The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-08-14
THE HEARING OF THE CASE
HAS BEEN REFERRED To TIE
POLICE COMMITTEE
THEY WILL DECIDE 1T ON MONDAY
Aldermen Say That They Are Unanimous in
Favor of Mr.. Norwoods Rein
statement as Chief of
Police.

"Will Norwood be re-in6tated when the
Board of Aldermen meets this after
noon" was the question everybody was
asking yesterday.
The opinion pretty generally prevailed
that he would be. But he was not, and
an alderman tells me that it was not the
intention of the Board to act at this meet
ting, but to hear both sides of the con-
trOversy, turn the case over in regular
form to the Police committee, let them
decide and report back to the full Board
and then such action will be taken as the
facts warrant.
And this was the course pursued.
Though no formal action has yet been
taken it seems settled beyond all ques-
ton that Mr.. Norwood will next week be
re-instated. Three Democratic aldermen
and one Republican told me yesterday
after the hearing that this would be done
that they thought the Board was unani-
mously in favor OF 1t.
The Board met at 4:10 o'clock, all the
members being present.
Before going into the matter for which
the meeting was called, Alderman Boush-
all announced the death of Capt @. d.
Heartt, ex-chief of police of the city OF
Raleigh, and moved that the city hall
building be draped in mourning, the al
dermen attend the funeral in a body and
committee be appointed to draft suits
Bile resolutions.
This motion was seconded by Alderman
| Drewry, who said that. Capt. Heart
made a faithful officer, and it was right
and proper to thus pay to him these lasS
tributes of respect.
The motion was passed unanimously
and the mayor appointed Aldermen
Boushall. Drewry and Ivey to draft the
resolutions.
Then the mayor stated that the meet
ing had been called for the purpose of in
Ivestigating the suspension of Capt. j. M.
Norwood, chief of police OF the city OF
Raleigh.
| The mayor also made a statement set
ting forth the facts connected with
George Davis arrest and the subsequent
taking out of habeas corpus papers.
These have already been printed in this
paper. At first the mayor supposed Davis
had been arrested upon the Governors
proclamation, but Thursday morning he
found out that a warrant had been is
sued by Mr. Norwood, but the mayor said
it was not made out in due and regular
form. AS soon as he found there was a
warrant the mayor asked Oh.cer Lam
beth for it. Lambeth SAD he marked IL
executed and returned it to Chief OF PO
lice Norwood. When Norwood was asked
for the warrant he had produced a copy
of it, without Lambeth's name or H. say
ing that the original wa b0tted that
he had destroyed it.
Therefore" said the ayor, "a crime
has been added to that o negligence, aud
there is some danger of charge Of for
gerry being preferred"
Affidavits made by Officer Lambeth
and Mr.. II. p. Devereux, who represented
George Davis, were then read by the
mayor. Lambeth stated the facts IN re-
gard to his getting the warrant, execut-
ing it and returning it to Mr.. Norwood.
Mr.. Devereux thought, though he was not
certain, that he had told Norwood about
the habeas corpus proceedings.
In explanation of how Norwood came
to be issuing warrants, the mayor stated
that it had long been his custom to sign
blank warrants and leave them on his
desk to be used as occasion might riquire.
He acknowledged that this was a little
irregular, but said it was done for the
sake of convenience and to save time in
cases Of emergency.
At the conclusion of the statement by
Mayor Russ, Mr.. Norwood was asked to
state his side of the question. He denied
that he had ever heard of the habeas
corpus proceedings, it never having been
mentioned to him by Mr.. Devereux or
any one else. As to the warrant, Mr.. Nor
wood acknowledged that he had de
stroyed the original paper on account OF
it's being in bad condition; that next
morning a new one was substituted, but
Officer Lambeth's name was not put On
it, 1t was his habit, Mr.. Norwood said, TO
release prisoners.
The mayor said this was true only as
to drunkards who had been guilty OF NO
disorderly conduct.
"When found that had mads q mis-
take, and habeas corpus procee ugs had
been issued, told the mayJr l would
get the man again in fifteen minutes. He
told me not to do so," Mr.. Norwood
stated in reply to question.
The mayor said he did not suspend
Chief Norwood on Judge Clark's advice,
but upon his own judgment.
Upon Judge Clark's return shall re-
port to him the facts concerning the tear
ing up of that warrant and the substitu-
tim of a new one" he added.
The legal questions involved in the con-
troversy were argued by Col II. Nj. Argo
Continued on fourth page.)