The record-union., 1896-01-29
VOLCANOeOR ONLYAG GEYSER
Whichever Il is, It is Settling Beneath
the Old City Hall.
Only Police Officers Seem to be An
noyed by It, However-Will
Open Up on Friday.

Next Friday evening the examina-
ton of Officer j. A. Wilson on the
charge of having attempted to intimi-
date witness will take place in the Po-
lice Court, and from hints and mysteri-
Gus remarks that are being circulated in
may have some interesting, not to say
sensational, features.
The witness who accused Wilson of
having attempted to intimidate her is
Grace Weston, who testified for the
case. She has charged that after she
had been subpenaed as a witness Will
son ordered her out of the city.
The officer admits this, but says he
had good reason for so doing, and that
he did not know at the time that the
woman was to be witness.
When Wilson's case was called yes
terday and a motion made for a con-
tinuance, City Attorney Brown inti-
mated that there We're others who are in
a worse boat than Wilson and said he
desired time to investigate certain in
formation that had been impaired to
him. officer Rutherford-who was one
of the prosecutors of Bosquet--is given
as authority for the statement that
Captain Greene has been interviewing
/ the woman for the purpose of inducing
her to let up on Wilson, and it was to
this that the City Attorney is under
stood to have alluded.
1t is also whispered that Rutherford
'has it in" for some other of his brother
officers, presumably in connection with
this same matter, but he and the City
Attorney appear to be reserving their
fire until the Wilson case comes up.
Captain Greene was considerably
nettled last evening after reading what
had been said about him in connection
with the case, but ne declined to make
any statement for publication concern
ing his action.
I am an officer of the Police Court, :"
said the Captain, land have right to
be heard therein, and at the proper
time will make a statement that may
surprise certain parties. Chief Drew,
my superior officer, knows all that has
occurred within my knowledge. What
took place during the brief (and acci-
dentaD meeting between the Weston
woman and myself win be shown in
court, and it will not rest on my tes-
timony alone, for there was a witness
to it.
Il don't go outside the sphere of my
own duties to interfere with others, and
l shall not allow anyone to assail me
unjustifiably without defending myself
before the proper tribunal"
Several of the officers have severely
criticised Rutherford's action. They re-
call the trouble in which he became in
volved in thespring of 1894. when he eshot
and killed Elmer Smith while that youth
was trying to evade arrest, and how
they all stood by him and gave him
their support and encouragement when
he had to undergo trial for man
slaughter. They refer also to the
charges made against him by the Jap
anese, Tomaki, and his temporary sus-
pension and trial before the City Trus-
tees, resulting in a reprimand; to the
charge made against him by Frank
Duffy, the young hackman, of assault
with club, and to the serious difficulty
in which he became involved in conse-
quence of the beating he administered
to an old veteran soldier named Nc
Cabe. They speak of these things, and
say that Rutherford should be the last
man on the force to indulge in reflec-
tions on brother officers.
While none Of the officers say they be-
lieve Rutherford was to blame for any
OF these difficulties that beset him, they
feel that had he not had their encour-
agement and support he might not have
pulled through all of them success
fully. They do not object to the VIII
son charge, which must stand or fall
according to the evidence that will be
brought out, but they blame Ruther-
ford for the statement going about to
the effect that several officers are to be
"pinched" for some mysterious short
comings, the real nature of which is not
known.
officer Wilson is not under suspension
pending the hearing Of the charge
against him, both Chief Drew and
Mayor Hubbard deciding, after inquiry
into the matter. that he is entitled to
presumption of innocence until all the
facts in connection with the case shall
have been brought out.
In the meantime new fuel is con-
stantly being heaped on the fire, and it
is likely the furnace viii be red-hot by
the end of the week.