Birmingham state herald., 1897-07-14
NO SNORING ON THE BEAT Was the Verdict of the Police
 Commission. THE SEMl-ANNUAL REPORT Of Chief Mcdonald Makes Good Showing The Case Against Collector A. A.
 Gambl Dismissed.

to order at S:20 o'clock. The minutes of the previous meeting
 were read and approved. The first ma tier to hold the boards at tention was the trial of Officer A. A.
 Gambih for conduct unbecoming an offi-
 cer and for an assault. The charges wsre
 brought by Mr Will Rosentihl, of Rossn- tihl Bros.
 MT. Will Rosentihl told the crcum-
 stances of the alleged breaches. They grew out of an attempt to collect the
 merchants or license tax. He stated | that he refused to make bond or sub-
 init to arrest. He claimed that MT. Gam l bill caught both of his wrists and wrench 1 e1 one of them. The other witnesses l examined for MT. Rasentihl were his brother, Ar. John Rossntihl and MT. John Anderson. The latter would not say that there was anything rude or | boisterous in Officer GambilPs conduct. This completed thep laintiff's testimony l and pr. George M. Morrow was called in in the interest of Officer Gambih, the defendant. He stated that ak of the 1 rough talking. while he was present, was i indulged in by Mr. Rosentihl. The itner 1 witnesses exa amired were MT. Simon l Flotz. MT. Frank Gardner and Chief Me Donald The bast two knew nothing of | fhe difficulty MT. Gardner was sum- 1 moned to show that he, while occupying l the same position as Mir GambiI h l tlOuDlc III .COllecltHS ldA. HIS WIS pb- iectsd to. The chief was asked to prove
 the character and reputation of the ac- l cused officer.
 Officer Gambill wert on the stand last
 and told of the laiificulty between himself l and MT. RoSentihl His testimony did not materially differ from what precedsd. l Commissioner Lane said that, by MT. l RcsentihPs own statement, Officer Gam l bill had committed no breach and moved
 that the charge be dismissed It was so 1 ordered
 The charges against Officer Rcllo were 1 withdrawn and no action by the board 1 was deemed necessary. The chare@ 1 against Officer Culpepper were also 1 thrown out as provision had been made 1 to satisfy-the claim.
 The charges against Oficsr Armstrong l for vioc cating a rule were next calhe1. The 1 charges read for neglect of duty or be- ] ing asleep on duty" and wera preferred l by Captain Weir. Capt. Weir statod that 1 he was going through First alley, be- ] tween Nineteenth ard Twentieth streets, 1 and he saw a man in his shirt sleeves l lylug as if asfseD on box. He stated ! that he pa asssd by the prostrate form, ] went to the next street and then came 1 back. The place where Armstrong was
 asesp was "a ther dark 't" Capt Weir stated that he had given orders to Officer Armstrong to pay as much attention as possible to a certain l building
 Officer Armstrong took the stand and stated that he had his coat and hat off l and that hsi was sitting on box leaning l near doorway He told about several l arrests made there He said he was | violating rule by having his hat and 1 coat off. He denied being asleep ard stated that he was there on business. l He walked back to the box and took out l a cold lunch and ate it. He admitted 1 that he had sat on that box several times. l Chairman Stevens stated that MT. Arm 1 strong was tried once before. | MT Lane moved that MT. Armstrong
 be fourd guilty and that the chairman reprimand him and suspend him from l the force for two days. Mir. Stevens
 insisted tho t the charge was serious and
 seemed { think that the punishment
 was not sufficient. He wanted it heavier. Mr. Garrett hesitated for quite while
 before seconding the motoin, which fin
 ally prevailed.
 Mir Lane was requested to administer the reprimand which he did He in- formed the officer that he would be ex- pected to work forty-eight hours without recompense.
 The next case was against Officer Nia
 for being asleep on duty lie entered plea of guilty. MT. Stevens stated that Mir Nix had been tried twice before. He told the circumstances of his nap He
 stated that he had been on the force fer fourteen years. MT Lane moved that MT Nix be found guilty and fined seven
 and onc-half days labor without pay. It was so ordered
 |. Officer Baker was next put on trial on
 the same offense. He entered a plea of guilty. MT. Stevens stated that MT Baker had been tried three times. MT. Garrett questioned this and it developed that the first case was dismissed. The previous charges were found to be very unimportant and excused under eXtenu2- ton of circumstances. Capt Weir made statement in which he said that Mr. Baker was a very efficient officer and had
 made several very important arrests.
 Chief Mcdonald also made like stae- ment.
 Mr Lane moved that Officer Baker be
 fined two teys' labor without reccmpense. It was SO ordered
 MT. Lane wanted to know the cause of the eridemic of sleepy officers. capt. Weir was as Viglant heretofore as at
 present, but the very warm weather af- fected the officers.
 After the trials were all over and ether
 business was taken up Officer Nix re- quested to return to the room. MT. SteN- en- stated that the fine of seven. and one
 half days would be reduced to five days
 The officer expressed his thankfulness and was allowed to depart.
 Under the report of officers the chiefs
 second se1ni-snr ual report was read
 Pirmineh eham, Ala. July 1897.
 TO the Honorable Board of Police CoIn-
 missioners. Birmingham, Ala:
 Gntlensn:-I have the honor to sub-
 mil herewith a ssm.-anrual report of the police denar. men., 'commencing January 1 and ending July l, 1897:
 Te Amount of Fines As -e5sH sHd-f err-a'v s1 Ss5, February s2,1S5.5O. March s2.372.
 April S1 ,7c2 May I.7s9. June $1,S02; to-
 t,l. s11, 745.5o
 ITO Amount of Fces Asse 7zad-Ja nuary s1e505. February s27o 55. March s2S6.5D
 April s76 50 May S32.50. June S94 30; O.
 tai. s92660.
 Total amount of fms and fees aes2s=ed
 s12e7210.
 To Ancurt of Fines Callsesad- rlI- ary sSS0.15. February sf96.75. March sSi7.
 April S75.25. Nay S4S2, Jrs.e S591 tctAl
 S3 092.t5.
 To Anlsunf. of Fees Coslectes--f faT'l " s10. February s25. s-,s 'el, S92.a'. t-fi il ss55o May s2250. Jrne $25; total S13i.5D
 TO Amourl. of EaclS Fines and E'i.as
 Cnlle,tsa-Ja rrr,Fy Sls. ,rs nr,sry a,5r v s,u oo sSa 20; srl all s4e5 TF
 Remii ted i,r Nayar---T-n;,ary S17o 50 Faaruarv s191 res ssn7 h-lr.l Sl4f 50