. Haze, Sergeant d. p.
Her, Jailer p. f. Havey and Pa
troll Conductor James Kirk of the
police force, accusing them of being
derelict in their duty, in that they
did not take proper care OF James Mcclure,
the boy whose skull was fractured on cleo
tion night by William Campbell and who
died from his injuries in the police station.
The charges are signed by Ed Mcguire,
father of the dead boy. Mcclure and his
aged and sick wife have always considered
since the death of their son that the blow
which was struck by Campbell was acct
dentally fatal. They therefore are not venge-
full toward him, but they have been indig-
nant that their boy while suffering from
the injury was thrown into a cell and al
lowed to die without medical attention and
attendance. They feel that If a physician
had been summoned his life might possibly
have been saved.
The old couple have been also considerably
wrought up that they were not informed
Of the boys condition, although the police
officers knew them and their residence They
were not told that the boy had been slugged
and were not informed of his death until
before o'clock, and it was $3.50 before the
father heard OF the fact.
Jailer Havey says that when Mcclure was
brought to the station with mis- two COM
panions, Wadum and Castleton, at II O'clock
he requested one of the latter to inform the
injured boys family of the affair. He said
both promised to do so, and relying upon
this promise he took no further steps to
notify the relatives.
After the usual formal opening the
charges set out, That James Mcclure was
brutally and fatally assaulted on Douglas
street in the city Of Omaha, about the
hour of 1890 o'clock in the evening; that
said James MCGUIRE was rendered entirely
unable to take care Of himself by reason OF
said assault; that said James Mcclure was
not in the commission of any unlawful act
and had not violated any of the laws of the
state or ordinances of the city of Omaha:
that said James Mcclure was first allowed
to be upon the street for a considerable
period Of time after his condition was made
known by telephoning to the police station;
that subsequently said James Mcclure was
picked up by said officers, or some of them
and cruelty and brutally handled, thrown
into patrol wagon, taken TO the police sta
tion. and in a cruel, inhuman and brutal
manner dragged from the patrol wagon
down the steps of the police station; that
while said James Mcclure was in said po-
lice station, he was large portion OF the
time unconscious from his injury; that II was
apparent 10 Sald OincerS That he was
dangerously and perhaps fatally injured;
that there was no charge pending against
him and yet the said officers cast him into
a cell as a common feloE, and wholly neglec-
ted to provide any necessaries for him or to
secure the attendance of physician or to
notify any of the friends or relatives of the
said James Mcclure of his condition, al
though said officers knew said James Nc
Guire and knew where this complainant
his father, was and could be found; that
said officers cruelty and brutally neglected
to perform their duty toward said James
Mcclure, but locked him up in a cell and
left him there, moaning piteously for help
until after o'clock on the following morn
ing, at which time said James Mcclure died
from his injuries and from the brutal treat
ment and cruel neglect of said officers
Wherefore this complainant requests an
examination of these several matters, that
the said officers and any others shown to be
guilty of dereliction of duty in connection
with said James Mcclure may be dealt with
according, as the circumstances of the case
demand
The charges will probably be formally
brought up at the melting of the board Mon
day night.