The times., 1897-06-17
POLICE TRIALS IN PUBLIC.
The Star Chamber System Of
Hearing Charges Abolished.
BOARDS FIRST OPEN SESSION
Officer Cowue's Complaint Against
Comrade-Off His Beat TO Get
Gun of Coffee-Mrs. ChapmaG's
Troubles With Coiored Patrol-
MANA Debt Case Settled.

For years past the proceedings or the
police trial board have been in the nature
OF a series Of deep, dark secrets only
the captain and two lieutenants, compris-
ing the board; stenographer the accused
patrolman, his counsel and the witness
tcstifying were admitted into the star
chamber during a hearing.
Commissioners Wight has changed all thus.
He recently came to the conclusion that "a
policeman in error should not be shielded
from publicity any more than citizen IN
error who is tried in the police or in any
other court He Furthermore eonciufied tha'
if the wrongdoinSs OF the offlcers were
ycntil ated openly and exposed TO tie
public gaze through the medium OF the
newspapers those officers would be more
careful IN the future.
Accordingly, when the open session Oh
the trial board was held at Liect kelieys
station, yesterday forenoon, the former
air OF mystery was gone, and The doors
and window Of the squadroon, In WHICH
the sitting was held, were thrown VIDE
open.
The members OIL Iiit bOtlh ioohSt N'"i
in their summer uniforms, and appeared
grateful for the Commissioner order
which does away with being tightly
closcted In an oppressive atmosphere with
policemen Oh guard to prevent any OF the
proceedings from leaking out.
Foe the first time since the open order
was issued, reporters OF the press We're
present.
Acting Can't. Vernon presided, with l.iedts
Hefrner and Swindells as members OF the
board. Mr. Arthur Kemp made kteno-
graphic report of the proceedings
The first case called was that OF Police
mau S f. Hernaon. OF the First nrecinct
who was charged with being off ins heat
and i'm a Iunchrcom for eight minutes The
complainant aganss him was "A brother
Officer, Patrolnan Charles II. Co'vne,
of the same precinct After the charges
were read Capt. Vernon asked:
"AIc YOU guilty or not guilty.
Il plead guilty 10 Being in the lunchroom
! and off my teat four minutes, but not
eight, replied the accused.
Policeman Cowne testified that Mr.
Herndon came upon his tCownc's, hcat
and went into the Log Cabin Lunchroom, ,on
street, to get cup of coffee.
! and made the admission as stated
us whisky sold in that lunch room?"
asked a member of the hoard.
.'No, sir. 1 never drank drop of
W hisk, in my life. Had | gone there
for whisky Mr Cowne would not have
reported me
After testimony by Policeman Kenny
! the matter was taken under adviseinent-
Th, second case was one of debt.
Then Robert l.. Carroll, a culored pa
troiinan, was arraigned by Lieut.. Swim
deIls lie was charged by Mrs Mar
garet Bowie Chapman with intoxieaiion,
neglect Of duty and using profane Ian
| guage toward tile complainant. The
dates naaed were April and June 3.
! Tine specifcati0Is stated that Carroll was
| Sc much under the influence of liquor Un
| the night of June 8 that he failed and
| neglected to notify Mrs. Chapman that
her doors aud windows were open
The complainant is distingu shed look
| ing won.an, about fifty years Of age, with
! mixed gray hair She was attired in
] widows weeds and spoke in an emphatic
! manner.
Policeman Carroll, attended by his coun.
sci Mr. oscar Nauck, was in attendance.
After o number of witnesses for the prose
| cution had been sworn Mrs. Chapman in-
troduced her testimony by stating:
"Offioers, j have no Ill feeling towards
him as a man, tmeauing the accusedt hut
l have been driven to take action against
him as an officer"
she stated that she came home enc
evening and saw Carroll surrounded by
a crowd of youths, among them her son,
Phil She asked the policeman:
what has my boy done?"
'I've warned these boys BEFORE" Car
roll replied. "and I'm going to arrest every
d one Of them"
Mrs. Chapman said that the colored
patrGlnIan emphasized his threat by flour
ishing his arms and club, and then added:
"Your boy Phil cursed a colored man.
what has all this to do with the case"''
asked Lieut.. Eeffner, as the complainant
started TO bring out some Irrelevant mat
teTs
"He said he would arrest every boy on
Caroline street." continued Mrs. Chap
man, "if he lad to go to their houses
and take them out of bed"
Being asked about the charge that Car
roll was intoxicated, the complainant sa d:
''His breath smelled of liquor. l was
surprised, as ! did not know you al!owed
the Officers To drink
1--WE don't want your opinion, madame
said member of the trial board
HE also folded his arms and glared at
me-" continued Mrs. Chapman, land ms
manner was insolent.'
'.Did you see him stagger?" asked Lieut.
Swindeils.
''He did not walk any too straight"
Mrs Chapman stated that she saw Car
| roll again, with his hat on the back OF his
head He was walking along mutterng 70
himself. and she concluded ne was in
toxicated
on the nj ght Of June3 Mrs Chapman Iait
she retired, leaving her doors and win
dows open, and Policeman Carroll did 40
close them.
Attorney Nauck drew from Mrs Chapman
ALL acknowledgment that Policeman Carol
had arrested her son, Phil, on June 'o
cursing the officer and the youth veal
fined in the police court for the cffense.
'The oath he used to the officer was
vile one was it not?" asked the attorn ~.
! Il believe it was, officer" replied tn.
widow.
In conclusion she declared that Car
roll had stared at her on three occasion
and sworn to untruths in the police court
After other witnesses for the prosecr
! tion were heard, Policeman Carroll an
several brother officers went upon tn
stand and denied in total the charge
preferred by Mrs. Chapman. a decisio
viii be reached in the case this week.
Observation Cars on Is. & o.