Evening star., 1897-06-08
Trial Of Officers Smith and Ferguson
Before the Commissioners.
THEY ERE ACQUITTED OF TEE CHARGES
Hodge Declared by Commission
to Be Sane.
w ANTED IN BALTIMOR E

The board of police commissioners had
before them for several hours last night
Sergt. James T. Smith and Officer Fer
| guson. The charges against Sergt. Smith
were about as follows: That he, with OFF,
| Ger Ferguson, did, the night of April p
| enter the saloon of Mr.. Harry Rice. or
| ''Hardcorner," and remain there more than
| an hour and half. The charges against
| Officer Ferguson, in addition, were that
| on April &, he was on a drunk, and was
| in such condition that he could not re-
| port at headquarters in time for duty. Fur
ther, that 10th of the accused officers were
| seen in lot off Officer Ferguson's beat
| and in house Of i'll rerute.
| Cept. Webster the first witness. said
Il have been informed by a young man
| going down in that beat. that Sergs. Smith
and Officer Ferguson were seen in Rices
place at the hour named; that they re-
turned ~ Lee street to Fairfax. passed
over on right side and went into Royal"
Commissioner Lindsay wanted 10 know
where Capt. Webster got his Information
and who was his informant At first the
| captain was nonDlussed. After an ex-
change of words between the mayor and
himself, the chief still hesitated, but was
made to answer by Mr.. Leonard Marbury.
attorney for Ferguson and Smith, and
sad: Lieut.. Smith and his son. Charles
When was this Information given?' he
| was asked.
About April s."
10 this Mr.. Thompson replied:
WELL 1t might have been given to the
board Of police commissioners at that time
instead of two months later"
Iheh came up the question of Sergt.
Smith taking Officer Ferguson from his
beat and going to the house of questionable
repute occupied by one Jessie Popp. Ii
was asked whether or not this proceeding
was proper one, but it was explained
occurrences of like kind have been known
as almost Gaily happenings.
Sergt. Smith said Officer Ferguson and
himself had been looking for Mr.. Harry
Smoots watch ever since it was stolen
from him.
that Officer Ferguson came across an open
lot and went to Rice's. At 1929 O. clock ne
said, Smith came along and asked him
lCharley SMITH for a chew of tobacco. On
being told that he had none. Serg:. Smith
replied that he would go over to Rice's and
buy piece.
Il then went to a window near by the
witness stated, "and stationed myself, and
waited until the officers came out together.
which was about 1:4u''
Smith, In explanation of his action, said
ne was night watchman at the W. and ..
yard, and suspected some parties of enter
ing and robblng cars standing on the track
near by.
Who were these people?" asked Lawyer
Marbury.
DO you mean for me to give the names ~
replied Charley Smith.
Yes, SIR replied Mr. Marbury, very en-
phatieally; Il want to know who they
were"
Smith again refused, in a decidedly cm
pnatlc manner, to tell the names Of the men
ne was alleged to be watching. in the po-
sit!on taken by Charley Smith on this ,olnt
Mayor Thompson upheld him.
To whom did you give your informal on
SPrgf Srpi
guson at that hour of the night?"
TO my father" U-ieut. James Smith.
and gave it to Capt. Webster few days
ago.
why was it that you gave 1t 70 vour
father just after it is alleged to have hap
peEed, and yet some time after gave il to
Capt. Webster?' No answer
The witness did NOT reply directly. but
said:
Il also told Officer Sherwood that Sergt.
Smith and Officer Ferguson were irving to
ao my father dirty, SO as to get him out Of
the position of lieutenant. 1 meyer saw
either of these officers drunk or under the
influence OF liquor; neither have ! seen
either OF them, while on duty, enter
house of ill fame"
Georgiana Kirby an inmate of , house
OF Ill fame in the "Whitechapel district"
was the next witEess called by Capt. Web
ster TO bear out his charges against Of
nicer Ferguson and Sergt. Smith
She said she had never seen Serg; Smith
or Officer Ferguson take a drink wn;l, on
duty or at any other time, and had never
seen them under the influence of LIQUOR
since she had known them.
Mr.. Hepburn testified that he had nevar
seen either one of these officers under The
influence of liquor as did also Lewis Will
lams Williams stated that Charley Smith
mad asked him If he couldn't swear that
Sergt Smith went on "A drunk now and
tLen.
Officer Sherwood said: II have never
taken a drink in thirty years. So far as
know l have never seen Officer Fergus IN
drunk in my life l did see him, how
ever about 30 o'clock, if not earlier. on
the night he is charged with having been
IN Rice's saloon, and he was not drunk
then. 1 also saw Sergeant Smith about
the same hour, and he was perfectly So
ber.'
AS to the charge of the officers going into
a house of ill fame at a late hour in the
night, Mr. S. G. Brent, corporation atto--
ney, testified that 1t was upon his advice;
they were looking for information on the
Sn.cot watch case, and they told him they
though they knew where they could get
some evidence. This was thought to be
perfectly proper.
Officer Wilkinson was relieved from duty
at 10 o'clock the night in question. He
testified most emphaticaily that Officer
Ferguson was not drunk.
Officer Proctor testified to having met
Officer Ferguson in a vacant lot and CIV
ing him some private information in re-
gard to raiding place.
jessie POpp, an inmate OF DOWNTOWN
resort, testified that Captain Webster had
been to her house May to see her and
Maud Tibbit He wanted to know what
Sergeant Smith and Officer Ferguson were
down there about. Lieutenant Smith, she
said, was standing on the steps.
Maud Tibbit was then put on the stand,
and said that Sergeant Smith and Officer
Ferguson and herself were in the back
parior having a private conversation. On
being pressed to tell what the talk was
about she said that Sergeant Smith was
trying to get some information about
Harry Smoots watch through her.
John Proctor, an officer, was again put
on the stand. He said he was on the Cor
ner' of Princess and Royal streets, on the
night in question, and he heard some one
coming down Royal street, and found 1t
was Jim Davis. This was little before
or little after 10 o'clock.
After the evidence was in and the room
cleared of all but the mayor and police
commissioners, it took but few minutes
to bring in a verdict of acquittal As a
matter of fact, Sergeant Smith and Officer
Ferguson only had to make statements for
themselves to prove to the satisfaction of
the people the utter falsity Of any such
charges.
1t is but recently that they were sus-
pended for thirty days each, In spite not
alone of public opinion and legal opinion