Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-14
JUDGE PUGH HOLDS COURT
The Ar1ais 4 Of Police of6osn for v.ri-
1 aps oasnssa
Rush for Se.t. by Interested speeta-
'or'-rns Aets-ea Represented by
CouEseR@-The Proceedings.

udCliou III tnooFOI1ce Court building to-
day. and had the session been held in a
larger room Judges Scott and Mills would
have had small audiences. Everybody
about the building was anxious to attend
the new court and hear Judge Pugh in
proof to be admitted.
The session was held in a small room on
the second floor, and the scene presented
was very much on the order Of what
might be expected in a country magis-
trate's office after a rousing celebration of
some kind or tournament. Seats were
scarce but the spectators did not object
to sitting on window sill or even stand
ing, for the attraction was a novel one,
and some spicy testimony was anticipated.
men Clerk Kemp announced that Judge
Pugh was ready to hear the case of In
spector Pearson versus Policemen Ellis
and Trainor the judge took his seat on the
bench and the spectators, with uncovered
heads got the best positions they could
In the small space available.
THESE defendant officers are of the sec
ond precinct force, about which SO much
has been said during the past two weeks
1t was charged that the officers had vio-
lated paragraph 1875 Of the manual, In that
they failed to properly patrol their beats
on the night of the 9Th of this month.
The charge was read, and the officers
were asked:
DC You plead guilty or not guilty?"
We stand mute. your honor, said A.
torney ST. Clair, and plea of not guilty
was directed to be entered.
The Inspectors Testimony.
Inspector Pearson took his seat on the
witness chair provided for this purpose,
and he narrated the circumstances which
caused him to bring the charge. 1t APP
peared from his evidence that the beats of
these officers adjoin, and Ellis had not been
a hna xxy1n oil
violation occurred. The officers, he said.
met on the dividing line between their
beats at ten minutes past . o'clock and
talked for thirty minutes. At the end of
the half hour he walked over to them and
inquired:
Don't you think you have been here
long enough?'
1t was not stated what the patrolmen
thought about 1t.
Attorney st. Clair questioned the witness
at length. and then attacked the regula-
tons under which the charges were
brought.
Your honor" he said, with as much dig
nifty as he would assume in addressing a
Supreme Court judge, sit seems to me that
this regulation is hardly comprehensive
enough. They may have been there dis
cussing police duties.''
That's no place to discuss police Duties"
the judge told him.
the regulations hFurthermore. he did NJ" not
the authority toia ct.
In Theit Own Defense.
The officers made their statements. 1t
appeared from what they said that each
man thought the others company so good
that he did not realize how fast the time
passed Policeman Trainor claimed that
he was giving his brother officer what
counsel called '%pointers." He told him
about place suspected of selling liquor to
minors. Their joint claim was that they
were there only twenty-five minutes. in
stead of thirty minutes, as charged. It
was their claim that their conversation
was on police matters, and the inspector
was so pleasant when he came up and
spoke to them that they were surprised
when they we're, notified to appear for trial
on charges.
Counsel made an argument for the Off
GERS, claiming that they were there on
police business and were not INDUCING
an idle gossip.
The officers are now anxiously awaiting
the verdict, hoping the Commissioners will
be lenient. -
80 Case of Officer Shiplcy.
The case of Officer ]. Shipley of the
ninth precinct developed that according to
the testimony of various witnesses and IS
heretofore published in The Star, the po-
liceman went to the home Of Rachel
Brown, colored, near the corner Of 9Th and
F streets northeast. August g. and was
about to enter the house, when Mrs.
Brown, who is very aged woman, and
walks with cane tried to stop him, when
he pushed her and she fell to the ground.
Shipley then went up stairs, where he
saw Mary Lyles, small colored girl, and
n ade a dash for her, which frightened her
SO badly that she fell down stairs and was
quite severely hurt. Shipley ran after her
and struck her with his black jack.
Lieut.. Heff1er told the circumstances,
nd Cat no. r W. fn he
one of whom. NGee. arrested Shipley as he
came staggering out of the alley.
Several witnesses testified in Shipleys
favor all of whom stated they had known
him for a number of years and had never
known of his drinking.
The accused admitted he took two or
three drinks of whisky the day of the trou-
the effect was to render him oblvious of
what subsequently occurred that day.