Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-06-08
CHARGES DISMISSED.
ergeant Smith and Officer Ferguson,

were acquitted last night by the Boar(
of Police Commissioners. The trial al
tracted large number of people to the
station house who desired to witness
the proceedings, but the examination
was conducted in the private room o
the Mayor, and no one was admitted
not concerned in the cases save thu
representatives of the newspapers
Mr.. Leonard Marbury was admitted a.
counsel for the accused, but sugges
ton from the Mayor and Commits
sioner Strauss to the effect that Cor
poration Attorney Brent be allowed tt
represent the city was not concurred
in by the other members of the board
and that gentleman did not appear.
Everything having been made ready
Mr.. Tackett, secretary Of the Board
read the charges as preferred by the
chief, which were to the effect that Oh
the night of April 9Th Sergeant Smith
and Officer Ferguson entered the saloon
of Harry Rice, on north Fairfax street
after midnight and remained there fol
about two hours. That on another oc-
casion at l o'clock in the morning
the same men visited the house of q
woman named Jessie Pop and remain
ed there from half to three quarters
of an hour; that at that time
Mr.. Ferguson's beat was south
of King street and east of Fair
fax, and during that time the section
of the city which should have been
patrolled was without a guardian.
That ON later occasion, while Mr..
Ferguson's beat was in the same quar-
ter of the city he was seen by the chief
to enter Princess street from Royal and
meet the sergeant. The chief further
alleged that from information received
by him Mr.. Ferguson was drunk on the
night of April 6, so much so thst he
failed to be at the appointed place al
10 o'clock to be relieved.
Chief Webster took the stand and
testified in substance that the move
ments of these officers had become COM
mon talk, and from information
brought to him and from personal OBJ
servation he had framed his charges.
In regard to the charge of Willing
away their time in Rice's saloon he SAID
the information had been furnished by
Special Officer Charles T. Smith, who
performed duty at the W. & O. depot
This officer was put on the stand. He
deposed that on the night in question
he was on duty after II o'clock at the
depot building opposite Rice's saloon:
that he saw Mr.. Ferguson enter the
Place from a side door on Princess
street; that later the sergeant reach
ed the neighborhood and asked wit
ne:s for some tobacco; that sub
sequently the witness retired to
an upper room for the purpose
of watching the movements of two
young men ofunsavory reputation who
he had reason to believe were scheming
to rob the cars; that be saw the Ser
geant enter the saloon from the Fairfax
street side; that the two men remained
in the place for about two hours.
Georgians Kirby, an inmate of a
house in the neighborhood, testified to
seeing Mr.. Ferguson in the saloon in
the night time between the hours OF II |
and II o'clock.
The rebuttal testimony was then
taken.
Mr.. Harry Rice denied the assertion
that the officers visited his place.
Officer Sherwood testified that on the
night of April 9Th he had occasion to
20 to the station house with prisoner.
This was at half-past - o'clock. AT
that time Sergeant Smith was at the
station house. Witness remained there
ten or fifteen minutes. When he left
the station house Officer Ferguson was
on the northeast corner of King and
Fairfax streets. At o'clock he saw
both again.
The second charge-that Of the Ser
geant and the officer entering a house
of ill-repute at one o'clock in the morn
ing for no sufficient reason Tor at least
none was reported to the Mayor or
Chief)-was then examined.
1t had been given as al excuse by
the accused that they had been sent
there by Mr.. Brent. the Corpora
ton Attorney. That gentleman took
the stand and syerred that these
men had told him they thought
they possessed information by which
they could trace the whereabouts
of q watch stolen from Mr.. Har.
ry Smoot some months ago; that he
told them as policemen it was their
duty to recover stolen property. That
was all he had to do with the matter.
Jessie Pop and Maud Tippett told OF
the circumstances in connection with
the officers visit to the house; that they
were in quest Of information concern.
ing the lost watch, the sergeant saying
he was backed by lots of money; that
Chief Webster subsequently visited the
house in order to ascertain what bust
ness brought the sergeant and officer
there. Witnesses said it was between
II and l o'clock on the night of May
9th when Sergeant Smith and Officer
Ferguson called; that they had pri-
vate conference with Maud Tippett on
the occasion; that they remained in the
house from half to three-quarters of
an hour.
The charge preferred against Mr..
Ferguson Of being drunk was next ex
and Miss Wood6eld testified
hat on the night of April 9th she was
standing in her door near the corner
Of Fairfax and Queen streets. The town
clock had just struck 10 when Mr.. Fer
suson passed going south toward King
street; that when he passed he STUN
oled and staggered; that she said to
him You had better hurry up" The
officer replied to the effect that he had
plenty of time