The herald., 1897-08-11

to adjournment, that he was in posses
sion of certain facts relating to the do
ings of the trio of officers mentioned and
he wanted them to appear and explain
their actions.
The mayor and other members pres
ent were informed by Mr.. Gibbon that
the liberty of a citizen had been jeop-
ardized and in addition he, the citizen,
had been victimized to the tune of 81 by
Special officer Shields Mr.. Gbbon read
a communication confirming his asser-
tions.
THE ACCUSATION
The letter was from T. c. Larrey, who
claims that last Saturday warrant was
issued for his arrest on charge of en-
bezzement Mr. Larney recites the
facts as follows:
II saw Mr.. Donnell, district attorney,
and explained the matter. He gave me
letter to Mr.. Chambers at the police
court, who dismissed the case against
me, about IL o'clock, noon. He, Mr..
Chambers, telephoned to some one, Or
dering the warrant for my arrest re-
turned. When I got home about p m.
l..
ing for me about o'clock. l immediate
ly went to the policeman and told him
who was, and what Mr.. Chambers told
me. The officer had TO warrant for me
with him, yet 1 was anxious to go to the
police office and get the matter straight
eneG out
After some searching they finally
found the warrant, which had not yet
been withdrawn. The clerk read the
warrant to me and told me l would have
to put up $50 cash or $100 bond or go to
prison. 1t was then after 10 o'clock. /
did not have $50 with me. appealed to
the captain, Mr.. Roberts, Think, to
send an officer with me to Mr.. Chambers
home He said there was rome around;
yet l could see several, an0 one of them
| finally said he would go with me for 81,
which 1 preferred paying rather than go
| to Jail until Monday. l paid the 81,
think, to a Mr. Shields; l am not sure OF
his name, however. Mr.. Chambers
knows him. Mr.. Chambers wrote some
fon the warrant and 1 was free. Some
mistake in the office was the cause of it.
But don't you think I had trouble
enough with this matter without paying
| -
all day for 50. That officer didn't work
an hour for his 81; it was on his way
home. so we parted near Mr.. Chambers S
house 1t was about r. midnight, when
| got home. There is a principle involved
here worthy of your consideration. L
think my money ought to be returned.
Yours very respectfully
"T. c. LARNEY."
The back of the warrant shows that
Mr. Chambers had concluded to ask that
the case be dismissed, and it also bears
Clerk Kelsey's certificate, dated August
End. that the case was dismissed on Mr.
Chambers motion.
THE EXPLANATION
Chief Glass stated that he did not up
hold officer Shields method of treating
the case; that he, Glass, would have al
lowed the man to depart on his own re-
cognizance The chief also said that the
mistake had occurred by failure to leave
the warrant in the office, or possibly a
neglect to notify the officers that the
case had been dismissed. The endorse
ment on the back of the warrant shows
that the case had been dismissed on
August End.
AFTER THEM
Mr. Gibbon earnestly protested against
such loose way of transacting the busi-
ness of the police station and warmly an
nounced his intention of going to the bot
tom of the transaction. Mr.. Gibbon
finally moved that the officers named be
ordered to appear before the board at
its next weekly meeting and explain why
! they arrested Larney. Mr. Shields will
also be called upon to state his authority
for accepting Larney's two dollars.
Police Officer Shields last night made
the following statement to a reporter in
regard to the complaint which had beer
filed against him.
81 was in the station the night that
Larney came in, just having returned
from my days work He was very
much excited on being told by the clerk
that he would have to be detained unless
he could put up bail or give bond, as
there was a warrant for him. He came
into Captain Roberts office and stated
that he was sure the matter could be
explained if he could see Deputy District
Attorney Joseph Chambers. Larney
was told by the captain that il he wen;
10 the place it would have to be in charge
of an officer, as he could not under the
circumstances be allowed to go alone
The captain told him, however, thai
there was no regular officer around the
station at that time who could be sen
| out.
Larney then came out and walked
over to where I was sitting and inquired
if was an officer. replied that was
a special officer. He then wanted tc
know if 1 would accompany him to Mr.
Chambers residence on East Thirty
Sixth street, and asked how much /
would cost for such a service. 1 replied
that the consta ble's office made charge
of two dollars for such service. oh
well, I'll pay five dollars Larney spoke
up. 1 tried to put him off, but he came
to me three times before l finally con.
sented to go.
II am a special officer, and did moi
consider that the service came within
my regular duties as l would were l q
regular officer. Captain Roberts stated
that he would be satisfied for Larney t.
go to Mr.. Chambers house if l accom-
panied him, and we went. Mr. Cham
bers stated that his Investigations hat
proved that the difficulty was merely Q